Here’s a step-by-step recipe for making easy, low-carb cauliflower rice from scratch in the skillet or roasted in the oven. It’s delicious in bowls, arancini, stir fries, meal prep, and more.
Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe
On days when I want to eat fewer carbs, balance out a more decadent dish, or just want a healthy vegetable side dish, I swap out regular rice for cauliflower rice. It’s the perfect quick and light side, and no one misses the carbs!
You can make this cauliflower rice recipe in the skillet, in a wok, or roast it in the oven in a sheet pan. The oven version is delicious and nutty; the skillet version is faster and has a closer texture to rice. Either way, the end result is delicious.
I love serving cauliflower rice with chicken, shrimp, whatever I’m in the mood for, and calling it a meal. Lately I just can’t get enough of chicken adobo and chicken tikka masala, both of which go perfectly with cauliflower rice.
Why This Recipe Works!
- Cheaper: A head of cauliflower is cheaper than buying pre-made riced cauliflower at the grocery store.
- Tastes Great: Because it’s made fresh, homemade cauliflower rice also tastes better. You can use it in any recipe that calls for rice.
- Healthy: It’s a great way to incorporate more plant based foods in your diet. You can even sneak it into meatballs in place of breadcrumbs, the kids won’t know!
- Low-Carb Side Dish: Substitute grains with cauliflower for less calories and fewer carbs.
- Add bulk to your meals: If you still want to eat rice, try using a mix of half rice, half cauliflower to make your portions larger with added nutrients.
- Gluten-free: This is a naturally gluten-free side dish.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this cauliflower rice recipe. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.
- Cauliflower: A head of cauliflower or 24 ounces cauliflower florets.
- Olive Oil
- Onion and Garlic: For flavor
- Salt and black pepper
How To Cut The Cauliflower
- Prep the cauliflower: Wash it, remove the core, and let it dry completely.
- Chop it: Next, roughly chop the cauliflower into florets with a knife.
- Process it: Put the chopped cauliflower in a food processor in small batches (so it retains a rice shape). Pulse it until it resembles the texture of rice. You don’t want to overdo it because it will get mushy if you do.
- Repeat: Then remove it from the processor and repeat with the remaining cauliflower. (Note, if you don’t have a food processor, use the large holes of a box grater and grate in large chunks.)
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
You can cook riced cauliflower using the stove or oven. The results are different, both are great!
- Stove Method (This method is great when you want more of a rice texture): Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté the onions for four to 5 minutes, and add the riced cauliflower and garlic. Stir the mixture, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. It’s ready when the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Season with salt and pepper.
- Oven Method (This will give you a nutty, flavorful side dish): Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, mixing halfway until golden. The rice will shrink more in the oven than on the stove.
Variation Ideas
It’s so easy to make riced cauliflower taste good. It has a neutral flavor, so you can season it with various ingredients to change how it tastes. For the simplest way, sauté it with a little onion and garlic. Here are some more ideas:
- Lemon herb: Add fresh lemon juice and fresh herbs at the end.
- Garlic lime: Add lime juice and garlic at the end.
- Add spices: Use your favorite spices in place of salt and pepper.
- Soy: Add soy sauce to give it an Asian flair.
Recipes That Use Cauliflower Rice
You can use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice in most recipes. Here’s a list of some of my favorite recipes that swap out rice for cauliflower:
FAQs
Cauliflower is healthier than rice since it is a vegetable packed with vitamins and minerals, like vitamins C and K and folate. Cauliflower is also low in calories and carbs and full of fiber.
Yes, it is! Sure, you can buy riced cauliflower already cut or frozen, but nothing tastes better than making it fresh. Plus, it’s so simple and much cheaper than buying it pre-made.
How to Store
You can refrigerate cooked or raw riced cauliflower for up to 4 days to use in other recipes. Or freeze it in a freezer bag for up to three months in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave, oven, or stove.
More Cauliflower Recipes You’ll Love
Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, or 24 oz cauliflower florets
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower, remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely.
- Coarsely chop into florets, then place 1/4th of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower has the texture of rice, don’t over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower, in batches.
Skillet Method:
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
- Saute onions and cook about 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Add the cauliflower “rice” and garlic to the skillet. Mix, cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and spread on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer and roast in the oven 25 minutes, mixing halfway until golden. Note this shrinks more in the oven and makes 2 2/3 cups 2/3 cups per serving.
