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If you’ve only ever tried bagged cauliflower rice from the store, you’re going to be in for a pleasant surprise. Fresh cauliflower rice tastes so much better!
And luckily for us, it doesn’t take long to prepare.
I included two riced cauliflower recipes in my first cookbook because it’s such an easy way to eat more veggies. You can use it just like regular rice, only it cooks even faster. It can be the base of a tabbouleh salad, stir-fried with veggies and protein like “fried rice,” or even used to make a low-carb pizza crust.
The possibilities are endless! I’ll share some of my favorite ways to use this low-carb rice below, along with how to cook it as a simple side dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cauliflower. The only crucial ingredient is cauliflower. It will taste best if you start with a whole head and chop it into florets yourself. However, you can also start with bagged cauliflower florets or even a bag of pre-riced cauliflower.
- Olive Oil. If you want to saute this as a side dish, use olive oil to help it move around the pan, developing golden, crispy bits as you go.
- Garlic. Briefly saute freshly minced garlic in olive oil for a flavorful side dish.
- Salt. This addition helps boost the flavor, without making it overly salty.
Note: I’ve found that bagged cauliflower rice doesn’t always taste as good as freshly riced cauliflower. I suspect it’s because bagged cauliflower rice might use more stems than florets to reduce waste. If you haven’t enjoyed the flavor of cauliflower rice, make sure you start with fresh cauliflower florets, rather than relying on pre-riced cauliflower
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Step 1:
Remove the leaves and stem from the cauliflower head, then cut the florets into medium pieces. I typically get a little over 1 pound of cauliflower from a medium head.
Transfer half of the florets to a large food processor fitted with an S-blade. (Mine is 12 cups in size.) Starting with only half the cauliflower will make the pieces break down quickly and evenly. Secure the lid and pulse several times, just until the cauliflower looks rice-like.
Note: I’ve learned from experience that if you try to process an entire pound of cauliflower in the food processor at once, some pieces won’t reach the blades, while others will be processed too finely. It’s best to process in two batches; in the long run, it will save you time.
Step 2:
Transfer the riced cauliflower to a separate bowl. Then add the remaining florets, secure the lid, and pulse several more times to break the cauliflower down into rice-like pieces. When you’re done, you should have approximately 4 cups of cauliflower rice from a medium head of cauliflower.
You can use this grain-free rice right away in your favorite recipe. (See my suggestions below.) Or, to cook it as a simple side dish, add a drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook two minced garlic cloves in the oil for one minute, just until fragrant.
Step 3:
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the riced cauliflower to the pan. Stir briefly to incorporate the garlic. You’ll notice quickly that the cauliflower will start to release some moisture, which will prevent it from burning in the pan.
Spread it out evenly and let it cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Then stir well and spread it out again. Repeat the process until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 minutes total. Season with fine sea salt, and it’s ready to serve as a side for your favorite main course.
Riced Cauliflower Recipes
Now that you know how to make the best-tasting cauliflower rice, here’s how to use it.
- Cauliflower Tabbouleh. Instead of using bulgur (which contains gluten), you can make a lighter version of this Middle Eastern salad with cauliflower rice.
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust. Cauliflower rice is cooked, then squeezed to remove as much moisture as possible. My recipe has been a fan favorite since 2011, because the cheese I use makes the most bread-like crust! I’ve also shared a vegan cauliflower pizza crust without cheese.
- Cauliflower Fried Rice. This is possibly my favorite way to use cauliflower rice, because it tastes so darn close to the original. Tossed with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, it tastes like your favorite take-out and pairs well with any protein you love.
- Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Casserole. This easy skillet meal is cooked with diced tomatoes and spices, then baked with eggs and melted cheese for a comfort food experience.
- Cauliflower Jambalaya. This creole-style skillet dish can be made with any protein you love and has a fun flavor-profile when you want something different for dinner.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Remove the leaves from the cauliflower head and cut the cauliflower into small to medium florets. Add half of the florets to a large food processor fitted with an S-blade, then secure the lid and pulse several times until a rice-like texture is achieved.
- Transfer the riced cauliflower to a separate bowl, then add the remaining florets, secure the lid, and pulse again. Once all the cauliflower is riced, you should have approximately 4 cups. You can use the raw cauliflower rice right away in your favorite recipe, like Cauliflower Tabbouleh or Cauliflower Fried Rice.
- To cook it as a side dish, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the minced garlic and stir for one minute. Then add the rice and spread it out in the pan. Let it cook for 2 minutes, then stir it around the pan.
- Continue spreading the rice out in the pan, stirring every two minutes or so, until some of the pieces start to turn golden. Season with the salt, and continue cooking until the rice is tender, about 8 minutes total. It's ready to serve warm with your favorite main dish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this cauliflower rice recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
When you say 23 grams of carbs that sounds like alot. In addition, cauliflower rice is low in carbs. It provides only 3 grams of net carbs per cup (107 grams) — 18 times fewer carbs than the same quantity of rice ( 1 , 2 , 3 ).Apr 17, 2020
Thank you for the video! It always helps me when I see you do it first— you make it look easy!