Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable and I’ve grown to love experimenting with it. One of my favorite things to do with this cruciferous vegetable is to turn it into “rice.”
Because rice can often leave dishes feeling heavy, it’s nice to substitute a vegetable where a starch would usually be. In addition, it’s a great way to squeeze more servings of vegetables into your day.
There are two techniques for making cauliflower rice. You can either use a box grater with the medium-size holes (pictured below) traditionally used for cheese, or a food processor with the grater blade to blitz it into small pieces. With both techniques you’re aiming for little pieces the size of rice.
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.
Once you have your cauliflower rice, it’s easy to cook! Simply sauté in a large skillet over medium heat in 1 Tbsp oil. Use a lid to cover so the cauliflower steams and becomes more tender. Cook for a total of 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, then season as desired (such as with soy sauce or salt and pepper).
How long does cauliflower rice last?
Raw Cauliflower Rice
We find that if you turn cauliflower into cauliflower rice and leave it in the fridge for a few days, it develops a strong and unpleasant sulfur smell. So its best to use it right away or freeze it.
Cooked Cauliflower Rice
Cooking cauliflower rice prevents it from developing a funky smell as quickly. Cooked cauliflower rice keeps for approximately 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Can you freeze riced cauliflower?
Yes! We recommend freezing riced cauliflower after pressing out the moisture and before cooking. Freeze in a sealed container (we like to use Stasher bags) for up to 1 month.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Instructions
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Wash and thoroughly dry cauliflower, then remove all greens.
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If using a box grater, cut the cauliflower into large chunks and use the medium-sized holes (see photo - the side commonly used to grate cheese), to grate into "rice." If using a food processor, cut into small pieces and use the grater attachment to grate the cauliflower into "rice."
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Optional: Transfer to a clean towel or paper towel and press to remove any excess moisture, which can make your dish soggy.
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Once you have your cauliflower rice, it's easy to cook (or enjoy raw)! Simply sauté in a large skillet over medium heat in 1 Tbsp oil. Cover with a lid so the cauliflower steams and becomes more tender. Cook for a total of 5-8 minutes, then season as desired (such as with soy sauce or salt and pepper).
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Use cauliflower rice in recipes that call for rice, such as stir fries or fried rice! Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Store uncooked cauliflower rice in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
*This recipe is not my original concept! It's just my preferred technique.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 8 half-cup servings)
- Calories: 25
- Fat: 0.1g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Carbohydrates: 5.3g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Sugar: 2.4g
- Protein: 2g
Below are some recipes which use Cauliflower Rice:
Crispy Peanut Tofu & Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry // Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl // Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers // Cheesy Cauliflower Rice & Broccoli Bake
I just wanted to let you know, that i have made this califlower rice tonight for the first time it looks really good, for spices i used Italian curry, and italian spice with some S/P……
Hope it tastes yummy
Craig
Thanks for the clear and easy directions. I had tried buying riced cauliflower in the supermarket and cooking that and that turned me off this great rice substitution for a long time. But I found my grating blade for the food processor and was inspired to try again. SO MUCH BETTER FRESH. Yum! and I have enough to freeze and use again.
Dana,
Thanks for letting me know how to make cauliflower rice. I’ve been stir frying it in a cast iron pan with eggs added and onion and it is delicious!
You did it again!
Thanks,
Lynda
Very good and easy!!
I made with an instant pot curry chicken and they went so well together!
Thanks so much for sharing, Jan. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
So delicious and easy to make. Thank you for your helpful tips. This is going to replace all my recipes using brown rice.
Coming from New Orleans I want to cook red bean and rice. How can I use cauliflower rice and not lose the overall taste of this traditional meal?
Hmm, we haven’t tried that! It definitely won’t have the same texture and flavor. But it’s worth a shot! Let us know if you give it a try!
The texture might be a little bit different but the flavor could probably be the same or at least very close I’ve been making it for about 120 pounds now on my low-carb diet and I flavor it up all kinds of ways
Especially when you use the Cajun seasoning. I forgot to put that in there
Well that’s a strong testimonial..I’m going to try it!
I have substituted cauliflower rice in a Caribbean rice and beans dish that may be similar.
Make the cauliflower rice as described, make sure its seasoned to your liking at this stage and keep it aside until you’re ready, then reheat with the other ingredients.
In my case I added cooked beans and coconut milk and heated through then added other flavourings such as cilantro. It turned out great.
For egg fried rice, fry sliced spring onions until soft, stir in eggs and stir a bit gradually making a soft omelet. Throw in the precooked cauliflower rice and stir everything together and add soy and sesame.
If you made the rice earlier and it’s cold just lift and stir gently until it’s hot enough.
Thank you for posting this recipe! I was just trying to figure out on how to start the keto lifestyle and thought that the best way was by finding a rice substitute since as Asians, we love our rice. I tried using salt to pull the water out of the shredded florets (then drained it) and I liked it better because the salt gets to be incorporated into the natural taste of the cauliflower itself. It’s quite a messy process, but I ended up with a very versatile product that can be fused into a variety of meals.
I’m in a salt restricted diet. How can you tell the amount of salt per serving?
I made this recipe and it was spectacular. But in a separate fry pan, I put the leaves of the cauliflower cut into 1/2 inch pieces with chopped onions and chopped peppers, sautéed in olive oil And garlic salt. then added that mixture to the cauliflower Once that was cooked With the curry powder added to it. This combination added a wonderful flavor.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Ann!
Hi Dana
I love your recipe I tried it. It’s so good. I don’t like cauliflower but I know it’s good for you. I will keep using it. Thanks. I made it with chicken curry.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Felicity! Thanks for sharing! xo
I just made this for the first time and it turned out great. My boyfriend and I didn’t miss real rice at all! I used the grater method, which made a mess, but it was well worth it. I also used the paper towel method which I believe made a difference. I added onion salt to season. Thanks for the recipe!
