Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (2024)

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Published on by Jamie Silva

An easy-to-make cauliflower rice recipe made Cuban-style made with riced cauliflower, spices, and black beans. A quick 15-minute meal!

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (1)

I’m so excited about this recipe! If you’re wanting to cook more at home or you’re trying to eat healthier, you’re in for a treat!

I’m on a mission to also eat healthier by lightening up a few of my FAVORITE Cuban comfort foods that I’ve loved for years. For example, I’ve already done this with cauliflower arroz con pollo and now I’m doing it withcongri.

What is congri?

Congri[kon-gree] is Cuban-style rice and beans. Another name forit isMoros y Cristianos. Supposedly congri is made with red beans while moros y cristianos is made with black beans. And that very well may be the case HOWEVER my mom always called it congri so congri it is.She’s always right. ;)

Essentially you cook the black beans first with green peppers, onions, and garlic, then you add in the white rice and cook it all with dry cooking wine, spices, and sometimes BACON. Yes, you heard that correctly. Bacon! For obvious reasons, it’s always been my favorite rice ever. Duh, right?

But now ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a healthier option…this is Cauliflower Congri! The perfect marriage of riced cauliflower and Cuban black beans.

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (2)

What does cauliflower rice taste like?

Riced cauliflower tastes bland and boring. It’s basically just a head of cauliflower pulsed down to a rice-like consistency. The only way for cauliflower rice to taste good is to season it! This is why I LOVE this recipe for riced cauliflower. The black beans and spices get soaked in by the riced cauliflower making it so flavorful. It’s like healthy Cuban food!

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Cauliflower Rice Recipe

  • Sofrito (onion, garlic, green pepper):As with most Cuban dishes, this recipe starts with a sofrito: a combination of garlic, onions, and green peppers. It’s like a Cuban mirepoix.
  • Riced cauliflower: You can buy a head of cauliflower, cut the florets and pulse them in a food processor until riced. You can also buy store-bought cauliflower rice.
  • Black beans: For this recipe, I like using a can of low-sodium black beans. I save 1/3 cup of the liquid for the cauliflower rice to soak up. This also will help color the riced cauliflower.
  • Spices: Cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

Recommended For This Recipe

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (3)

Skillet

A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.

How To Make Cauliflower Congri

  • Start with your sofrito. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  • Make the cauliflower congri. Add the cauliflower rice, black beans, 1/3 cup of liquid from the can of black beans, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 6-8 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
  • Serve with chicken or salmon, or enjoy it by itself.

It’s so easy! I promise it tastes like black beans more than cauliflower. I would never steer you wrong!

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (4)

How do you make cauliflower rice not soggy?

Try not to leave it on the pan for too long. Transfer it off the pan to a plate as soon as you’re done cooking to avoid it from getting soggy. It should be tender like rice with the yummy taste of Cuban black beans.

How long does cauliflower congri last?

While it’s better enjoyed immediately after cooking, this cauliflower congri recipe lasts 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (5)

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans + Cauliflower Rice Recipe)

4.59 from 48 votes

By: Jamie Silva

An easy-to-make cauliflower rice recipe made Cuban-style made with riced cauliflower, spices, and black beans.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup green pepper finely chopped
  • 12 ounces riced cauliflower
  • 1 can low-sodium black beans
  • 1/3 cup liquid from canned black beans
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

  • Add riced cauliflower, black beans, 1/3 cup of liquid from the canned black beans, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

  • Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes or so until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with chicken breast, salmon, or by itself.Enjoy!

Notes

Cauliflower congri lasts 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 226 kcalCarbohydrates: 19.3 gProtein: 6.9 gFat: 14.2 gSaturated Fat: 2 gSodium: 144 mgPotassium: 69 mgFiber: 7.8 gSugar: 2 gCalcium: 50 mgIron: 2.2 mg

Did You Make This?I want to know! below or tag @asassyspoon on social media!

