How to Make and Store Cauliflower Rice

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Discover the easy steps to make your own cauliflower rice at home, how to store it for maximum freshness, and the best ways to cook it for delicious meals.

Cauliflower Rice in clear bags, getting them ready for storage.


 

Friends, I am a huge fan of faux carbs, starting with all-the-things spiralized – like my favorite stir fry zucchini noodles – and everything else “riced” – like carrots and cauliflower tots.

Cauliflower Rice is healthy, gluten-free, easy to make, easy to store, and it’s totally delicious. It’s also a great way to minimize starches and squeeze more vegetables into your day.

I still remember the first time I tried making riced cauliflower. I just wanted to prepare something quick but experimental yet healthy. I had a head of cauliflower sitting in the fridge, and I thought, why not give it a go? I pulled out my food processor, grated the cauliflower into rice-like pieces, and sautéed it with a bit of olive oil, garlic, and salt. To my surprise, it was actually tasty!

Inspired by this success, I decided to get creative and made a ground beef casserole with cauliflower rice. The combination was pure perfection, and it was a hit with my family. It’s been one of our favorite go-to casseroles for years.

How To Make Cauliflower Rice

Making cauliflower rice is incredibly simple, and there are two effective methods to choose from.

Method 1: Using a Grater

For this method, you’ll need a box grater with medium-sized holes:

  1. Grate: Take a fresh head of cauliflower and grate it using the medium-sized holes. Continue until the entire cauliflower is transformed into rice-like pieces.

Method 2: Using a Food Processor or Blender

I personally love this method for its speed and ease:

  1. Prep: Start by cutting the cauliflower head into small florets.
  2. Pulse: Place the florets into a food processor or blender with a “pulse” function. Pulse several times until the cauliflower resembles rice grains. Avoid overcrowding the food processor; it’s best to work in batches for an even texture.
Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice with Spinach - Easy, crunchy, incredibly flavorful Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice is simple, healthy, and so surprisingly GOOD! 

Cooking Cauliflower Rice

Whether you’re looking for a low-carb alternative to traditional rice or just want to add more veggies to your diet, this guide has you covered.

  1. Heat: After your cauliflower is “riced”, you can add a bit of oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium heat.
  2. Sauté: Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and sauté for about 5-8 minutes until it becomes tender. Season with salt, pepper, or your favorite spices.
  3. Enhance: For extra flavor, you can sauté some onions and garlic before adding the cauliflower rice. A squeeze of lemon or lime juice adds a nice tang.
  4. Serve: Finish with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, or rosemary for an aromatic touch.

Microwave Method

Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or use a microwave-safe lid. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Carefully remove the dish from the microwave, lift off the plastic wrap or lid, and stir the cauliflower rice. Cover again and microwave for an additional 1 minute. Remove from the microwave, season to taste, and serve.

Riced cauliflower in ziploc bags.

Proper Storage

When making a larger batch to freeze, I like to use about 4 heads of cauliflower, which helps in significantly cutting my prep time for when I want to cook up some “rice”.

  • Refrigeration: Store the uncooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing: For longer storage, spread the uncooked cauliflower rice on a baking sheet and freeze it. Once frozen, transfer it to a freezer bag. It can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to use, cook it directly from frozen.

Cauliflower Rice Recipes

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that incorporate riced cauliflower, or that can be made even more delicious by substituting cauliflower rice for regular rice!

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4.72 from 7 votes

How to Make and Store Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is easy to make, and it's also delicious. With this quick and simple recipe, you’ll learn how to make, store, and cook riced cauliflower, which is perfect in stir fries, burrito bowls, fried rice, and more.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 large head cauliflower
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Instructions 

  • Prep The Cauliflower: Remove the outer leaves and cut the cauliflower into florets.
  • Food Processor Method: Working in batches, place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until broken down into rice-size pieces. Do not let the food processor just run because you will end up with mush.
  • Box Grater Method: If using a box grater, cut the cauliflower into 4 chunks and use the medium-sized holes to grate it.
  • Store: Scoop the uncooked cauliflower rice into ziploc bags, squeeze any excess air out, and flatten the bags. Place and store in the freezer for 2 months or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Cook It: To cook, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet; add cauliflower rice, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and season with salt, pepper, and seasonings of choice. Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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14 Comments

  1. Norma says:

    I’m going to try making this to freeze with Beef Broccoli for a freezer meal. Will precook it a little with oil and spices before packaging and then thaw in refrigerator before microwave for three minutes! Trying to prepare for after surgery when I might not be up to full meal prep.

    1. Katerina says:

      That’s great planning! Sending you all the positive vibes for a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery! โค๏ธ

  2. Deb says:

    Can you make cauliflower mashed out of the frozen riced? If so please share recipe. Thx!

    1. Katerina says:

      I have not tried to mash cauli rice, but I guess you can just cook it according to the directions, then add couple pats of butter, if you want to, and mash.

  3. Nancy M Hammons says:

    Thank you for this information. I’ve been trying to figure out did I need to steam the cauliflower before ricing, now I know better. I’m going to mix broccoli and cauliflower in a couple bags.

  4. Jamie says:

    Hi! Why can’t I freeze cooked cauliflower rice?

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Hi!
      Once cooked, you technically can freeze cauliflower rice, however there will be a considerable change in the texture when you thaw it out. For that reason, I recommend freezing cauliflower rice before cooking.

  5. Gilllian says:

    Can you make fried rice

  6. Rachel says:

    Can it be cooked in a rice cooker?

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Hi! I have never cooked cauliflower rice in a rice cooker because, considering you don’t really boil cauliflower rice, I am not sure that a rice cooker would be a good way to prepare it. It will most likely turn it to mush because of overcooking. Sauteeing is the best way to go because it adds a lot of flavor and it’s pretty quick to make – 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the amount that you’re cooking.

  7. Susan Proctor says:

    Can the cauliflower rice be cooked in the microwave?

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Hi!
      Yep, you can microwave it. Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, or use a lid, and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, carefully lift off the plastic wrap, and stir around the cauliflower. Cover again and microwave for 1 more minute.

  8. Sabrina B says:

    good to know about how long this can be refrigerated and frozen, since I don’t want to pulse cauliflower every day, it’s the perfect bad carb good carb ninja substitute, thank you

    1. K says:

      Read it again! 2 months frozen