Lovely – thanks for sharing, Lilly!
I’ve been making this for several weeks now and my husband doesn’t even know it’s cauliflower (which he says he does not like). I use it with stir fry and anything that has a sauce that you would put over rice. I use the grating blade on my food processor and have never squeezed it out, just cooked as is in a pan. I’ve been doing Keto for several weeks now and really missed rice, but this has worked perfectly as a substitution. Thanks for the recipe!!
So glad to hear you and your husband both enjoy it, Pattey! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Thanks for sharing this, I’ve been hearing about this for a while and this is the simplest, easy to understand, to-the-point and complete-with-demonstration explanation-and simple-recipe I found.
I’ll be making this tomorrow (would have been tonight but I got everything except the cauliflower – oops, blond moment)
Out of curiosity I looked you up and even on your YouTube it seems all of your recipes/explanations (that I checked out) seem to be this short, sweet, to-the-point, simple and in regular language with realistic implements and ingredients. I’ll be checking more here and there; you’ve been officially added to my library as a ressource lol.
Thanks for sharing!!
I loved your brief, yet still detailed and helpful video. Used my food processor with the grater blade for the first time. I didn’t keep out all the core, and it still turned out fine. Prep was faster than cleanup! So good and so easy. No need to pay $$$ for the grocery to do this!
So glad you found it helpful, Dawn! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
This was the simplest and clearest video/ instruction I’ve found. Thank you! It was great. Particularly the tip for extracting the excess moisture. Other variations I’ve had have been a soggy mess so I never attempted it myself. This however changed the game, can’t wait to riff it up!
Cheers,
Jeff
So glad you found it helpful, Jeffrey! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for the video. Didn’t realize it was so easy to make cauliflower rice..gonna sub it in my unstuffed peppers casserole for a healthy alternative..I’ll try to remember to let you know how it turns out. Original recipe calls for 4 hours on high..should I hold the rice out until about the last hour or put it in with everything else?
Hi Traci, we’re so glad you found it helpful! We would say add it in the last hour, but it might be okay cooked the full time. Looking forward to hearing how it goes!
I just put a little butter and some Lemon pepper seasoning on mine. Delicious!
Yay! Thanks for sharing! Next time leave a rating! It’s super helpful for us and other readers. xo!
Great video! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for demonstrating how easy it to make the base “rice”!
As a chef and health food enthusiast, I recommend not removing the moisture from the cauliflower before sautéed. You are only removing nutrients that way and the water you don’t want will evaporate in the cook leaving those nutrients, in the dish….not on a paper towel.
Thank you for the info. Makes good sense.
Thanks for the detail!
Thank you for sharing this. I made it last night with a bump.of olive oil and a bump of bacon grease with a dash of salt and pepper. My significant other and I love it.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Pamela. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
This was so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
I made this using the frozen cauliflower it doesn’t go mushy I think they press out the excess water out before they freeze it because it was not mushy I added frozen peas shredded turkey some spices It was so good I stocked up on more of the cauliflower and frozen peas it’s a good meal prep
hi there! I want to use cauliflower rice in my meal plans in an attempt to eat healthier . Can the cooked rice be frozen? if so for how long ?
I’ve found cauliflower rice is best when fresh!
For what it’s worth, I too do weekly meal prep and I found that, uncooked, my cauliflower rice lasted for a 5 days (maybe more, we just finished eating it after 5 days) in the fridge.
We followed the instructions to squeeze out the water, so the cauliflower rice stayed nice and crumbly, not wet.
It really only takes 3-5 minutes to cook, so it’s not a huge deal to do that part daily, once the rice is made.
Thank you for this recipe! Yesterday I tried to make it and it was great. I don’t like cauliflower at all but the rice is really yummmy!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Joshua. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Can you use the rice in a crockpot recipe?
Hi Kathern, We haven’t tried that, but it might work if you add it toward the very end. Hope that helps! Let us know if you give it a try!
OMG I just made this and for the very first time in my life I just enjoyed eating cauliflower!!! Thank you so much for posting – I will be eating this a lot and for once actually enjoying some veggies in my dinner and without having to eat carbs – awesome!
Thanks, Joanne!
Can you substitute the riced cauliflower in place of noodles for chicken meatballs in an Alfredo sauce?
I think that would work!
Hi
What is that spice uou added liberally please? Thank you
Fabulous! Looks and has the same texture of white rice! I’m thrilled to find this recipe. Also LOVE the curry!
The other recipe I tried was in an IP and then I tried to put it through a ricer! Disasterous! Was soggy and mushy! I never thought of cooking it after it was already grated raw!
Thanks soooo very much! You saved my husbands rice cravings on his Keto diet!!
Seems to be turmeric, since the cauli rice turned yellow.
@Barbara Durrant…looks like turmeric
The yellow colour is curry powder. It’s delicious!!!
Could be saffron.
Curry powder
Very hot vindaloo curry powder, use it liberally.
She had said that curry powder . It’s includes turmeric as well.
She said curry powder.
In the video she added curry seasoning.
Check the video at approximately 1:21. She states curry powder.
Curry powder. Love this base recipe.
I used frozen cauliflower and once in the pan, I keep stirring constantly, so the moisture gets absorbed into the cauliflower. (If you stop stirring, water starts to accumulate and the cauli rice turns to mush.)
I season with curry powder or stir fry veggies and slivered almonds separately, and combine with cauli rice and toss.
Great! Thanks for sharing!
This cauliflower is a great substitute for coconut flour in my keto pancakes. Thanks for sharing your inspiration!
I’ll probably be the only one eating this at my house. I’ll try it at least once with the rest of my family.
My questions is… how much oil would I need to use for one serving. Also should I cook it in Olive Oil?
Hi Kateri, you should be able to change the number of servings and the recipe will change. Let us know if you are having any trouble doing so! Olive oil or avocado oil would both be good options for sautéing.