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  • Cuban-Style Crispy Shredded Chicken (Vaca Frita de Pollo)
  • Homemade Cuban Complete Seasoning

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (6)

JAMIE SILVA
Miami native, first-generation Cuban-American, and the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind A Sassy Spoon. Since 2016, Jamie has been developing recipes inspired by her rich Cuban heritage and Latin-inspired recipes influenced by her hometown of Miami.

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (7)Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (8)Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (9)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Rating and a Comment

  1. Michele Victoria says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (10)
    Super delicious and easy to make. Thank you Jamie. My Cuban born husband adores this recipe.

    Reply

  2. Elizabeth Standard says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (11)
    Soooo good! We grilled chicken with Tajin on a cast iron grill pan. Served it cut up over the beans and rice. Topped with Greek yogurt and mango habenero hot sauce. And served with plantain chips. This will be in our weekly rotation

    Reply

  3. Janien says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (12)
    This is such a good recipe! I have made it dozens of times to go with your vaca frita con pollo recipe and to eat on its own. It is delicious and even those who aren’t in love with cauliflower rice love it. Thank you!

    Reply

  4. Sarah Platt says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (13)
    I never really comment on recipes much, but this recipe was absolutely fire. I was tired from deep cleaning the whole house and didn’t wanna make a trip to the store, so I found some random stuff I had at home and this recipe fit what I had! Added a bit if vinegar and some hot sauce, but it’s awesome on its own as a dish. Saving this in my back pocket for later! Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      So happy you enjoyed it, Sarah!

      Reply

  5. Mey says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (14)
    Being Cuban myself, I had to try this. It Was great! Looking for more healthy Cuban recipes. Would love to see more healthy Cuban or latin recipes! Please keep posting them!
    Thank you :-)

    Reply

  6. Kimberly says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (15)
    This is a great recipe!! I used vegetarian broth instead of oil, and added two tablespoons at a time during cooking to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. I will definitely make this again! Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Shared says

    Sounds Amazing. Do you cook the beans previously or straight from the can?

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      Straight from the can!

      Reply

  8. Mark says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (16)
    Best cauliflower rise dish I have made thus far. Used 1 red bell pepper and 1 medium yellow onion with garlic. Added 1/4 c. Red wine to the vegetables allowing it to evaporate completely. Maintained the remainder of the recipe except 1/2 as much cumin and 2 fresh bay leaves. It was delicious !

    Reply

  9. Claudia says

    Looking forward to trying this recipe! Question: Can I use/how would I use frozen riced cauliflower rice? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      Just let it thaw and you can use it without a problem! :)

      Reply

  10. Davina Sibert says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (17)
    delicious! i did double the garlic but that’s because I do with every recipe!

    Reply

  11. Lindsey says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (18)
    Excellent. Thank you so much. My husband and I are new to Keto and it can get boring. He’s Caribbean Indian and I’m southern so we love and miss the Roti and rice and yams and so on. For this recipe I followed everything except I added only half a cup of the beans and all of he liquid from the can. So so perfect. Thank you!! 15 net carbs split from the beans

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      So happy to hear, Lindsey!!

      Reply

  12. Vicki Pendleton says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (19)
    So thankful to have found you! Finally healthy Cuban food. So happy! Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      You’re welcome! Be sure to sign up for my email updates and you’ll see more recipes! :)

      Reply

  13. ALDA says

    So excited to try this!

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      YAY! You’re going to LOVE it!

      Reply

  14. Shaquira says

    Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (20)
    Girrrrrrrl you always out do yourself! It looks delish!

    Reply

    • Jamie Silva says

      Thank you!!

      Reply

Cauliflower Congri (Cuban-Style Black Beans & Cauliflower Rice Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep cauliflower rice from getting soggy? ›

If you want to prevent your cauliflower rice from being soggy, you might want to try pan-frying your rice or roasting it in the oven. Adding a bit of oil and cooking it on a high heat will remove some of the moisture and help it crisp up!

What is the difference between cauliflower rice and riced cauliflower? ›

As far as we can tell, it's the same thing, just a different name. The term “cauliflower rice” didn't become an internet sensation until around 2012. But ever since then, this nutrient-rich rice substitute has been booming in popularity!

