Cauliflower rice has become one of my new favorite recipes. Cauliflower has always been like a blank slate waiting to be painted and now, it is being painted as rice.
Methods for Ricing Cauliflower
There are 3 basic methods to make easy riced cauliflower. My preference is to use the pulse and food processor method. I feel like it provides the best consistent pieces that are small enough to resemble rice.
- Food Processor Pulsing– This requires a large food processor and I highly suggest working in batches. All you need to do is pulse the raw cauliflower until it is in small bits. Remove any large pieces and add them to the next batch.
- Food Processor Grater– Most food processors come with a grating attachment that is great for cheese and also for making cauliflower rice. You’ll want to feed the pieces of cut cauliflower through the tube while on grate. I find this takes a bit longer and the pieces are larger than an average grain of rice.
- Box Grater– Not everyone has a food processor (although I highly recommend them!). You can also use a cheese grater (box grater) on the smallest grate. Cut the cauliflower into slightly larger bits so they are easier to handle while grating. The downside is that some is ultimately wasted because it is impossible to hand grate down to nothing.
Recipe Essentials
Affordable and simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy cauliflower rice recipe. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Fresh Cauliflower – Be sure to choose a fresh large head of cauliflower, checking that it has minimal brown spots.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh parsley
Perfect Pairings
Cauliflower rice is versatile you can serve it in tons of different ways. Make it the base of a southwest steak bowl, use it as a substitute if you want a low-carb take on cheese grits with breakfast or dinner, or use it in place of real rice in a teriyaki shrimp stir fry.
Or, it’s also a great side dish alongside any protein from creamy dill salmon or hibachi shrimp to baked chicken breasts or chili verde pork.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – Adding salt helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. I add a pinch of coarse kosher salt to this cauliflower rice.
- Seasonings – Add in some heat with cayenne pepper, chili powder or red pepper flakes. Or have any earthy version with cumin and garlic powder.
- Sauces – Instead of olive oil use another oil with neutral flavor like avocado oil or coconut oil. If you’re making a stir fry with it, you may also want to try sesame oil. Try using lime juice instead of lemon juice.
- Swaps – You can rice lots of different vegetables. Broccoli and yams are two good options and you can also rice jicama, parsnips, carrots, and butternut squash.
- Senses – Light and fluffy, cauliflower rice sizzles with a subtle nutty aroma, offers a tender bite, and carries a mild, slightly sweet flavor that soaks up seasonings beautifully.
Common Questions About Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower is packed full of nutrients and has lots of fiber. It’s also a great low-carb substitute for regular white rice or brown rice so if you’re trying to reduce carbs in your diet it’s a great choice. It’s perfect for diabetics or anyone on a paleo or keto diet.
It is usually less expensive to make cauliflower than to buy it. Sometimes there are sales on pre-riced cauliflower, but overall it is usually far cheaper to buy a head of cauliflower and make it than to buy packaged cauliflower.
Absolutely! You can substitute cauliflower rice in any recipe in which you would use rice. You can also make all sorts of additions to it to from veggies and meat or seafood to plant-based protein.
Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Riced Cauliflower:
- 1 head of cauliflower , brown ends trimmed
To Cook:
- 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- spritz of fresh lemon juice
- fresh parsley , chopped for garnish, optional
Instructions
Riced Cauliflower:
- Make sure the 1 head of cauliflower is dry. If you washed it, pat dry well with paper towels.
- Trim the cauliflower of any brown spots and then chop into 2-inch pieces.
- Working in 4 batches, place the cut the cauliflower into a large food processor and pulse until it is small bits. Alternatively, you can use the grater attachment of a food processor and feed it through the tube or do this manually by using a box grater.
To Cook:
- Heat the 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the riced cauliflower, 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes and then remove from the heat.
- Season with a spritz of fresh lemon juice and garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Storage:
Store leftover cauliflower rice in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.Can You Freeze Cauliflower Rice?
Yes you can! Freeze cauliflower fried rice for up to 3 months in freezer bags or a freezer-safe container.Other Kitchen How-To’s
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This homemade version turned out so much better than frozen riced cauliflower. Will definitely be making again!
My daughter has ADHD and we try to limit carbs as much as possible since they trigger her. Cauliflower rice is a staple in my house. Love the variations you added, too!
Love this so much! So much great info here, my cauliflower rice turned out perfect!
This is one of our favorite! It’s really easy to make, tastes great, and is super healthy! We love it!
This was my first time making cauli rice and let me tell you, it tastes so much better than I thought. And I loved the addition of lemon juice!