She had said that curry powder . It’s includes turmeric as well.
It is really easy to get everyone else to eat it when you make it into a casserole. I let my husband add corn chips to his if it is a Spanish dish or a tortilla while I eat mine over lettuce.
Really good!
Perfect!!
Awesome!!! My go-to recipe! Have added jalepeno pimento cheese, mexican spices, italian spices, etc! Just so great!!!
So good!! Perfect recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Do I include the stems in the food processor?
You don’t use the inner core but can use the rest of it!
Save and freeze your unused stalks to make a vegetable broth.
Love this easy recipe! I used it as a base (using Romanesco cauliflower) to make a cauliflower “risotto.” Delicious.
Anyone worried about cost the .99 cent store
One head .99 I’m sure trader joe and Costco don’t have it at that price frozen or fresh
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Delicious new way to prepare cauliflower rice. Kids loved it too!
Whoop!
I’ve just started a Ketogenic diet, and my lunch menu for today is calling for cauliflower rice.
Since i had no idea what that was, i tuned to good old google which brought me to this site.
I’m grateful to all of you for the great tips and advise in making this veggie.
I’ll be posting my comments after i make it.
Thank you to you all and have a Blessed Day.
Has anyone tried roasting the cauliflower before grating? I was hoping for a nuttier brown rice flavor and thought that might work. Just afraid it would liquify. I do have a food processor I was planning to use.
You could always rice it first and then spread it on a pan and roast it after? I’ve found that roasted cauliflower becomes chewier though, kind of toughens it up.
If frozen prior to cooking, do I thaw first or cook it frozen?
Was wondering if anyone has tried it with purple cauliflower?
Made for the first time tonight and was extremely pleased with how easy it was to prepare (I used my food processor) and how delicious it paired with the Almond Butter Tofu Stir fry. This is my go to site for the BEST vegan food. Thank you Dana.
You can find Cauliflower rice at Trader Joes and Whole Foods in the freezer section. However, even though using the food processor is a racket, I’d rather have it as fresh as possible and organic too!
I eat this almost every day for breakfast. I like it fresh but frozen works too. I grill up some garlic in olive oil, then toss in the “rice” and brown it. Then I’ll fry an egg in it which gives it a nice texture and some protein, then toss in whatever I have handy, avocadoes, tomatoes, peppers, meat, spinach, etc. It’s a great and filling breakfast. I use the S blade in my food processor as well and it takes no time at all. But I had to make it once at my sister’s house with a tiny food processor and it took forever (and everyone complained about the smell!)
Yum! Sounds like a delicious breakfast, Teresa!
My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, which means no more white rice. White rice happens to be his absolute favorite thing to eat. So I surprised him and made this for him instead, he was amazed and absolutely loved it and said it was a perfect replacement to his white rice
We are so glad he enjoyed it, Alison!
Simple and straight forward to make. Thanks for the share.
Glad it was helpful, Jenn!
So easy too make. Takes minutes. Taste great. Ty for the info. Making this a regular on the menu.
You can buy cauliflower rice frozen in the UK from Morrisons supermarket in 500g bags. Much less mess!
Great tip!
It’s great when you can purchase food as is with no plastic or packaging-a win-win all around, just into your basket. How minimal can you get!
Good Stuff!
I like to experiment with food ideas. One of my next attempts will be cabbage rolls stuffed with cauli-rice.
At worst it will be a tasty casserole should it become unraveled:)
Thanks, for the clear directions and drying tip-as texture is king with minimal ingredients.
One thing I have discovered with cauliflower is that it holds a lot of water. So whatever recipe you are using, try to get as much of the water out as possible. I use cheese cloth after processing for this recipe, after cooking (and letting it cool a bit) for mash. Makes the cauliflower turn ot fluffy instead of like playdough! Happy noshing!
Are use other vegetables other than cauliflower To rice
like you did the cauliflower rice?
Hi Colleen! Great question! We have only tried making cauliflower rice, but if you try this method with other vegetables, report back!
ALDI in the uk sell broccoli rice. Even better and tastier and is helping me turn my diabetes round. Paul
I just commented to my partner that I wondered if you could do the same with broccoli. I’m so useless at eating vegetables – I really hate cauliflower, but I loved this recipe. I’m not dead keen on broccoli either, but love it in soup, so going to give it a go tomorrow for dinner and see what cauliflower and broccoli rice comes out like! Hopefully I might have found a way to enjoy eating vegetables and cut down carbs at the same time.
Dead easy to make. Surprised at how tasty it was just with seasoning and soy sauce and added to leftover takeaway!
Has anyone tried deepfrying this rice?
Just made this using store bought cauliflower rice that was pre-cut. And boyyyyyy was it good. I sauteed it with the oil for about 4-5 minutes and let it steam for about 2 minutes. Another 30 seconds and it would’ve been overcooked and too mushy. Make sure to keep an eye on it around the 5-minute mark and only add salt once you are finished cooking it if not, it will draw out moisture and ur gonna end up with a huge mushy watery mess.
Any idea how this would fair being prepped (grated) the day before to save time the day of cooking? I would probably put it in a zip lock in the fridge but wonder if it would get brown… thanks
I think making the day before should be fine! I would ziplock and refrigerate!
Can you use a potato ricer instead of the grater?
Hmm we haven’t tried and can’t say for sure. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Making this for the second time, as written, and we love it! Thanks for a great recipe, my boyfriend and I have been cutting back on carbs and this is a great option to go with veggies or comfort casseroles.
Got some fresh califlower and since I dont have a processor, I used the old cheese shredder by hand.. wow where has this been all my life ♡
Thank you for sharing!! I recently made the frozen stuff found at the supermarket and thought that I could make it myself for less. Looking to trying this recipe.