What is Arroz Congri made of? ›

Arroz Congri is a tasty dish made using white rice and black beans with just a touch of crispy bacon, vegetables and spices. Traditionally known as a Cuban dish, you can find this plate within many cuisines throughout the Caribbean, the southern US as well as in Brazil.

Why is my cauliflower rice mushy? ›

Sautéing for too long. Riced cauliflower can benefit from a quick sauté, but be mindful of the clock. Leave riced cauliflower on the heat too long and it will become soft and soggy.

How do you keep cauliflower from getting mushy? ›

If you cut all the way through the floret, you're cutting through the cell structure of the curd — and when you cook it, that part will get mushy. Easier still: Place the larger florets on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little olive oil and roast them. Michael Marks is the marketing manager for FreshPoint.

Why does cauliflower rice make me bloated? ›

The reason for this is that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous veggies, such as kale and broccoli, contains raffinose and other oligosaccharides. These are specific types of sugars that remain undigested until bacteria in the gut ferment them, producing gas, and, in turn, causing bloating and gas.

Is it OK to eat riced cauliflower everyday? ›

The fact that it's a vegetable makes cauliflower automatically good for you. Additionally, cauliflower is packed with nutrients that give it unique benefits, such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. These properties give you a good reason to eat it frequently or even daily.

Is cauliflower rice actually healthy? ›

Substituting cauliflower rice for white rice is a great way to get more antioxidants while reducing calories and carbohydrates in order to save room for other nutrient dense foods.

Which is better broccoli or cauliflower rice? ›

While they are both very nutritious vegetables, broccoli has a higher vitamin content, specifically in vitamin K and C, than cauliflower and is specifically known to be great for eye health. Broccoli florets also provide more minerals and fiber as well as contains vitamin A that isn't in cauliflower.

What is another name for congri? ›

Moros y Cristianos are different from simple arroz con frijoles in that the beans and rice are cooked in the same pot instead of separately. Congrí is another term for the dish, but is used more commonly to refer to the similar dish with red beans that is traditionally eaten on the eastern part of the island.

What spices are used in Cuban food? ›

Spices: garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and cilantro. These ingredients are used in virtually all savory Cuban cooking and are a must-have in your kitchen. Vegetables, Grains, and Legumes: onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, beans, and rice.

What is the difference between Cuban congri and Moro? ›

Congri [pronounced kon-gree] is made with red beans while Moros y Cristianos [pronounced moe-roes-e-chris-tee-anos] is made with black beans. But depending on where you were born, you'd call it congri whereas, in other parts of Cuba, you'd call it moros.

How do you take the bitterness out of cauliflower rice? ›

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and cauliflower and sauté until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice to help remove any bitterness from the raw cauliflower.

How to make cauliflower rice that's not soggy? ›

Easy DIY Raw Cauliflower Rice Recipe (That's Not Mushy!)

In a food processor, add the cauliflower florets and pulse for 30-60 seconds. Add 2-3 cups at a time and remove as it is riced. This will prevent the cauliflower from being over-processed. With a towel, pat dry or squeeze the liquid out from the cauliflower.

Why does cauliflower rice taste sour? ›

While product is hot, you can taste something a bit sour which is the malic acid, a NATURAL product (look it up, it's also used in cosmetics). **Product tastes best after stirred & cooled a little!** Before opening, use hands to squish around contents before opening to mix up the cauliflower.

How to get moisture out of riced cauliflower? ›

Once the riced cauliflower has been cooked (or thawed), transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEZE all the excess moisture out!

How do you keep cauliflower fresh and crisp? ›

How to Store Cauliflower in the Fridge. Store fresh cauliflower heads in a loosely closed or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cauliflower needs air circulation, so don't seal or knot the bag closed. (If you bought a plastic-wrapped head of cauliflower from the grocery store, just loosen up the knot.)

How do you keep rice from getting gooey? ›

When the now starch-coated rice hits the boiling water, the starch blooms and gets sticky. As the water is absorbed, and the rice grains get closer and closer together, they will begin to stick to one anther and form large clumps. The very simple solution is to rinse.

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