• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Simple Vegan Blog
  • Vegan Spring
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Spring
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Spring
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Side Dishes

    How To Make Cauliflower Rice

    Published: Oct 13, 2019 · Modified: Dec 2, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    A shot of a bowl with cauliflower rice with the sentence hot to make cauliflower rice

    Cauliflower rice is a great alternative to brown or white rice and can be used to make any recipe that calls for rice. It's so tasty and easy to make.

    An overhead shot of a small bowl with sautéed cauliflower rice

    Cauliflower rice is amazing. It's a wonderful alternative to rice and you can use it to make pretty much any recipe that calls for any type of rice. In addition, it's a delicious and fun way to include more veggies into your diet.

    It's a popular way to replace rice for people who follow low-carb diets like paleo or keto diets, in recipes like risotto, fried rice, curries, etc.

    However, I really think you need to eat carbs to fuel your body (the healthy and unrefined ones, of course), so I usually serve it as a side dish, not as the main dish. Although it's a good recipe if you want to eat something light when you're not very hungry.

    Cauliflower is not always a popular veggie, but if you don't like it, it's probably because you don't know how to cook it properly. I used to hate it, but not anymore! You can actually find so many cauliflower recipes on the blog because I like it so much.

    My favorite way to enjoy cauliflower rice is cooked, but it can also be eaten raw. You can also combine regular cooked rice and cauliflower rice (half and half) to make any recipe lighter and also to eat more vegetables.

    How to make cauliflower rice – Step by step

    Step by steps photos of how to make cauliflower rice from scratch
    • Wash the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and the stem and cut it into small pieces (photo 1).
    • Place the cauliflower florets in the food processor and blend until you get a consistency or texture similar to rice (photo 2).
    • Add some oil to a skillet and when it's hot, add the cauliflower rice, salt, and pepper, stir and cook over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes or until it's cooked, stirring occasionally (photo 3). Water and vegetable stock can be used instead of water.
    • Serve immediately (photo 4) or keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freezer.

    Pro tips

    • I prefer to use a food processor because it's so simple and convenient, but you could also use a blender (just don't over-blend) or a box grater (use the medium-sized holes or the side used to grate cheese).
    • Some people use the grater attachment to grate the cauliflower into rice when use the food processor, but I don't. I think it's not necessary, but it's up to you.
    • Cauliflower rice can be eaten raw and used to make salads or other raw vegan recipes. However, cooked cauliflower is easier to digest and I think it has a better texture and flavor.
    • Use it to make pretty much any recipe that calls for regular rice.
    • I usually discard the outer leaves and also the stem, but you can also use the stem if you want, just keep in mind you'll probably need to blend it longer.
    • Add any spices and herbs you have on hand.
    • You can cover the skillet while you're cooking your cauliflower rice, that way you're steaming it and will save some time, but I don't do this, because the texture is more crispy and less mushy if you don't cover it.
    • To avoid a mushy consistency, use a large skillet and remove the excess water from the cauliflower after you wash it with a kitchen towel.
    • Feel free to keep the raw or uncooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container in the fridge (for 3-5 days) or in the freezer (for 1-2 months).
    A close up shot of a bowl with cauliflower rice from scratch

    Can you freeze cauliflower rice?

    Yes! You can freeze it in an airtight container before or after you've cooked it. It lasts about 1 to 2 months. Just transfer the container to the fridge the night before you're going to use it and then cook it following my instructions or reheat it in the microwave or a skillet (add more oil if needed).

    What is cauliflower rice good with?

    Although cauliflower rice can be used to make all kinds of recipes that call for rice and it's pretty popular among people who follow a low-carb diet, I'm a huge healthy carb lover, so I usually enjoy it as a side dish, like any other veggie recipe.

    I usually serve it with some plant-based protein (like beans, other legumes, tofu, seitan, tempeh, etc.) and some type of healthy or unrefined carb (like bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.).

    Looking for more cauliflower recipes?

    • Cauliflower Fried Rice
    • Roasted Cauliflower
    • Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
    • Cauliflower Steak
    • Mashed Cauliflower
    A picture of a small bowl with some cooked cauliflower rice

    Did you make this cauliflower rice recipe?

    Please leave a comment below, share it or rate it. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I’d love to see what you cook!