Cheers,
Kim
Love riced cauliflower…replaced noodles with it in my chicken soup recipe…delish!
What a simple and tasty recipe! My husband was particularly happy because it tastes like rice but it isnt! Very filling as well :-) good job!
I have used pre-riced raw and pre-riced frozen cauliflower. I do not have a food processer (if died and I haven’t replaced it) or grater (I had a food processor so I didn’t need one). I have a tiny refrigerator that simply will not hold a whole head of cabbage or cauliflower along with all the other stuff I have shoved in there. I do have a big freezer though. I have frozen the raw riced cauliflower without blanching it. It seems to result in a more tender “rice”.
Thanks for the share if you dont mind im gonna try to save it or send to my daughter what a great idea honestly even my dog loves her cauliflower.. i remember my mom used to make it with a nice cheese sauce. i think she made it for thanksgiving. awesome dish.. i am trying to cut and or change my diet i do fine till about now for some treason i need something sweet about this time of day if im still awake i bought some sugar free hard candy to try after my surgery the other day im still sick to my stomach when i lay down i sorta kinda remember the nurse telling me the doc put some kind of tablet or capsule insude me after the surgery but before i was sewed up. i think thats it
I made this and it was delicious!! I added some adobe seasoning and vegan butter. So yummy! I added the butter and was okay with the carbs BECAUSE HEY ITS NOT RICE IS A VEGGIE LOL
Did it with the box grater, easy.
Next time I’m going to fry a finely chopped onion first, and possibly a finely grated garlic clove
How long does this keep in the fridge? Thinking of making some and using it throughout the week
I am extremely happy i found your website. I have become vegetarian mostly vegan the end of last year and I am always looking for things to make and you have a host of easy things! thank you I look forward to trying all of them!
You can use a food processor as well!! a lot easier and less time consuming
I just bought a giant head of cauliflower that are available this time of year. What I’d like to know is: after I grate this cauliflower, can I freeze it in individual packages or does it need to be cooked or blanched first?
Hi Valerie! We suggest blanching first, but if you are not able to then it should still work!
FYI: Your nutrition facts are for only the cauliflower and don’t take into account the oil.
Thanks! I was wanting to “play” with my favorite stuffing recipe this Thanksgiving. I’ve looked at several blogs and videos on how to “rice” cauliflower. People were just putting it into the food processor with the regular blade, and it looked like a mushy mess! Thank goodness I kept searching! Happy Thanksgiving!
I made the same mistake using the regular blade in the processor, mushy. I couldn’t waste the food so I kept adding seasonings until I added beef stew season packet, half, and cooked it with my chicken and to my surprise if turned out wonderful! Tasted like dressing!
Thanks for sharing, Linda!
I use the wet chop method for ricing my cauliflower. I don’t know if anyone else mentioned it, but it is even better that the food processor. I halve the cauliflower, cut out the core, then put in the florets in to the blender (mine will only hold one half at a time). Put water over the top till the florets start to float. Blend at the lowest speed for about 15 sec, and then dump in a colander. Perfect riced cauliflower, washed off and ready to go.
Excited to try this recipe out! We eat a lot of mexican flavor here too…and so far I have loved all your recipes, especially the Mediterranean sweet potatoes YUM!
I have a recipe that calls for a small head of cauliflower, diced. How many cups would that be?
I mean riced, not diced.
This is just amazingggg!! I always said I hated cauliflower until today. This tastes a lot like rice and has soooo few calories!! I will use this so much. Thanks A LOT!!
Glad you loved it, Victor!
Has anyone used frozen cauliflower?
Made this tonight with green lentils and cauliflower rice and it might be one of the best post-work meals we’ve ever made! Thank you!
I’m on a soft food, almost liquid diet after mouth surgery and totally fed up with yoghurt etc so grabbed a small bag of cauliflower rice to see what I could do with it. Went really well with some grated cheese, lightly seasoned and microwaved for 3 minutes.
The quickest way to rice cauliflower is to throw florets in the Vitamix, cover with water, then pulse on high for one second a couple of times. Just drain it and squeeze out excess water with a paper towel. Works great.
I am making this today for my granddaughter. I use cauliflower rice a lot. I rice it in my food processor with the S blade and it turns out great. I store what I don’t use in the freezer. When I make hamburgers or ground beef meals I always add cauliflower and broccoli rice to the meat. Everybody loves the meat (they don’t know why) it adds great flavor.
Am really anxious to try this recipe. Thanks for providing it.
Excellent! The kids ate it just like normal rice.
Has anyone used a Nutribullet to rice the cauliflower? The blade turns super fast and I am thinking it will liquefy the cauliflower. I suppose I could try the grater method, but so far it sounds really messy!
The cauliflower rice is absolutely fantastic. Great method. I add garlic, onion, green chilli, ginger light soya sauce and black pepper. It really mimics fried rice from my local Chinese restaurant and I save on all the added calories and fats. Thank you.
I Love your recipes I have seen I am looking for recipes that have the amount of protein per serving because I have stage 3B Kidney Disease and have to watch the amount of protein I eat a day do any of your recipes have the amount of protein per serving on them?
Hi Geri! All of our recipes have the nutrition facts (amount of protein per serving) just under the notes section!
I used a flat, course grater and put the bowl in the sink to avoid making a mess. I added chopped red, greeen and yellow bell peppers and chopped onion to the cauliflower and cooked on medium-high temp for about 7 minutes as instructed. My husband absolutely loved it and said that he liked it more than regular rice. I dId not need to use paper towels to blot excess moisture because it wasn’t watery at all. Great recipe!
Loved it! Super easy and healthy. To add a little puertorrican flavor I added a little ‘sofrito’ to the pan before throwing in the cauliflower.
Loved the cauliflower rice. Served it with the 1 pot Dal (which I did in the crockpot-just threw everything in with a little extra vegie broth)..Served it with grn onion and cilantro..it was delicious! Even my husband, the meat and potatoes guy, said he would eat it for supper. I am really enjoying exploring vegan recipes.
