# Cauliflower Mash Bowls QDOBA's Mexican Cauliflower Mash Offers a Healthier Alternative to Rice By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2020-08-27 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mexican-cauliflower-mash References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qdoba-mexican-eats-tests-mexican-cauliflower-mash-301119283.html) & [QDOBA](http://www.QDOBA.com/) Fast-casual restaurant chain QDOBA is trialing a brand new menu item—Mexican Cauliflower Mash—at select locations in the Indianapolis area that helps people enjoy a low-carb alternative to rice. The dish is made with cauliflower that's oven-roasted in-house and blended with flavorful ingredients like fresh cilantro, pico de gallo and sour cream. Thanks to its unique makeup, the menu item is keto-friendly and contains just six grams of carbs per each four-ounce serving. As the Mexican Cauliflower Mash serves as a stand-in for rice, it can be enjoyed in QDOBA's new Cauli-Mash Low-Carb Chicken Bowl with fajita veggies, or it can be added to a favorite burrito. This better-for-you alternative to rice from QDOBA was created to tap into the increasing popularity of low-carb lifestyles and demand for products containing cauliflower. Image Credit: QDOBA ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 44% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Low-carb Alternatives:** Restaurants are introducing low-carb alternatives to cater to the increasing popularity of low-carb lifestyles. - **Cauliflower-based Products:** Cauliflower-based products are becoming popular as a healthier alternative to high-carb ingredients like rice. - **Oven-roasted Vegetables:** Oven-roasted vegetables are being used as substitutes for high-carb ingredients and are becoming a trend in the food industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fast-casual Restaurants:** Fast-casual restaurants are introducing low-carb alternatives and vegetable substitutes to cater to their health-conscious customers. - **Healthy Food Industry:** The healthy food industry is seeing a rise in demand for cauliflower-based products and other vegetable substitutes for high-carb ingredients. - **Meal Kit Services:** Meal kit services can also offer low-carb alternatives and cauliflower-based products to cater to their customer's dietary preferences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Tex Mex Macaroni Bowls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/qdoba-mac-queso.md) - [Replenishing Post-Workout Bowls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/post-workout-bowls.md) - [Authentic Mexican Corn Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/qdoba-mexican-street-corn.md) - [Garden-Fresh Cauliflower Bowls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buddhas-garden-bowl.md) - [Easy-Prep Mashed Cauliflower Sides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mashed-cauliflower-side.md) - [Comforting Cauliflower Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sweetgreen-late-fall-menu.md) - [Nutrient-Rich Cauliflower Salads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cauliflower-power-salad.md) - [Stuffed Cauliflower Bites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cauliflower-bite.md) - [Nutritious Free-From Snack Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/caulitos.md)