Cauliflower rice is a nutritious alternative to normal rice, whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to try something different in the kitchen. It’s low in carbs and calories but high in vitamins. You can use it in a variety of dishes, and it is especially good when served with curry.
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What is cauliflower rice?
For those of you who don’t know, cauliflower rice is simply a head of cauliflower, pulsed in a food processor or grated until it resembles rice grains. It can be eaten raw, in salads, or lightly steamed or roasted and used as a replacement in dishes where you would normally serve rice.
I have to admit I was sceptical until I tried it for myself. I thought it would turn out to be mushy and unappetising, but the tiny pieces of cauliflower hold up surprisingly well, and it really does taste good. My favourite way of serving it is with a curry. Cauliflower and curry do go so well together. If you’ve ever tried aloo gobi, which is a classic Indian dish made with potatoes and cauliflower, you’ll know what I mean.
Cauliflower rice doesn’t taste QUITE like rice, although the texture is remarkably similar, but when eaten with other ingredients it makes a delicious alternative to rice. And when you consider that 100g of cauliflower rice contains only 1 gram of fat and 5.3 grams of carbohydrates compared to 7grams of fat and 80 grams of carbohydrates in a similar amount of rice, you’ll see why it is a great alternative, especially if you are trying to lose weight!
Why I love this recipe
There are so many reasons why I love this easy recipe:
- I love the taste of cauliflower – it has a slightly nutty taste that goes so well with meat and other vegetables.
- It is so quick to make – once blitzed in the food processor, the cauliflower cooks in less than 5 minutes.
- Cauliflower rice is packed with minerals such as manganese and potassium, and vitamins B6, K and C, and also contains a high percentage of fibre – so you stay full for longer.
- It is low in fat and carbs and so ideals for helping to keep the weight off, and you can eat as much as you like without feeling guilty.
How to make cauliflower rice
**You can get all the instructions for making this recipe on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Cauliflower rice is remarkably easy to make. For this basic recipe you will only need a cauliflower, and perhaps a little salt for seasoning.
- A small head of cauliflower (4″ in diameter or 265 grams / 9 ounces) will yield approximately 2 cups of cauliflower rice.
- A medium head of cauliflower (4″ to 6″ in diameter or 575 grams / 1.25 pounds) will yield approximately 4 cups.
- A large head of cauliflower is defined as 6″ to 7″ in diameter or 840 grams / 1.75 pounds will yield approximately 6 cups.
When chopping up the cauliflower you can do as I did, and pulse it in a food processor. Use either the ‘S’-blade or the grater attachment. Just make sure when using the ‘S’-blade that you don’t over-process. You are looking for cauliflower that is the size of grains of rice.
You could also use a box grater or cheese grater, but you might find that you get grains of cauliflower all over the kitchen.
The other alternative is to chop the cauliflower finely using a sharp knife, but this is quite time-consuming.
Once grated, tip the cauliflower into a large frying pan and season with a little salt. Stir it over a low heat for about 5 minutes until the cauliflower has softened. Alternatively, cover the cauliflower with a lid and let it steam gently for about 3 minutes. Don’t let it overcook or it will become mushy.
You shouldn’t need any oil or additional liquid. The grated cauliflower contains sufficient water to allow it to cook in its own juices.
Other ways to cook cauliflower rice
In the microwave
Place the grated cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl, season lightly, cover with a lid and microwave on full power for 3 to 5 minutes.
The actual time will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave, and the amount of cauliflower you are cooking. Check after the first three minutes and if it is not fully cooked, continue cooking in 30-second blasts.
In the oven
Spread the grated cauliflower on a baking sheet that has been lightly brushed with sunflower or olive oil. Place in a pre-heated oven (180C/360F) for about 10 minutes. Stir the cauliflower halfway through the cooking time.
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Tips for perfect cauliflower rice
While cauliflower rice is a great alternative to rice, it doesn’t keep too long in the refrigerator. You should eat it on the day it is made, or at the very least the next day. If you leave it in the refrigerator longer than that, it will develop an unpleasant ‘cabbagy’ smell.
Apart from developing an unpleasant smell (see above), cauliflower rice will soften on standing, and become soggy and water-logged.
Cauliflower rice does not have the absorbency of rice, and if you smother it in gravy you may end up with bits of cauliflower swimming in a pool of gravy. Add just enough sauce or gravy to lightly coat the grains.
This dish is not rice, and does not need to absorb any liquid while cooking. If you try to boil the grated cauliflower you will end up with a soggy mess.
If you would like to freeze cauliflower rice, it is best frozen raw and cooked from frozen. If you freeze it after it has been cooked, the cells of the cauliflower will break down and once reheated it will be inclined to become mushy.
Cook the frozen cauliflower in a pan on the stove, stirring frequently, and leave the lid off so that any residual liquid will evapourate.
Additional resources
Don’t forget to check out my handy Cookery Conversion Calculator if you want to convert any of your recipe measurements from grams to cups, ounces, tablespoons or millilitres and vice versa. You can also use the calculator for converting oven temperatures between Fahrenheit, Celsius and Gas marks.
If you live at a high altitude you may find you need to adjust your baking recipes to compensate for this. You can read all about it in this post on baking at high altitudes.
Pin for later
If you would like to try this cauliflower rice recipe why not pin it to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily. Just click on the image below.
Other vegetable recipes you may like
While you are here, why not take a look at some of my other vegetable recipes:
- Cheesy zucchini bake with cream crackers
- Copper penny salad (sweet and sour carrots)
- Braised cabbage and leeks with mustard seeds
- Creamy leek and brussels sprouts bake
The recipe
Easy cauliflower rice
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and rinse it under cold water.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, discarding the inner stalk.
- Using a food processor, chop the cauliflower into fine pieces, about the size of a grain of rice.
- Tip the cauliflower into a large frying pan and season lightly with salt, to taste.
- Stir the cauliflower over a low heat until it has softened (approximately 5 minutes). Alternatively, cover the cauliflower with a lid and leave it on a low heat so that it steams in its own juices for about three minutes.
Notes
- A small head of cauliflower (4″ in diameter or 265 grams / 9 ounces) will yield approximately 2 cups of cauliflower rice.
- A medium head of cauliflower (4″ to 6″ in diameter or 575 grams / 1.25 pounds) will yield approximately 4 cups.
- A large head of cauliflower is defined as 6″ to 7″ in diameter or 840 grams / 1.75 pounds will yield approximately 6 cups.
- When chopping the cauliflower in the food processor, you can use either the grater attachment blade or the ‘S’-blade. If using the ‘S’-blade, be careful not to over-process. The cauliflower should be cut into pieces approximately the size of a grain of rice.
- You can also use a box grater or cheese grater to grate the cauliflower.
- The other alternative is to chop the cauliflower finely using a sharp knife.
- Do not overcook the cauliflower or it will become mushy.
- Do not add any additional liquid – the grated cauliflower contains enough liquid.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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