How to Make Cauliflower Rice

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:

• a food processor
• cutting board
• chef’s knife
• 5-quart pot

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Cauliflower Rice

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.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cauliflower, cauliflower rice, how to make cauliflower rice

Servings: 8

Calories: 49kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

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.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate and are based on 1/8 of the recipe. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg