Cauliflower rice is a great low carb and keto alternative to white or brown rice. You can serve it as a side dish, or the base of a bowl. It's naturally gluten free and loaded with vitamins!
It's easy to make it at home with a food processor, box grater, knife or blender. And you can cook it on the stove top in just 10 minutes, or for crispy cauliflower rice, I recommend roasting it in the oven!
Using cauliflower rice as the base of a bowl is a great way to make it even healthier and low carb! Sure, you can purchase riced cauliflower at the grocery store in the produce section or on the freezer aisle, but it's much more affordable to make it at home, and it's so easy!
While using a food processor or high-powered blender is the easiest way to make it at home, if you don't have either of these appliances, no need to worry. A simple box grater or knife will also do the trick!
Cauliflower rice freezes very well, so you can easily make a double batch and keep it on hand to serve as a side dish or the base of your favorite bowl!
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Ingredients you'll need
- Cauliflower - you'll need one head of cauliflower for this recipe, which should be approximately 4-5 pounds in weight.
- Oil - either olive oil or avocado oil will work well.
- Salt - I recommend sea salt or kosher salt for the best flavor and texture.
Pro tip: You will need 1 tablespoon of oil for every 4-5 cups of rice. Four pounds of cauliflower should equal approximately 9-10 cups of cauliflower rice.
How to make it in a food processor
To make your own cauliflower rice at home using a food processor, follow the four steps below.
- Remove the stems and leaves from a head of cauliflower.
- Chop the cauliflower into large pieces.
- Place the large chunks of cauliflower in a food processor.
- Pulse in the food processor for 15-20 seconds or until the cauliflower is the consistency of rice. Be sure not to pulse too long or the cauliflower will turn into mush.
Pro tip: Before cooking the cauliflower, use paper towels to wring out the rice. This will remove any excess moisture and will help prevent your rice from getting soggy.
How to make it in a blender
Much like the food processor, making riced cauliflower in a blender is easy to do.
- Follow the first two steps listed above.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a high-powered blender.
- Pulse the blender until the cauliflower is the consistency of rice. Scrape down the sides as needed. Do not process too much or the cauliflower will turn to mush.
How to make it using a box grater
To make riced cauliflower with a box grater, follow the four steps below.
- Remove the stems and leaves from a head of cauliflower.
- Cut the head of cauliflower in half.
- Carefully grate the large pieces of cauliflower, just as you would if you were grating cheese. Watch your fingers and knuckles though, as the cauliflower pieces get smaller, you don't want to grate your fingers!
- As the box grater fills up, remove the cauliflower rice, set it aside and continue to grate the remaining cauliflower.
How to make it using a knife
Making riced cauliflower with a knife is the most difficult and least convenient of the methods, but will work if it's the only tool you have.
Remove the stems and leaves as instructed above and cut apart the florets. Use a sharp knife to cut the florets as finely as possible to make cauliflower rice.
How to cook it on the stovetop
Once you've prepared the rice using one of the four methods above, it's easy to cook it on the stove or in the oven. To cook it on the stove, follow these 3 simple steps.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the riced cauliflower and salt to the pan.
- Sauté over medium high heat for 6-10 minutes.
How to cook it in the oven
This is actually my preferred method for cooking cauliflower rice and how I cook it in this popular Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe.
It's easy to make in 3 steps and I prefer the slightly crispy texture of the oven-baked rice, over the stovetop version.
- Toss the cauliflower rice with olive oil and salt.
- Spread in an even layer on a large baking sheet.
- Cook at 425°F for 25 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does cauliflower rice last? When sealed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator, raw cauliflower rice will keep fresh for up to 4 days. Cooked cauliflower rice will last in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Can you freeze it? Yes, you can! Simply place the raw rice in a freezer safe container in a thin layer. A gallon size zip-top bag is a great option for this. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results.
- Is cauliflower rice better than real rice? The cauliflower version of rice contains significantly less calories than white or brown rice. It's also lower in carbohydrates and offers more nutrients. However, regular rice contains more protein, so it depends what you're looking for with nutrition.
- What does it taste like? In addition to tasting like cauliflower, the riced form will take on any flavor that it is seasoned with. This makes it incredibly versatile which is perfect for creating all kinds of recipes.
- Is cauliflower rice a carb or vegetable? It is a vegetable, since it's simply made from cauliflower cut up super small. It is extremely low in carbs which is great for those on a keto diet!
What can I add to cauliflower rice
- Spices - Sprinkle in garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, paprika, chili powder, or cumin. You can also use spice blends, like Taco Seasoning, Blackened Seasoning or Moroccan Seasoning to spice up the rice.
- Herbs - Either dried or fresh herbs can add wonderful flavor to the rice! Try basil, cilantro, parsley, oregano, dill, thyme, sage, or rosemary.
- Chopped veggies - Mix in just one, or a combination of a few! Onions, garlic, zucchini, carrots, peas, peppers, or mushrooms will all add wonderful flavor to the rice.
- Citrus - A squeeze of lemon or lime juice adds a wonderful burst of freshness to the rice.
Ways to use it
This rice makes an excellent low carb addition to so many different recipes. Use it in any of the following ways:
- Stuffed peppers
- Sushi bowls or rolls
- Stir fries
- Add to burritos or burrito bowls
Or add it to any of the following bowls:
- Whole30 Baked Teriyaki Salmon Bowl
- Low Carb Fish Taco Bowls
- Greek Cauliflower Rice Salad
- Keto Fried Rice
- Whole30 Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
You can also substitute the regular rice or quinoa in these recipes with the cauliflower rice:
- Mediterranean Shrimp and Rice Bowl
- Asian Tempeh Bowl with Peanut Sauce
- Chipotle Taco Bowls with Tofu Crumbles
- Italian Bowl with Roasted Vegetables
If you loved this tutorial, don't miss these posts for how to make perfect Instant Pot Sushi Rice, white rice, brown rice and how to cook quinoa 3 ways!
Recipe
Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 4 pounds cauliflower 1 head should equal 4-5 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Remove the stems and leaves from a head of cauliflower.
- Chop the cauliflower into large pieces.
Food Processor
- Place the large chunks of cauliflower in a food processor.
- Pulse in the food processor for 15-20 seconds or until the cauliflower is the consistency of rice.
- Be sure not to pulse too long or the cauliflower will turn into mush.
Blender
- Load the florets into a blender.
- Pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice, scraping down the sides as needed.
Grater
- Grate as you would cheese.
Cut with a Knife
- Chop with a knife as finely as possible.
Roast in the Oven
- Before cooking the cauliflower, use paper towels to wring out the rice. This will remove any excess moisture and will help prevent your rice from getting soggy.
- Toss the cauliflower rice with olive oil and salt.
- Spread in an even layer on a large baking sheet.
- Cook at 425°F for 25 minutes.
Cook on the Stove
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the riced cauliflower and salt.
- Sauté over medium high heat for 6-10 minutes.
Notes
- One head of cauliflower should equal 4-5 pounds, which will result in 9-10 cups of cauliflower rice.
- I recommend using 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt for every 4-5 cups of rice.
- The nutritional information provided for this recipe is for 1 cup of cauliflower rice, prepared with olive oil and salt.
- One cup of cauliflower rice contains 5 net carbs.
- When sealed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator, raw cauliflower rice will keep fresh for up to 4 days. Cooked cauliflower rice will last in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- To freeze the cauliflower rice, place it in a freezer safe container in a thin layer. A gallon size zip-top bag is a great option for this. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results.
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