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).
- 1 large head cauliflower
- Wash and thoroughly dry cauliflower, then remove all greens and cut into 4 even sections (see photo).
- With a box grater, use the medium-sized holes (see photo - the side commonly used to grate cheese), or a food processor with the grater attachment, to grate the cauliflower into the size of rice, leaving any large, tough stems behind.
- Transfer to a clean towel or paper towel and press to remove any excess moisture, 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. 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).
- Use cauliflower rice in recipes that call for rice, such as stir fries, fesenjan, or fried rice!
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 //
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.
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!
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
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.
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
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 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
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!
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!!
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
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.
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.
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!
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 :)
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 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!
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 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.
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 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.
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 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???
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!
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
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!
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
I used this for my 1st time making it! Turned out perfect!
Delicious.. I used coconut oil, tasted like rice with butter mmmm :)
I make the burrito bowls 2-3 times a week. Delicious.
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.
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!
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??
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!
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.
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!
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’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 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
I chop it on pieces then bar.mox it. Works well. Food processors are a pain to clean!
Bar mix*
Thank you! you are my go-to blogger when I have cooking questions… Once again you saved dinner :)
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.
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 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).
This was DELICIOUS! Plan to add cilantro, tad of butter. YUM! Thanks for this fabulous recipe! :)
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
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 this rice work well with Indian curries?
I think so, Anu! Its worth a try :D
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!
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.
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 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.
I’m adding this to spag bol, the kids will never know!
Love this recipe. I added grated ginger and garlic for flavor and green peas. Taste awesome.
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!
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 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!
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.
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!