     
    A small picture of a bowl with homemade cauliflower rice

    How To Make Cauliflower Rice

    Cauliflower rice is a great alternative to brown or white rice and can be used to make any recipe that calls for rice. It's so tasty and easy to make.
    5 from 4 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: How to, Main Dish, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    • 1 large head of cauliflower

    Optional ingredients:

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • â…› teaspoon ground black pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Wash the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and the stem and cut it into small pieces. 
    • Place the cauliflower florets in the food processor and blend until you get a consistency or texture similar to rice. If you don't have a food processor, cut the cauliflower into 4 pieces and use a box grater instead (the medium-sized holes or the side used to grate cheese). You could also use a regular blender, but don't over-blend or you'll get a cauliflower paste. Cauliflower rice can be eaten raw or used to make salads or all kinds of raw vegan recipes. However, I prefer to eat it cooked as it's easier to digest and much more flavorful.
    • You could cook the fried rice just by itself in a skillet, but I prefer to add some ingredients to make it taste amazing, like oil, salt and pepper.
    • Just add some oil to the skillet and when it's hot, add the cauliflower rice, salt, and pepper, stir and cook over medium-high heat for about 5-10 minutes or until it's cooked, stirring occasionally. I usually cook it until it starts to golden brown. Water and vegetable stock can be used instead of water.
    • Serve immediately or keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Use it to make all kinds of recipes that call for rice, like cauliflower fried rice, vegan cauliflower fried rice or cauliflower rice risotto.

    Notes

    • Some people use the grater attachment to grate the cauliflower into rice when use the food processor, but I don't. I think it's not necessary, but it's up to you.
    • I usually discard the outer leaves and also the stem, but you can also use the stem if you want, just keep in mind you'll probably need to blend it longer.
    • Add any spices and herbs you have on hand.
    • You can cover the skillet while you're cooking your cauliflower rice, that way you're steaming it and will save some time, but I don't do this, because the texture is more crispy and less mushy if you don't cover it.
    • To avoid a mushy consistency, use a large skillet and remove the excess water from the cauliflower after you wash it with a kitchen towel.
    • Feel free to keep the raw or uncooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container in the fridge (for 3-5 days) or in the freezer (for 1-2 months).

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.2g | Protein: 4.2g | Fat: 3.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 5g

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in February of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in October of 2019.

    More Vegan Side Dish Recipes

    • Photo of a bowl of vegan mushroom soup, topped with some sautéed mushrooms, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of coconut milk.
      Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
    • Side photo of a dish with a vegan chicken salad sandwich.
      Vegan Chicken Salad
    • A bowl with vegan tofu ricotta cheese and some bread slices around.
      Vegan Tofu Ricotta Cheese (4 Ingredients)
    • Photo of some slices of vegan bacon
      Vegan Bacon

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rita I. Omofuma says

      August 16, 2022 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much. I've learnt how to prepare cauliflower. I didn't know how to go about it anytime I get to the store, I leave it out of my list of vegetables to buy.

      Reply
    2. Joshua Howard says

      October 22, 2019 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      This was just delicious! I’ve been on a search for a perfect cauliflower recipe, and I think this is it. Thank you for this post and clear instructions!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        October 29, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        Hi Joshua! Thank YOU 🙂

        Reply
    3. Despina Vincent says

      April 13, 2018 at 10:52 am

      I just made the cauliflower rice and it was delicious! I generally don't like cauliflower but having it this way was yummy.I fried it in the wok with olive oil, salt,pepper,and sweet paprika.Had it with yellow lentils,going back for seconds now:)

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        April 16, 2018 at 4:13 am

        Hi Despina! Sounds amazing 🙂 So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Daniel says

      February 23, 2017 at 3:30 pm

      5 stars
      I've never made cauliflower rice either but I love how simple it is to do! May have to give it a go sometime 🙂

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        February 24, 2017 at 8:40 am

        Hi Daniel! You need to try it, it's sooo good! 😀

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Iosune! Welcome to Simple Vegan Blog. Here you’ll find nutritious and delicious vegan recipes that will help you stay healthy and happy.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Close-up photo of tofu scramble
      Tofu Scramble
    • Photo of a bowl of general tso's tofu served over some rice
      General Tso's Tofu
    • A bowl with tofu stir fry garnished with some sesame seeds.
      Easy Tofu Stir Fry
    • Picture of a dish with homemade vegan jambalaya topped with chopped parsley
      Vegan Jambalaya

    Vegan Spring

    • Side photo of a dish with a vegan chicken salad sandwich.
      Vegan Chicken Salad
    • Photo of a bowl of tofu salad
      Tofu Salad
    • Photo of 2 glass jars of fruit infused water decorated with some fruits
      Fruit Infused Water
    • Photo of some vegan blueberry muffins
      Vegan Blueberry Muffins

    As seen in

    Footer

    ↑ Back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2022 Simple Vegan Blog