I tried this cauliflower rice recipe and it worked out fantastic. Great alternative to rice.
Just read Trader Joe’s in many of their stores have to ration it out. 2 bags per customer. Apparently the Glut Free’s are raging over this product. Oh my!
I was skeptical about this, but I made it for the guys and they actually thought it was rice. Make it all the time now. Very good and low in carbs.
Can you chop up broccoli and add it to it? If so do I need to add anything ?
I think that would work, but may change the texture a little! I would probably do that if you’re making a stir fry or adding other vegetables as well!
You can use a blender, so easy! Put 2 cups of water in the blender, then put half a head of cauliflower in the blender. Use “chop” or “mix” for 30 seconds. Drain the water well, and you have cauliflower rice! So easy. Saw this on a cooking show.
Can one assume that once it is cooked and drained it won’t absorb more liquid? Say from a casserole type dish that bakes out the excess liquid over time? Should it be under cooked a bit to start out in that scenario?
Under cooking it for a casserole would work to combat that yes! Let us know how it goes!
Love this recipe. I added grated ginger and garlic for flavor and green peas. Taste awesome.
I’m adding this to spag bol, the kids will never know!
I don’t own a food processor. Could a blender work? Grating it by hand would b hard for me as my hands go numb when getting cheese.
Just made this for dinner, cauliflower rice and all. It was delicious and my husband said it was excellent. Such a great recipe, thank you!
I made this tonight with the grater on my food processor using the frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots mix from Costco. It worked just fine! My family wasn’t fooled but I thought it was delicious! Cooked it for a couple of minutes w olive oil and garlic.
Hopefully this question hasn’t already been asked, because i didn’t read all of the comments. Has anyone used it in a casserole? Go to for my fam is a casserole with rice smothered in chopped chicken and a cheese sauce. Wondering how it would fare as a substitute for rice in such a dish?
Hi Rena! I think that would be delicious!
Would this rice work well with Indian curries?
I think so, Anu! Its worth a try :D
So good! I used a different recipe last time and thought I didn’t like cauliflower rice, but this recipe changed my mind. Thank you!
Would a salad shooter work just as good for shredding the cauliflower?
Hi Kim! That should work, though we haven’t tried it with this one! Let us know how it goes :D
This was DELICIOUS! Plan to add cilantro, tad of butter. YUM! Thanks for this fabulous recipe! :)
I used this cooking method with a bag of Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower. It turned out great. I’m using it as a rice substitute under turkey with a green curry sauce. I seasoned with salt and pepper after steaming in the skillet. Definitely tastes better this way rather than microwaving (which I did last time).
Would it work to steam cauliflower first and then put through a potato ricer?
Hmm I’m not sure. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes! :D
I did that tonight for the first time, steamed the pieces of cauliflower, then pressed it through a potato ricer into a strainer to let the water drain, then reheated it and served it in place of mashed potatoes. I seasoned it with garlic salt and pepper.
I don’t even bother ricing my cauliflower just cook it in chunks then drain, grate some cheese add to cauliflower and mash it all together, replaces mashed potato. As a diabetic it saves me loads of carbs and is better tasting then potato mash.
I like cauliflower potatoes as well, and leave a few chunks aside to add back in after the primary processing and cooking. “Lumpy” cauliflower mashed potatoes. Just like grandma used to make?? Ha!
Thank you! you are my go-to blogger when I have cooking questions… Once again you saved dinner :)
I chop it on pieces then bar.mox it. Works well. Food processors are a pain to clean!
Bar mix*
I really need to watch my carbs I am a diabetic and sometimes just eating yogurt and tuna fish and things that are quick to grab,, I really like tacos so I have been baking a taco shell multigrain whole wheat in a bowl until it is crisp and then I put in spinach instead of lettuce ,some grilled chicken with some taco sauce mixed in, tomato, Raw riced cauliflower, a tablespoon and two Tbl sp plain yogurt, everything in its own little pile then I pour more taco sauce over everything,, sprinkle it with shredded cheese,,wonderful
That is an excellent idea. I am a diabetic also and always looking for tasty recipes, if you have more I would love to try them. Thank you
I’m making a skillet dinner that calls for uncooked rice to be added with liquid. Can you use the rice cauliflower for this?
Hi Lynn! That may work, but just be sure not to overcook the cauliflower as it may become soggy if overcooked. Good luck!
I just finished pulsing the cauliflower in the food processor and put it in a plastic bag to make fried rice tomorrow….BUT the smell is horrible!!!…Is this normal????? will it go away???
Hi! Cauliflower contains sulfur compounds that naturally smell unpleasant and are brought out when cooked. Because of this, you’ll never fully be able to eliminate the smell, but you can minimize it. Be sure to not overcook it and if need be, add 1 tbsp of vinegar which should combat the strong smell! Apparently avoiding cooking it in an aluminum or iron helps as well! Good luck! :D
I’ve always preferred cauliflower raw, but need to drop my carbs.
Just used a Mandoline Slicer to make the cauliflower rice. Have a vertical slicing attachment which worked perfectly. Would have been easier if the core wasn’t already removed from the cauliflower. I’m completely sold on this method.
Used the “rice” in a crab curry today – just added the cauliflower after all the other veggies and curry paste was in, but a few minutes before adding the coconut milk to simmer. About 5 min later, drop in the pre-cooked crab meat. Yummy!
This is great. I did use the grater attachment on the food processor and it was perfect. I put the “rice” into a clean dish towel to remove as much moisture as I could. Then I sauteed with the cover off, kept stirring and tasting. I added a little salt to help the taste and to remove more moisture. There was still plenty left to tenderize it to a chinese rice consistency. At some point while tasting, it stopped tasting like cauliflower and started to actually taste a lot like rice. This is the coolest thing since spaghetti squash.
