Cauliflower rice is a great low carb, veggie-heavy alternative to rice. This post shows you how to make, cook and store cauliflower rice, as well as seven different cauliflower rice recipes that are packed full of flavor!
Cauliflower rice is a great lower carb alternative to rice, and it also is a tasty way to sneak in some extra veggies, whether you serve is as a base for something saucy like a chicken curry or a side dish with baked chicken breast. Hands down, the best tasting cauliflower rice is made from scratch, and it's easier than you'd think to prepare.
Cauliflower rice is a great low carb side dish
While not an exact replica for real rice, cauliflower rice is an amazing rice alternative to serve with stir fries, curries and more! Because cauliflower is lower in carbs (5 g carbs per 1 cup of cauliflower rice), it is a popular choice amongst keto and low carb dieters, but also works for those avoiding grains and following the paleo diet.
It's also a great way to squeeze some extra veggies into your diet, which is why I personally like it!
Recipe video
Before we get started, watch the video below for a great visual on how to rice cauliflower in a food processor as well as how to make the seven flavors. You can find more recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
How to make it
Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower cut into small, rice-sized pieces. There are multiple ways to make it! Here are three options for you:
1. Food processor
The best method involves using a food processor fitted with an S-shaped steel blade. Find my favorite processor + other kitchen equipment in my shop!
- a. wash and dry cauliflower.
- b. cut into 1-2 inch florets. Try to get them uniformly sized.
- c. pulse 10-15 times until broken down into rice-sized pieces.
- d. if you have random large cauliflower florets, simply pick them out.
TIPS
- work in batches (2-3 batches/ head of cauliflower)
- do not overfill the food processor as it will not process them evenly
Watch the video below to see exactly how to make it. Note that the moisture-wringing step is completely optional and I usually don't bother.
2. Box Grater
You can also make rice by 'grating' the cauliflower on a box grater. This is messy and time consuming but gets the job done.
3. Knife
You could also just chop the cauliflower really finely using a knife. The only issue is that it can be a challenge to get uniformly sized pieces of rice and it might not cook evenly.
How to cook it
NOTE- cauliflower rice may differ in size if you make it from scratch, purchase it frozen or purchase it fresh. Use the cook time as an estimate and use your best judgement when cooking.
- Heat oil in pan. Add the riced cauliflower and additional spices if using.
- Sautee 3-5 minutes, or until the rice is done to your liking. It should be slightly softened but not mushy.
- Stir in any additional ingredients required for the 7 cauliflower rice recipes below (such as coconut milk for the coconut cauliflower rice, or salsa for the spicy Mexican cauliflower rice)
Storage
Cauliflower rice keeps amazingly well for meal prep.
Fridge
Store raw cauliflower rice in the fridge for 7-10 days in an air tight container.
Store cooked cauliflower rice in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air tight container.
Freezer
To freeze, cool completely and portion out into a reusable silicone bag, plastic freezer bag, or meal prep container.
Store raw or cooked cauliflower rice in the freezer for up to 3 months.
7 Cauliflower Rice Recipes
Cauliflower rice cooked with a little salt and pepper is absolutely delicious, but it's even better jazzed up with a few extra spices. Here are seven of my favorite cauliflower rice recipes made with simple pantry staples (find all recipes in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!)
- Coconut Cauliflower Rice- made with coconut oil, salt, coconut sugar and coconut milk
- Turmeric Golden Cauliflower Rice- made with turmeric, ground ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- Sesame Ginger Cauliflower Rice- made with sesame oil, ground ginger (or fresh ginger) and sesame seeds to serve
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice- made with garlic powder, lime zest and cilantro leaves
- Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice- made with garlic powder (or fresh garlic, minced) and lemon zest
- Spicy Mexican Cauliflower Rice- made with ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, salt and salsa
- Parmesan Cauliflower Rice- made with garlic powder (or fresh garlic, minced) and parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Denise's tips
- use a food processor- a food processor is the best way to get evenly-sized cauliflower rice
- uniform pieces- cut florets into uniform pieces before processing as this helps them process into evenly-sized cauliflower rice
- work in batches- do not overfill the food processor as this can cause pieces to get stuck and not riced properly
- do not overcook- 3-5 minutes is a guideline but depending on the size of your riced cauliflower, you may want to add or subtract time. Cook until it is *just* softened, and slightly al dente
Should I wring out my cauliflower rice?
I was curious to see if squeezing out the moisture from raw cauliflower (using cheesecloth) made a difference, so I tested it out.
Pressing out the liquid before cooking did make a difference, as you can see the top (not wrung) cauliflower rice was clumpier and softer, while the bottom 'wrung' cauliflower rice had a nicer texture that was more similar to regular rice. The 'wrung' cauliflower rice also had more of a toasted 'nutty' flavor.
However...it was more work and kind of messy, and I don't believe the work was worth the difference in taste. So I will be skipping this step in the future!
How long is cauliflower rice good in the fridge?
I routinely use cauliflower rice in my meal prep recipes, which last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Does it smell amazing on day 4? Nope. But it tastes delicious and still packs all the nutritional benefits for you! Longer than 4 days, I'd be freezing it, personally. Cauliflower rice definitely doesn't last as long as a whole head of cauliflower.
How much cauliflower rice do you get from a head of cauliflower?
5-10 cups! Since cauliflower heads vary greatly in size, this is pretty hard to answer. Some small cauliflowers generate 5 cups of riced cauliflowers while larger cauliflower head can generate 10 cups! If you end up with extra, don't forget that you can store in the fridge for up to 10 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
More cauliflower recipes
- Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice
- How to Freeze Cauliflower
- Freezer Cauliflower Rice Black Bean Burritos
- Cauliflower Rice Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Fluffy Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
Perfect Cauliflower Rice (+ 7 Flavors!)
Ingredients
Base recipe
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
- 4 cups riced cauliflower
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lime (zested)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves (after cooking)
Turmeric Golden Cauliflower Rice
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Spicy Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salsa (after cooking)
Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
- 1 lemon (zested)
Parmesan Cauliflower Rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (after cooking)(freshly grated)
Sesame Ginger Cauliflower Rice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (swap in for the olive oil)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (or ½ tablespoon fresh ginger, minced)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds to serve
Coconut Cauliflower Rice
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (swap in for the olive oil)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut milk (after cooking)
Instructions
To rice cauliflower
- Wash cauliflower and pat dry.
- Remove outer leaves; break down the head of cauliflower into uniform pieces (1-2 inch florets). Include stems but not leaves.
- Working in 2-3 batches, place florets into a 7 cup food processor fitted with a steel S blade.
- Pulse 10-15 times, until cauliflower is in small rice-sized pieces. Remove any full florets that may remain.
To cook cauliflower rice recipes
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add all ingredients not labelled 'after cooking' to the pan and stir to combine.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, until cauliflower is slightly soft but not mushy.
- Stir in any ingredients labelled 'after cooking', and enjoy!
Notes
- You can store riced cauliflower (uncooked) for up to 10 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- You can store cooked cauliflower rice in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- cut florets into uniform pieces before processing as this helps them process into evenly-sized cauliflower rice
- do not overfill the food processor as this can cause pieces to get stuck and not riced properly
- do not overcook- 3-5 minutes sautéing time is a guideline but depending on the size of your riced cauliflower, you may want to add or subtract time. Cook until it is *just* softened, and slightly al dente
