Learn how to make cauliflower rice with this easy recipe! It's a yummy, low-carb substitute for regular rice in bowls, stir fries, burritos, and more.
Cauliflower rice! It’s seems like it’s everywhere and in everything, so I thought I would take a few minutes to “dive deep” on this phenomenon, especially because I keep using it, and now I can just link to this post in future recipes 🙂
So what is it? It’s simply cauliflower pulsed in a food processor until it forms into granules that are about the size of rice. Is it as good as rice? Not on its own, but it’s a great starting point health-wise and texture-wise. When it’s seasoned well and used in a recipe with other great flavors and textures going on, it IS delicious and you’ll feel great about getting more vegetables into your day!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Stores often sell “riced” cauliflower in bags, but I prefer to make it myself because you never know how fresh those things are! Plus, it’s SO easy to make… here’s how I do it:
- Cut the cauliflower into chunks, including the cores.
- Place into a food processor.
- Pulse until the cauliflower resembles the texture of rice. Work in batches, if necessary, and be careful not to over-process or it’ll get mushy. If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the cauliflower with a box grater.
After your cauliflower is “riced,” you can use it plain in any recipe that calls for raw cauliflower rice. Follow the directions in that specific recipe.
If you plan to use it as a side dish without a recipe, or if you want to sub it for regular rice, I recommend lightly cooking and seasoning it to take off the raw, often bitter, bite. See specific instructions in the recipe below.
Cauliflower Rice Recipes
Here are some of my favorite recipes that use riced cauliflower, or would be delicious with cauliflower in place of the regular rice:
More Plant-Based Essentials
If you love this recipe, try making these plant-based essentials next:
For more vegan recipes, check out this post. Then, find more rice recipes here!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Prep Time: 7 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Serves 4
Learn how to make cauliflower rice with this easy recipe! It's excellent in healthy stir fries, burrito bowls, fried rice, and more.
Ingredients
For seasoned cauliflower rice:
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- Juice of ½ lime
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make sure your cauliflower is fully dry. Chop the cauliflower into large pieces. You can include the cores, but discard the leaves or save for another use. Place the cauliflower pieces in a food processor and pulse until it has the texture of rice. Work in batches if necessary and don’t over process or it will get mushy. Use in any recipe that calls specifically for riced cauliflower. Continue following that recipe’s instructions.
If you plan to serve your cauliflower as a side dish or use it in place of regular rice, I recommend lightly cooking it and seasoning it to take off the raw bite. 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.
FAQs
Cauliflower has several properties that may help with weight loss. First, it is low in calories with only 27 calories per cup (107 g), so you can eat a lot of it without significantly increasing your calorie intake ( 1 ). It can also serve as a low calorie substitute for high calorie foods, such as rice and flour.
How to make cauliflower rice less soggy? ›
One additional step I like is to press any excess moisture from the rice by transferring the cauliflower rice to a large paper towel or absorbent dish towel and squeeze/press to remove any remaining water. This ensures no excess moisture remains, which can make your dish soggy.
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.
How do you hide the taste of cauliflower rice? ›
Stirring in fresh lime or lemon juice can add a new dimension to your cauliflower rice. Try adding lime juice and cilantro to make cilantro-lime rice, which works great as a base or a side. Drizzle on sauce. A spoonful of sauce such as chimichurri can mask any cauliflower-iness in the rice.
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.
What are the side effects of eating too much cauliflower? ›
Here are 5 possible side effects of cauliflower that you must be cautious of.
- Gastrointestinal Distress and Flatulence. Cauliflower and other cruciferous veggies contain a complex sugar called raffinose. ...
- Hypothyroidism. ...
- Allergy. ...
- Might affect your blood-thinning medication. ...
- Might make you feel less hungry.
Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice to help remove any bitterness from the raw cauliflower.
How long does cauliflower rice last in the fridge? ›
Store cooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Cooked riced cauliflower doesn't taste the same after freezing, so freeze it uncooked instead, following the directions below.
How do you squeeze moisture out of cauliflower rice? ›
Wrap the cauliflower rice in a clean tea towel or paper towels, twist, and squeeze as much water as possible from the rice—you might be surprised by how much water you can wring out, or you might not be.
Which is healthier, quinoa or cauliflower rice? ›
Brown rice actually has more selenium (good for heart health) and vitamin B3 (needed for the production of sex and stress hormones) than quinoa, but quinoa is still the healthier choice. Cauliflower rice is a grain-free, gluten-free and nutrient-dense way to replace the white rice on your plate.
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.
Can diabetics eat cauliflower rice? ›
That's why a great alternative is subbing out traditional rice for cauliflower. Chef Jim Warner of Nutrition Services at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center explains the health benefits. “This is a really good option for someone who has diabetes. A cauliflower rice dish is very low in carbs,” says Warner.
How to get rid of smell in cauliflower rice? ›
You can minimize it by cooking it quickly, and not overcooking it. Cauliflower rice is chopped into very small pieces, and requires only minimal cooking. If I were trying to reduce the odor, I would saute it instead of boiling, to caramelize it and bring out some sweeter flavors.
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.
What goes well with cauliflower? ›
Apples, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, capsicum, carrots, celery, corn, garlic, ginger, jack fruit, kale, lemon, lime, mango, mushroom, olive, onion, orange, pea, pomegranate, potato, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, tomato.
Is cauliflower rice full of carbs? ›
Calorie and carb content
Both of these factors may reduce your calorie intake ( 4 ). 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 ).
Should I replace rice with cauliflower rice? ›
They've proven themselves to be a super-versatile, grain-free substitute when you want a vegetable alternative to rice. Despite the difference in flavor, riced cauliflower can do just about everything your favorite variety of rice can do — just as long as you avoid these missteps along the way.
