Once you know How to Make Cauliflower Rice, then you have a healthier and low-carb alternative to the traditional side. It is quick and easy to use a food processor or a cheese grater to finely crumble this veggie and use it for all your favorite cauliflower rice recipes. Riced cauliflower is the best way to stick to your Whole30 and keto meal plan while still enjoying Asian and Mexican favorites.
Long gone are the days of being unable to curb those rice cravings when on a Keto or Whole30 diet.
Cauliflower rice is a great, low-carb alternative when you’re craving that starchy grain.
Plus, you also get in a healthy serving of vegetables and TONS of fiber.
This recipe is so versatile! You can simply season it with garlic, salt, and pepper, or turn it into some Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or even Cauliflower Fried Rice.
And while you CAN buy the frozen packages at the grocery store, they’re a bit pricey and end up being too watery.
Instead, you can quickly and easily make your own cauliflower rice at home using one of these two methods.
What is Cauliflower Rice?
Sometimes referred to as “riced cauliflower” or “cauli rice,” this is simply a method of cutting a head of cauliflower into rice-sized pieces. You can use a food processor or a box grater to get the fine, crumbled texture.
It is a healthy, keto, low-carb alternative to the traditional grain many enjoy in Asian and Mexican dishes.
You can use riced cauliflower anywhere you would enjoy rice or grains, like taco bowls, stir-fries, and even pizza crusts!
When you’re planning your recipes, know that 1 pound of this veggie yields about 3 ½ to 4 cups of riced cauliflower.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
These are the steps to follow to make cauliflower rice:
Rinse and Dry
The first step is to clean the cauliflower. Rinse the entire head under running water to remove any dirt and debris.
Then, carefully cut away the green outer leaves and the bulky stalk.
Take extra care to slice away from your hands.
Cut into Pieces
In order to easily process or grate the cauliflower, you need to chop the head into smaller pieces.
These chunks don’t need to be bite-sized, but they should be small enough to easily drop into a food processor. Or, if you are using a grater, you can cut the head into larger pieces.
Rice in Food Processor
The easiest method is to toss the cauliflower into your food processor in batches.
Be sure to use the grating attachment. Then, add a few florets into the bowl while it is on. Use the included plastic piece to gently push the veggies through the grater.
If you push too hard, you might end up with strips rather than crumbles, though.
Feel free to replace the grating disc with the S-blade and pulse a few times to get a finer texture.
Rice with Cheese Grater
If you don’t have a food processor, a cheese or box grater works perfectly, as well.
Firmly hold the grater in one hand while you rub the cauliflower down the side with the largest holes. Be super careful of your fingers! It is easy to get too close.
Continue grating until the entire head is riced.
Pat Dry
No matter which method you choose, you will need to remove the excess moisture before cooking.
Place the riced cauliflower in a hand towel and press. This should dry it out, so your dishes won’t be runny or mushy.
How to Cook Cauliflower Rice
Once you’ve made your riced cauliflower, it is time to cook it!
First, add some olive or avocado oil to a large skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Pour in the raw cauliflower rice and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
You can simply season with salt and pepper, or add a variety of fresh herbs, lemon juice, soy sauce, or veggies. There are so many flavor options, choose your favorite!
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can easily rice the cauliflower a day or two before cooking, simply keep it in the fridge.
- To Store: Raw or cooked cauliflower rice should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Be sure you have removed as much moisture as possible, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Pro tip: freeze single-serving-sized portions for ease of use.
- To Reheat: Warm riced cauliflower back up in a pan on the stove with a little extra avocado or olive oil for best results. You can use the microwave if necessary.
FAQs
Before cooking, be sure to remove all of the excess moisture from the cauliflower, or that extra liquid will cause your dish to be soggy.
Cauliflower rice by itself is healthier than white rice. It is full of vitamins and minerals and has less calories than rice.
Cauliflower rice can aid in weight loss because it is high in fiber, making you feel full longer, low-carb, and low-calorie.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Clean it up. Be sure to remove the leaves and stalk along with any dirt and debris on the head of the cauliflower.
- Give it a chop. Depending on which method you choose, the cauliflower pieces need to be different sizes, small for the food processor and larger for the grater.
- Pulse away. After grating, add the S-blade to the processor and pulse a few times to get that fine crumble.
- Be careful. It is easy to nick your fingers on the grater, pay extra careful attention.
- Get creative. You can do so many things with this recipe. Anywhere you would have rice or grains, try subbing in riced cauliflower.
More Cauliflower Recipes
Cauliflower is so healthy and versatile, try one of these crave-worthy recipes next:
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Cauliflower au Gratin
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How to Make Cauliflower Rice
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Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower about 1 ½ pounds
- 1-2 Tbsp. oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the head of cauliflower and then dry it thoroughly.
- Remove any green leaves and then cut into large chunks if using a cheese grater, or smaller florets if using the food processor method.
Food Processor:
- Using the grating attachment, add a few florets to the processor while it is on. Then apply light pressure to the florets with the plastic piece to push them through the grater. Too firm of pressure and you’ll end up with strips instead of smaller riced pieces.
- Optional: you can remove the grating disc at the end and replace it with the S-blade. Then pulse the cauliflower a few times to rice it even more finely.
Cheese Grater:
- Using a boxed cheese grater, grate the larger chunks of cauliflower on the side of the grater with the largest holes. Be careful with your fingers as you get close to the end.
- With both methods you’ll want to add the cauliflower rice to a towel and press it in order to remove any excess liquid.
How to Cook Cauliflower Rice:
- Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large skillet along with the cauliflower rice and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste.
- You can also make this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or this Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe!
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can easily rice the cauliflower a day or two before cooking, simply keep in an airtight container in the fridge.
- To Store: Raw or cooked cauliflower rice should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Be sure you have removed as much moisture as possible, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Pro tip: freeze single-serving-sized portions for ease of use.
- To Reheat: Warm riced cauliflower back up in a pan on the stove with a little extra avocado or olive oil for best results. You can use the microwave if necessary.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
