How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Homemade Cauliflower Rice is so much better than the storebought stuff that usually has way too much stem in it and a square-shaped inferior texture. Here’s how to make cauliflower rice using a food processor. It’s fluffy, really easy to make, and takes less than 5 minutes!
I understand the convenience factor when it comes to cooking, but I find that the cauliflower rice you can buy at the store is just not worth bothering with.
It’s not as fresh as homemade, has an inferior chunkier texture, and usually includes way too much of the tougher stem portion of this cruciferous vegetable.
That’s why it’s worthwhile to make this fantastic low carb, healthy vegetable side yourself. You can make several batches of cauliflower rice at once, and keep it in your fridge to cook up at any time, in a variety of different ways (Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is one of my favorite preparations).
Tips for Best Results
Pick a good cauliflower – The freshness factor is important here, so you’ll want to start by picking a good head of cauliflower at the grocery store. Look for densely packed florets without browning or wet spots. Also check that the leaves look moist and crisp instead of shriveled and dry. You also want to pick the heaviest cauliflower for its size.
Pulse in batches – I recommend you rice the florets in batches in the food processor, in order to have the most uniform texture. If the bowl is overly full, it won’t be able to rice the florets as evenly, which means you’ll end up with overcooked and undercooked pieces when you go to make your dish.
Do not overpulse – If you’re pulsing the florets in the food processor and some of the pieces start to get too fine while there are still larger chunks of cauliflower, then stop and remove the large florets for another batch, and scoop out the smaller pieces you have. You don’t want to break down the pieces too much or you won’t have the right texture.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice:
Start with a large head of cauliflower. Make sure it isn’t dripping wet from washing by drying with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
Make a cut in the side of the stem, so you can pull it away with your hands:
Now that the stem has been removed, cut away the florets from the core, leaving the core behind.
Once you have the florets separated, cut them into thinner pieces.
Why We Pre-cut the Florets
If the pieces you put into the food processor are too big, they will get “stuck” and not cut evenly. I have a 14-cup food processor, and even for this fairly large machine, you can’t put in really huge pieces. Otherwise you’ll end up with finely riced pieces that risk getting turned into puree with other large pieces that won’t break down at all.
To give you an idea of ideal size, the florets below on the left are too big, but the size on the right is good. You don’t need to make the florets perfectly sized to one another since they’ll get broken down, just make sure they’re not too big and in really large chunks.
Pulse in Batches
For a 2.5lb fresh cauliflower head, I usually split the ricing into two batches (I have a 14-cup food processor). If you overcrowd the food processor, you’ll end up with uneven pieces.
As a general rule of thumb, do not fill the food processor any higher than the top of the blade, which is about halfway up the bowl:
Put the lid on and pulse several times, until the florets break down into rice sized small pieces.
I actually like somewhere between a cauliflower couscous and rice in terms of the right size, which you can see below. This is perfect, if you ask me!
Make sure not to pulse too many times, or the pieces will get too small.
If there are any big floret pieces that didn’t break down and the rest of it is cut well, take the big pieces out and pulse them separately in another batch, or else you’ll start to overprocess the rest of the rice.
Empty the first batch into a bowl, then repeat with the remaining florets.
How Much Rice Does One Head Make?
I find that a cauliflower head that’s 2 to 2.5 pounds makes about 6 cups of rice. That’s enough for 4 people as a generous side. Feel free to prepare as much as you’d like if you have more people to serve, but make sure that you do it in batches.
The riced cauliflower can now be used! This vegetable side is low carb diet friendly, Whole30, paleo, and gluten-free. It’s also the perfect side dish for soaking up sauces and flavors from the main meal.
How to Cook It
I recommend following either cauliflower rice recipe: Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or Cauliflower Fried Rice. These are my favorite ways to make it, though you may also attempt pizza crusts using the caulirice.
If you’re looking for a simpler preparation, the easiest way to cook the raw cauliflower rice is to sauté it in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes. A nonstick pan is best, as it prevents any excess moisture from making the pieces stick to the skillet.
Plain cauliflower rice is a little bland, so I recommend adding something. For flavorings, I often add a touch of soy sauce to make it taste more like a stir fry, or finish with fresh herbs or parmesan cheese.
Also try Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes. They’re so good, and incredibly creamy!
Recipe FAQ and Tips
If uncooked, keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it has been cooked, you can keep it for up to 5 days, but know that leftover cauliflower gets notoriously smelly.
Yes, but I recommend cooking it first for optimal texture (cooking gets rid of a lot of the internal moisture). After you cook it, let it cool, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
You can try using a box grater or coarse cheese grater to grate the cauliflower head and break it down, turning it around the stem to help hold things intact as you grate. Use the side with the largest holes so the “size of rice” isn’t too small. Or, you can cut the florets up with a chef’s knife, but this will take more time.
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How to Make Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 2 to 2.5 lb head cauliflower
Instructions
- Rinse the cauliflower, then dry well with a kitchen towel.
- Cut the stem off the cauliflower, then cut the florets away from the stem. I personally discard the stem, as I find it to be unpleasantly tough, though it is edible.
- Cut the florets into small pieces (see photo), then place into a food processor, in two batches.
- Pulse the florets several times, until cut down into a rice size.
- The rice is now ready to be cooked for any recipe you'd like. I have basic instructions below, or you can try Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or Cauliflower Fried Rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
5 Comments on “How to Make Cauliflower Rice”
I love the recipe they’re very simple and easy it was good information on buying and cooking the cauliflower and also cutting it
Thank you. Made this in bulk today. No need to purchase three 10 oz packages to equal one head of cauliflower. Saving money is great!
Question: what would you then do with the stem and core? Seems wasteful to just throw them out.
Feed them to your goat if he/she/they will eat them
Great recipe, thanks!