Simple Everyday Cauliflower Rice

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Cauliflower rice is the perfect substitute for white rice. You can start with this basic recipe and adjust it to your liking. The leftovers keep well in the fridge, and you can also freeze them and reheat them directly from frozen.

I've been making this delicious side dish at least once a week over the past ten years. It amazes me how well it works as a substitute for white rice! It's not just delicious, but also very similar in its mouthfeel and texture to the real thing. Even my kids are happy to eat cauliflower rice - especially when I use it as a bed for saucy dishes like butter chicken or pulled chicken.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.

Fresh cauliflower: You can use a whole cauliflower head, pre-washed florets, or bagged riced cauliflower.
Oil: I use avocado oil.
To season: Kosher salt and black pepper.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although freshly minced garlic does taste better.

Variations

In the basic recipe, used as a bed for stir-fries and saucy dishes, I use neutral-tasting avocado oil and add salt, pepper, and garlic. This basic recipe is delicious, so you can simply serve it as a side dish, just as it is.

But if you make it as a side dish, and not as a bed for saucy main courses, it doesn't have to be neutral-tasting. In this case, by all means, go ahead and make it more interesting!

For example, you can cook the cauliflower in flavorful olive oil instead of neutral avocado oil. You can also cook it in butter, and when it's done, take it off the heat and mix in two tablespoons of grated parmesan and a pinch of dried thyme.

Another great variation is to make cauliflower fried rice.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Place the cauliflower in your food processor and process it into tiny "grains." Alternatively, you can buy a bag of riced cauliflower.

Riced cauliflower in the food processor.

Saute the riced cauliflower in oil until it's tender but not mushy. Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic.

Serve immediately.

I cook it in butter. LOVE. It’s a staple for my husband and me!
Bella
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Recipe Tip

Try not to overcook the cauliflower. You don't want it raw, but you don't want it mushy, either. It should have a "bite," much like al-dente pasta. So make sure to remove it from the heat as soon as it's no longer raw.

Recipe FAQs

Does cauliflower rice taste like real rice?

It does not taste like real rice, but it does have a surprisingly similar texture and mouthfeel (just like mashed cauliflower is similar to mashed potatoes but not identical). I think it's delicious, but obviously, this is a matter of personal taste, and you'll need to try and decide for yourself.

Can I use frozen packaged cauliflower rice?

Yes, and you can cook it directly from its frozen state. When I first started making this recipe, back in 2013, I had to process the cauliflower in the food processor. Fast forward a few years, and you can now buy riced cauliflower at the grocery store, fresh or frozen, as shown in the image below. It's pricier, but certainly more convenient!

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I keep them in a glass food storage container, as shown in the photo below. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.

Serving Suggestions

This is the perfect bed for saucy dishes you would normally serve on top of white rice. It pairs well with stir-fry dishes such as steak stir-fry, shrimp stir-fry, pork stir-fry, and chicken stir-fry.

It also goes well with saucy dishes such as:

Sometimes, I use it to make a lovely bowl for lunch. In the photo below, I topped it with an egg, an avocado, and kimchi:

A cauliflower rice bowl with an egg, an avocado, and kimchi.

Recipe Card

5 from 2 votes

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Cauliflower rice is the perfect substitute for white rice. You can start with this basic recipe and adjust it to your liking.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 96kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Video

Ingredients

▢ 1 medium head cauliflower - or 4 cups (1 pound) of raw riced cauliflower
▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil
▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced

Instructions

Trim the cauliflower and coarsely chop it. Place the chopped cauliflower in your food processor and process, in a few batches if needed, until it has the texture of rice. You should have about 1 pound of riced cauliflower, which is about 4 cups.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost tender, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, 1 more minute.
Remove immediately from the heat and serve.

Notes

Variations: You can cook the cauliflower in flavorful olive oil instead of neutral avocado oil. You can also cook it in butter, and when it's done, take it off the heat and mix in two tablespoons of grated parmesan and a pinch of dried thyme.
Try not to overcook the cauliflower. You don't want it raw, but you don't want it mushy, either. It should have a "bite," much like al-dente pasta. So make sure to remove it from the heat as soon as it's no longer raw.
You can use packaged riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen. There's no need to thaw it first if using frozen.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Reheat them in the microwave directly from frozen.

Nutrition per Serving

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

Variations

Instructions

Recipe Tip

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Recipe Card