Cauliflower works so well is it possible to rice broccoli or any other vegetable?
Hi! I have not tried! If you give it a go, let me know how it goes!
Yes, it is possible to rice broccoli. Whole Foods sells both riced cauliflower and rice broccoli in their fresh food section.
Talking about shedding pounds getting away from rice and potatoes has given me a pleasant surprise of 18 pounds gone thank you for all your helpful hints??
How many cups of riced cauliflower equal one head. Approximately?
Hi! 1 pound (450g) trimmed Cauliflower = 1-1/2 cups florets = 7 1/2 oz cooked. Happy cooking!
Tried this with my family tonight and we all enjoyed it! We come from Cuban & Colombian backgrounds so we were unsure if we could really enjoy a different “rice” (ha,ha) but this sold us! Enjoyed it with Jambalaya today; looking forward to trying it with our traditional recipes soon.
I make the burrito bowls 2-3 times a week. Delicious.
Delicious.. I used coconut oil, tasted like rice with butter mmmm :)
I used this for my 1st time making it! Turned out perfect!
To make cauliflower rice I use the Tupperware smooth chopper or extra chef. Great when caravanning or camping. Storage in my Tupperware ensures it lasts well but I prefer to make it up as required
Hi, would this work with frozen cauliflower?
Hi! I am not sure it would work the same. If you try it though, let me know how it goes!
Used the cheese grater on the medium holes, grated the whole head (made quite the mess) and sauteed with olive oil for ten mins on super low just till they browned a bit. Added salt and pepper and it’s delicious! Will def make this again
Great recipe, never heard of it! So do I need to add water to the skillet too afterwards, or the steam is enough? Thanks!
I think the steam is enough!
I have a question about yield. Let’s say the recipe calls 4 cups for chopped cauliflower to be made into rice. how many cups of rice should that equate???
Thank you very much. I us every this with my chicken curry instead of rise. Today I made it with broccoli and added some habanero to give it a kick.
I have never made Cauliflower Rice and am new to the concept. Is it generally used as a tasty side dish, or do you use it as a “base” for stir fries (replacing traditional rice) and other savory dishes?
Both! See it here and here.
I made this recipe this morning, my 1st time doing anything other than steaming cauliflower. Made the recipe to a T. In addition to a teaspoon fresh minced ginger. Turned out perfect and delish! Thank you ?
I made it with S blade in food processor, but it turned out way to fine. More like grains of sand than grains of rice. Did I just process to long, wrong speed, or what?
Hi Dave! Yes, just pulse it if using an S blade. The grater attachment is better.
After making in food processor, can it be successfully frozen?Dv
I’ve heard it can be if you lay it kind of flat in a plastic bag or large container. Just make sure it isn’t packed or it will freeze in a solid clump.
I just bought mine ready made in a plastic bag at my supermarket, it still has another day to run on the ‘use by’ date. I thought it didn’t smell right as I put in the microwave and sure enough now I’ve tasted it it is off, horrible sour taste. I did think this must be hard to keep fresh in plastic packaging.
Typical of supermarkets!
Confused here. You said use the S blade to the food processor to grate and some commenters said it works better with the grater blade. So which works better in your opinion? Thanks Denise
I think both work! But I have been using the grater blade recently as well. I’ll clarify – thanks for the note!
Just tried this for the first time tonight. Used a food processor that uses a blender base. The shredder disc cut it too fine. The S-Blade worked perfectly and quickly. For me it came out small – like couscous. I chose to cook in 2 T of coconut oil then added salt, pepper and lime. Put our chipotle grilled chicken, tomato, avocado, and salsa on top for a great mexi-bowl. This rice lover was impressed!!
I have hesitated to try the blender or food processor versions because I was afraid it would turn into cauliflower puree (which is delicious but not what I wanted to have tonight). So I tried your cheese grater version. Thanks for the suggestion!
Maybe I’m a bad grater because it was a bit messy with little pieces of cauliflower flinging out everywhere. (The dog enjoyed that part.)
I finally managed to grate 3/4 of a large head into a bowl, squeezed out some moisture, sautéed/steamed it with garlic and evoo and splashed some soy sauce on at the end and it was really nice.
Now that I know cauliflower rice really does taste good, I have the courage to try the food processor version next time. Thanks again! Your pictures are beautiful.
I made it in the processor and it turned out just like rice :)
I shall try this with grandson who won’t eat veg much watch this space obviously oes eat rice so will cook.
Also consider cauliflower alfredo sauce. Did not even notice the difference. i found a recipe that still used 1/4 cup cream and 2tbls butter an a sprinkled with Parmesan on top so not vegan but certainly healthier then the cup of cream 4 tablespoons butter cup of Parmesan I had been using.
There’s nothing wrong with the cream version. We Ned fat in our diet in order to make cholesterol which makes hormones. Fat is non insulinegic. It’s carbs that are bad. I’d use the full fat Alfredo on spiraled veggies instead of gluten or other carb loaded pasta.
Thank you for saying that Erika! So many people have been duped over the last 30 years by the sugar industry’s “research” that targeted fat as the culprit for heart disease…. so wrong….. It’s no wonder why the obesity rate (and Type II Diabetes) went up with the “low fat” craze. With less fat came more sugar! Cauliflower Rice is awesome! No Carbs to turn into sugar! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
And the dementia….our brains need the fat!!
I love cauliflower rice! When I am feeling lazy, I use Trader Joe’s cauliflower rice in the frozen food section. It’s very convenient.
Have bee going to try this for ages, did so last night and cooked it in the microwave with teaspoon of water, loved it with other steamed vegs.
Just made it with your method. Very easy and so tasty. Didn`t even have a very distinct cauliflower taste, so I think it wouldn`t change the taste of the sauce too much. However, next time I`m adding some carom seeds (Ajwain), as cauliflower tends to cause a bit of bloating with me. he he
Not sure what carom is, but I know Cumin works great for bloating and it adds a great taste.
