Cauliflower Rice is a tasty, vegetable alternative to rice and other grains. While it still tastes like cauliflower, it adds flavor and visual interest to your plate.
The first time I ever made Cauliflower Rice, I didn’t tell my family what it was. And they looked at it, assumed it was rice, because it looked just like it, and then had an unexpected surprise.
If you’ve got picky eaters, I don’t recommend this strategy. It doesn’t go over well with the picky people. They need to know up front what they’re getting.
However, picky people aside, the idea of Cauliflower Rice was generally well received at our house, with my husband even requesting a spicier, lime-cilantro version in the future. Stay tuned for that development.
In the meantime, comfort yourself with this tutorial on how to makeCauliflower Rice. It’s a tasty, grain-free alternative to rice and makes for a great side dish to vegetables, meats, stir-fries, etc. While you certainly could just serve cauliflower, Cauliflower Rice adds some nice visual interest to the plate.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Rice is a great dish to use up cauliflower that might be starting to brown a bit. It won’t matter if you cut those bits off. You’re just going to chop it all up anyway.
Cut our the core and chop the cauliflower into small florets.
Pulse the florets in batches in the food processor until the texture appears like rice. It’s okay if the pieces aren’t perfectly uniform.
Alternatively, you can shred the head of cauliflower on the side of a box grater. It takes a little more muscle, but it works fine in a pinch.
Sauté the “riced” cauliflower in a bit of oil in a hot pan. Season to taste and serve as a replacement for rice. Chill and freeze to use later.
Tools I use to make this EASY:
Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cut a head of cauliflower into small florets. Place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice. (Alternatively, you can shred the head of cauliflower on the side of a box grater. It takes a little more muscle, but it works fine in a pinch.)
- Heat the oil in a skillet until shimmering. Sauté the “riced” cauliflower until tender. Season to taste and serve as a replacement for rice. Chill and freeze to use later.
Laura
I’m so hooked on cauliflower fried rice. I may never eat it with rice again.
Jessica Fisher
I’m not “quite” there. LOL
Jennifer J
THANK YOU!! I have been buying the frozen bags of cauliflower rice at Trader Joes and I love it but it is a hot ticket item there and they usually sell out quickly. Looking forward to making it myself!
Jessica Fisher
I know! I just bought a bag there this week to compare. $1.99 for that itty bitty bag. But, cauliflower is no longer cheap where I live, so it might not be a huge savings here.