How to Make Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice has really taken off lately, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a tasty, gluten-free alternative to starchy sides like mashed potatoes, rice, and even pizza crust. Once you learn how to make and cook cauliflower rice, you can use the cooked cauliflower rice to make some delicious gluten free and low carb recipes of your own.

How To Make Cauliflower Rice

Basic cauliflower rice is nothing more than finely processed raw cauliflower. There are several ways you can rice cauliflower:

Chop the cauliflower florets using a large chef’s knife into tiny pieces about the size of rice grains.
Grate the cauliflower florets using a grater. Using larger florets makes it easier for grating.
Process the cauliflower florets in a food processor or blend them in a blender. Pulse small cauliflower florets in a food processor several times until you have cauliflower rice. You may have to scrape the sides of the bowl several times, or work in batches if all the florets don’t fit in the processor.

Easy Cauliflower Rice — Chop cauliflower florets

If you want to make cauliflower quickly and easily though it’s best to use a food processor. Can you make cauliflower rice without a food processor? Yes, of course, you can make cauliflower rice without a food processor but it will take you a little bit longer to make it.

Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe

Wash raw heads of cauliflower and use a knife to remove the stem and any leaves.
Cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces that will fit into the feeding tube of your food processor.
Attach the grating plate to your food processor and feed the cauliflower into the processor as it runs on full speed. After it has been processed, the cauliflower will resemble small grains of rice; hence the name cauliflower rice!

How To Make Cauliflower Rice Without a Food Processor

To make cauliflower rice without a food processor, follow step 1, above. Then use a handheld vegetable grater to make the cauliflower rice. You can use a box grater or a handheld grater.

How to Cook Cauliflower Rice

Cooking cauliflower rice is easy and quick. How to cook cauliflower rice: saute it in a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir and cover the cauliflower so it becomes more tender. Cook for a total of about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings as desired. Serve warm, eat and enjoy!

How To Use Cauliflower Rice

Now that you know how to make cauliflower rice and how to cook it, here are some delicious ways you can use it.

Chicken & Veggies burrito bowl
Cauliflower rice stir fry (with some veggies & protein)
Cauliflower rice casserole
Healthy cauliflower crust pizza
Shrimp and cauliflower rice

What To Serve Cauliflower Rice With

Cauliflower rice is a great staple and perfect for busy weeknights. You can serve it with some of these low carb recipes: Honey Sriracha Salmon, Chicken Piccata, Creamy Chicken Marsala or Blackened Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa. They are also delicious and satisfying low carb and gluten-free meals that can help you stay on track with your dietary goals. You can also use cauliflower rice in other recipes that call for rice, such as stir-fries and fried rice.

How To Store Cauliflower Rice

You can store cauliflower rice in the fridge for up to 4 days, or you can portion it out in ziplock bags and store it in the freezer for 4-6 months. To cook, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet; add the “rice” to the skillet, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

How To Freeze Cauliflower Rice

You can freeze raw cauliflower rice without first cooking it. Follow the following steps for freezing cauliflower rice.

Once you have riced the cauliflower, make sure to pat it dry and make sure there is not much excess moisture.
Portion out the quantity of cauliflower rice that you need for each meal and scoop it into each bag.
Squeeze the air out of each bag and seal it.
Label each bag with the date and the quantity. You can freeze cauliflower rice for up to 6 months.
For easier storage, flatten the bags out and stack them on top of each other in the freezer to minimize the amount of space you need. You can also use plastic or glass boxes if you prefer.

When you’re ready to cook it, simply remove from the freezer the night before using and allow to thaw in the fridge. Or if you are in a hurry, allow the frozen cauliflower rice to thaw for about 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking.

Where To Buy Riced Cauliflower

Yes, you can buy premade cauliflower rice in most grocery stores instead of making it yourself with the blender. Trader Joe’s carries both refrigerated and frozen cauliflower rice. You can find Green Giant’s Cauliflower rice in the freezer aisle or Green Giant’s Fresh cauliflower rice in the refrigerated section. Trader Joe’s cauliflower rice is a convenient and healthy alternative when you don’t have time to make your own.

You can also buy cauliflower rice at Costco, Publix, Walmart and Kroger, and most of the healthy food stores.

Healthy Cauliflower Recipes

If you are looking for some healthy cauliflower recipes, check these out:

Easy Loaded Cauliflower Bake

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Easy Cauliflower Soup

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Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is a healthy, gluten free and low carb vegetable, making it a great substitute for starchy side dishes. Learn how to cook cauliflower rice. Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, any size
1 Tablespoon olive oil (or butter)
salt or seasonings (optional)

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into quarters and trim out the inner core from each piece. Cut into smaller florets that can fit in a food processor.
Transfer the cauliflower florets to a food processor with the blade attachment and don’t overfill it, no more than 3/4 full.
Process the cauliflower in 1-second pulses into it’s broken down into rice-like grains.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cauliflower rice to the skillet, season with salt, pepper, and favorite seasonings, stir and cover with a lid. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the riced cauliflower is tender. Serve warm or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Notes

How To Freeze Cauliflower Rice

Once you have riced the cauliflower, make sure to pat it dry and make sure there is not much excess moisture.
Portion out the quantity of cauliflower rice that you need for each meal and scoop it into each bag.
Squeeze the air out of each bag and seal it.
Label each bag with the date and the quantity. You can freeze cauliflower rice for up to 6 months.
For easier storage, flatten the bags out and stack them on top of each other in the freezer to minimize the amount of space you need. You can also use plastic or glass boxes if you prefer.

How To Store Cauliflower Rice

You can store cauliflower rice in the fridge for up to 4 days, or you can portion it out in ziplock bags and store it in the freezer for 4-6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 25 kcal
Fat: 2 g
Sodium: 5 mg
Potassium: 53 mg
Vitamin C: 8.6 mg
Calcium: 4 mg
Iron: 0.1 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.