Hey. I don’t have a skillet. Can I just use a normal pan? If so is no water needed?
Yup, other pans should work for this!
no water, steams itself!!
Hi can you make it in a food processor without the grater blade?
Thanks!
That should work!
It doesn’t work with the S blade but if you use the shredding blade it does work.
I’ve made it with the food processor using the blade; pulse the florets until they resemble couscous! It keeps several days but does have a strong smell until cooked!
I added toasted pecans and golden raisins for a Thanksgiving side.
Yum! Great idea!
Hi there! This recipe looks delicious! Can any remaining be saved for leftovers or does it spoil quickly?
Thanks!
Hi Cassidy, this is likely to keep for a few days in the refrigerator!
How does it keep the longest? Riced and cooked or just riced?
I would think it would keep longer uncooked, but cauliflower tends to brown within a week or so. I would use it within a few days whether it’s cooked or not!
You can freeze it
You can keep your uncooked cauliflower rice in the refrigerator for a week,I just sprinkle with a little bid of lemon juice so it doesn’t turn brown.And it’s even more delicious with lemon juice.
Inka
Have you tried using the grater on the food processor and if so, do you still prefer the S blade?
I use my medium shredding blade and stem attachment on my food processor and the results are really good
Very easy and tastes great…This is recipe I will use often.
Thanks
They sell 3lbs. ready to cook @ Sam’s Club I just saw it in the flyer the brand name is called Ittella Rice Cauliflower. I’m going to Sam’s Club to buy a bag and try it. Less work & mess shredding it. Have a blessed day.
Kathy
did you try it?? is it sold is in the produce section or dehydrated in box??
I bought the Bird’s Eye version in a steam able bag, with herb seasoning. Popped it in the microwave for 4 minutes, put it on a plate with some sliced chicken breast for my lunch. It was very good. I got it in the frozen vegetable section.
Yes. I got the steamable bag well. Excellent with poached salmon and shrimp and mixed veggies, also steamed.Great healthier sub for rice.
Just bought some organic cauliflower rice at Costco in the refrigerated produce department.
Is this on the States? Can’t find in aUK :-(
Looked back and i think it is
Please don’t microwave in plastic bags! It’s carcinogenic. Also, IMHO, check the packaged rice for additives…if it’s important to you.
There are a few brands of the riced cauliflower that are sold in different grocery stores in the produce section, usually by where they have the pre-chopped veggies. My regular grocery store carries it, Trader Joes has a version as well. Makes it a lot easier!
Just bought the Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower (it was actually cheaper than the head! Is the bag equivalent to one head? My recipe calls for a head and I don’t want to use too much or too little
Hi Karen! 1 head of cauliflower makes ~4 cups of cauliflower rice. Depending on how large the bag you bought is, you can determine whether it is equal to 4 cups! Hope this helps!
So happy I found this page. Just rand to stop and shop and presto, they had callflower rice in the pre package produce section. I am a happy girl. It’s cooking now and looks and smells great gonna have with my peppered steak.
Freezer section with frozen vegetables
Cheaper to buy it fresh and then use the blender .
Yes , much cheaper and you get double the amount than the bag.
I agree. Besides the reduced cost, the added chemicals & plastic in the frozen bags scare me. I read a meme on fb the other day :”Its time to stop counting calories so much and start counting chemicals”. This really got me to thinking about it. I have been clean eating for a year, but still grab frozen or precooked for convenience on occasion. The change to cleaner eating has been amazing. Much less inflammation and a lot of weight loss. I think I’ll step up my game & try to go even cleaner with my food choices. :) My question is, can the riced cauliflower be frozen & still have a good texture when cooked later?
yes, you can freeze uncooked cauliflower rice in the freezer up to 1 month!
hi Kathy
washed my head of cauliflower with vinegar and sea salt.. left in Colander to dry and put in food processor… very easy.. of course I had to wash a couple of utensils but it was worth it especially if you like organic veggies
I love this post as you are preparing a real and fresh cauliflower ….without having been washed with who knows what, and then packaged and sold in a bag. Who knows how old that stuff is…. or how many hands went into processing it.
I’ve noticed the bagged stuff is made from the stems of the cauliflower which taste bitter and a bit funky to me. I’ll keep grating it fresh.
I agree! and I thought the idea of the “how to make cauliflower rice,” video was too show is how to make it not buy it!
Great video and I love her personality.
right on!
Do you use the vinegar and sea salt to clean the vegetable?
Where is it located. Frozen or chilled
Frozen is Birdeye. Chilled is in produce section of store or Costco, or Trader Joes.
I agree. I will check Sams. I just grated a head of cauliflower and it does make such a mess!! Since the last tim I didn’t use it all quickly and had to throw it out, I am freezing some for future use. Thanks for this Sams tip.
I discovered prechopped at Costco too. Double the cost of a head of cauliflower. I chopped in my food processor. So easy! And tasty!!
The Publix near me has 2 heads for $5. Doubt if that can be beat with a prepackaged. Took me less than 10 min total to, cut and rice in my food processor.
I don’t have a food processor. Do you think a regular blender will make it too fine?
We’re not sure you’d have the same success with a regular blender, Harriet.. if you can get your hands on a food processor, you’d be much happier with the results!
Yes! That’s how I did it. In a food processor is best and very quick. It was absolutely delicious. My kids thought it was really rice!
I like the “less work” idea but remember making your own can always be a healthier option since there are no preservatives. Plus also cheaper too
Thank you! Definitely going to pick this up!
That takes all the fun out of making it. People are always trying to find the easy way out
There are a lot of reasons to use pre-prepped foods. I can think of many which have nothing to do with laziness.
