The Best Keto-Friendly Substitute For Sushi Rice
Sushi and rice go hand-in-hand. Some may even say you can't have one without the other. Not often touted as a keto-friendly food, rice comes in pretty high up on the carb count ladder (about 53 grams per cup of the basic white stuff, per the USDA). The rice used for standard sushi rolls and nigiri climbs even higher by a rung or two above your run-of-the-mill rice varieties. Basic sushi rice recipes, like Alton Brown's, call for added white sugar as well as rice vinegar, of which many varieties are pre-seasoned and contain some of the sweet stuff in addition to salt (via America's Test Kitchen).
While sashimi sans the rice is always a low-carb-friendly option and fit for a keto diet, many of us crave a spicy tuna roll. How can you enjoy your favorite sushi dishes while slashing the carb count without sacrificing flavor and mouthfeel? Turns out there's an easy rice sub that does just that.
Low carb alternative to the rescue
From mashed potatoes to pizza crust, at this point, cauliflower has been turned into just about everything — thanks to the popularity of low-carb diets such as keto. Cauliflower in a rice form may have been one of its OG shapeshifts, but lately cauliflower rice has been gaining traction as an option to keep your sushi rolls while nixing the carbs and keeping it keto. It's even popping up as an option on popular restaurant menus like Bondi Sushi in NYC. Safe to say that trend may travel.
Cauliflower rice only contains 3 grams of net carbs per cup — that's 18 times less than white rice, according to Healthline (not to mention the additional vitamins and minerals that accompany opting for the vegetable). The best way to turn a head of cauliflower into rice is with your friend, the food processor (via Food Network Kitchen). If you skip the sugar and opt for monk fruit as with The Synchro Life's recipe, your keto diet will be none the wiser.