Cauliflower rice is a fun and different way to eat the vegetable. At only 25 calories per cup, it is low in calories, high in vitamin C and vitamin K, plus provides 2.5 gram fiber!
It can be eaten raw, roasted, sautéed, blanched and even grilled. However, “ricing” it is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.
WARNING: Preparing cauliflower rice can be messy!
I won’t lie, it can get messy preparing cauliflower rice. The first time I made it I had tiny pieces of cauliflower everywhere. I have made it several more times and I get better and better at keeping all those bits and pieces contained! Personally, I think it is worth the mess to have cauliflower rice.
So how do you prepare cauliflower rice? It is SO easy. You need a cutting board, large knife and food processor. I guess if you wanted to cut the cauliflower into pieces directly on your countertop you could… but I don’t recommend it!
How to Make Cauliflower Rice:
Start with 1 head of cauliflower. Remove leaves from bottom and sides and remove stem if needed (the cauliflower I bought had the stem already removed).
Using a large, sharp knife, cut the head of cauliflower in half. I suggest starting at the top of the cauliflower and working towards the core, because the core is hard and I needed to give it a little more oomph in order to get through it. It is easier for me to do that towards the end, rather than at the beginning.
Next, you will need to remove the core. Cut two diagonal slits (a V-shape) to remove the rest of the stem. You can eat that part, but it is a little more fibrous and tough.
Then either cut or break the cauliflower into florets.
In order to “rice” the cauliflower I cut the cauliflower florets into even small pieces. Large pieces will not process as well, so I prefer to cut them up even further.
Add the cauliflower to the food processor in batches. I split the florets up into three different batches. They process quicker and they move around a bit more in the food processor.
If you try to pack it too full, then you have some large pieces leftover and some smaller pieces that get almost pureed.
Make sure to only pulse the food processor. Do not turn the food processor on continually because it could break the pieces down too much. Aim at 9-10 pulses, but start checking after 6 or 7. Once all the florets resemble rice, then you can stop processing.
After processing each batch, pour the riced cauliflower into a large mixing bowl before adding the next batch.
Once all the cauliflower is riced it is time to cook it. It doesn’t need cooked for very long and there are multiple ways to do that. You can certainly microwave the cauliflower rice in order to soften it a little (make use to use a microwave-safe bowl).
I chose to sauté the cauliflower rice. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring frequently.
Store the cauliflower in an air-tight container or use as a substitute in your favorite rice recipe. The final step is to clean up!
Check out my other “how-to” posts including How to Make Roasted Acorn Squash and How to Prepare Blanched Broccoli.
Have you made cauliflower rice before?