Among them:
Illness
Arthritis
Weakness of the back, legs, ankles or feet.
People who live in constant pain or who are afflicted with fibromyalgia or any type of nerve pain.
Mood disorders such as clinical depression.
Grief related depression.
Exhaustion from overwork, illness or as a side effect of medication.
Let’s not forget that many people have circumstances in which they have little time for prep and need to get a meal on the table for their family, while keeping the peace, helping with homework and dealing with household issues at the same time.
My feeling is that we should encourage them for any steps they take to include more variety of ingredients to their menu; not try to shame them because they use a prepared product.
If the only way theyre going to include more vegetables is by using a pre-prepped product, then lets encourage that. The alternative is more likely to be another prepared food product from the pantry or from the freezer.
Injecting self-importance and unneeded criticism is contra to the larger goal.
Thank you Mark O, for your inspiring encouragement. I am one of those people with chronic diseases, some of which you mentioned. Cooking any meal is a challenge. I was seeking a different way to prepare cauliflower and found the recipe attached to the reviews I’ve read. I became discouraged while reading some of the reviews due to the fact I can’t stand long eough to prep fresh vegetable and thought perhaps I shouldn’t try this recipe because of my health issuses until I saw yours. You have eased my thoughts of feeling guilty for needing to simplify utilizing the frozen version of cauliflower rice. I am making it tonight.
Very well said
Well said Mark O.
I agree with you.
It is best to encourage people than to discourage. Let them choose what they wànt. Everyone has their own problems..
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
This world would be a much better place if we all would lift each other up and encourage each other and not try and tear one another down.
well said Mark O. after a long day at work. I have to help 2 kids with homework and take care of a baby. Hubby is tired too. I’d love to make this recipe every once in awhile but the prepackaged is convenient and we still get to eat healthy!
Convenient does not mean lazy. anyone who has long hours at work… and on their feet a lot is not lazy. Kudos to everyone making moves to being healthy. Fresh or prepackaged it is still a better food choice to include into your meals. that’s the misconception. Some people think it’s hard to eat healthy… it’s not. there’s many ways to do it and make it convenient to any lifestyle. And when you do have time or energy…. fresh is the way to go! :)
Thank you Mark O, in this day and age it seems as if empathy is low. I too have been diagnosed with chronic pain condition and have pain specifically in my hands, fingers, shoulders and legs. Let us all try harder to be kind.
Beautiful comment very encouraging rather than discouraging or negative! Also very true. Circumstances vary from individual to individual.
Here here!
Awesome comments Mark! I feel fresh is best and the food processor does make for easy clean up but as you said sometimes there is not an option for fresh prep.
I agree 100 percent People who are well don’t know what difficulties ill people have to endure!
Well said. I have Erosive arthritis in my hands so chopping is very hard for me. I get tired of people making comments that we are lazy. Maybe when they get older they will realize how difficult it is if you don’t have full use of your hands.
I think I love you. Thanks for your comment on “Not being lazy. I use to enjoy cooking and would not be caught buying prepackaged food if I could do it myself. However, life took a turn and I suffer from chronic pain and standing in the kitchen to wash a dish takes a toll on me know. So, prepackaged means convenience now. Thanks
I agree. I have RA, LUPUS, fibromyalgia and etc. Had to learn it is okay to use pre-prepped food. I have always been a do it myself, fresh start to finish cook. Sometimes not able to do anything and will have to eat out or use pre-prepped food. Pre-prepped beats eating out. Try to not sound so boastful when making comments about your choice or method.
I agree with your post 100%.
Even if we do use pre-prepped food (and don’t need to for health reasons you listed) it is still better than going through the drive thru. TBH I never really learned to cook and have been self-teaching. I want to try new recipes, but get nervous about making some things. I might try the pre-prepped cauliflower rice first and then try making it on my own in the future.
Yes! I purchased a bag of cauliflower rice from Costco yesterday and made the cauliflower fried rice recipe today, didn’t have peas, however it was amazingly tasty yum yum ?
I wish I knew the sold it, I made it myself and it was so messy and annoying.
Except driving out of my way using the time I used to not grate my cauliflower to have my purchases from Sam’s club scrutinized over proving I purchased them. Plus I avoid stress but not going to that beautiful retail experience they provide
I’ve had cauliflower rice from the store…..in a steamer bag….very good
Green Giant sells it diced and mashed
frozen. Best one is the mashed with bacon. Yum
Good for you. It took me less time to do this than you did waiting in line to buy the bag. And did you realize you paid 4x? Please don’t dis people that take the time to actually do things for themselves. Hey! Prime day was yesterday…did you stock up?
Thx for the info. I’m going to Sam’s today!!
If your watching your carb intake this is a great alternative to rice or pasta. I do a dish similar to shrimp and grits with it. So versatile, it will absorb any flavor you add to it.
This looks great. I’m going to try it tonight!
In general you’re better off buying your food with as minimal processing as possible. Every step in processing is an opportunity to introduce food borne bacteria such as e-coli and listeria. Processed food loses nutrients through exposure of all those cut surfaces to air and heat required to attempt to create a clean processing environment. Moreover, more processing also inevitably means more using plastic. Go for the mess!
Let me know how it turns out
I ran mine through my kuvings slow juicer and it worked great.
ME to…. Tastes great
I have some cauliflower that I need to use up as I have an overzealous neighbour who brings me a cauliflower every week. I live in NZ and maybe we do things differently but I much prefer to make things myself.
look up Dr Berg, pizza base…. made with only 2 cups grated cauliflower (rice), 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese and 2 eggs… I pre cook, let cool and chop into pieces to use with cheese and dips instead of crackers…
Carol you are so lucky to have neighbors like that. I taught my twin grandchildren to use a grater and they love it but they do the cleanup
I got a head of cauliflower and needed to use it. Tried some of the store frozen brands and really liked it.
Easy to do and freeze for later.