how to make cauliflower rice feature
Low Carb, Sides

Keto Cauliflower Rice

You’ll love how fast and easy it is to make Keto Cauliflower Rice at home! It can be made in a food processor or simply grated with a cheese grater; either way, you can have a big bowl of cauliflower rice, hot and ready to serve, in less than 15 minutes!

A bowl with cauliflower rice next to a cast iron skillet with cauliflower rice.

This post was originally published on May 28, 2019, and has been updated with fresh content, images, and video!

Cauliflower rice is a staple in my home, especially because we love dishes that pair perfectly it, such as Butter Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken and Sweet & Sour Meatballs. I make it at least once weekly, if not more. In fact, whenever we have leftovers, Nick calls dibs for lunch!

Ingredients

All ingredients used to make Keto Cauliflower Rice.

How to Make Cauliflower Rice

Food processor method

Wash the cauliflower, chop in half, then remove and discard the leaves. Chop up the cauliflower so that you remove as much of the florets from the steam as possible.

Chopping the florets from the stems.

Attach the blade into the bottom of the food processor and dump in all the steam pieces only. Pulse the food processor until the steams are all in rice sized pieces.

Stems inside a food processor.

Remove the blade from the food processor and place the grater attachment onto the center post inside. No need to remove the pulsed stems.

Attached grater blade

Secure the lid and turn the machine on. Push the cauliflower florets through the machine.

Food processor filled with riced cauliflower.

Voila! You’ve got a bowl full of riced cauliflower! You’re now ready to cook it.

A bowl of Keto Cauliflower Rice.

Grater Method

Don’t have a food processor? Or just hate cleaning them? 🙋‍♀️ This is how to make cauliflower rice without a food processor.

Well, I hate cleaning them, however, I don’t mind when it comes to this Keto rice because it turns out so incredibly well with a food processor! Either way, here is how to make cauliflower rice with a cheese grater:

Wash the cauliflower and chop in half. Remove and discard the leaves, then chop the cauliflower into florets. Using the large holed side of a cheese grater, simply grate the entire cauliflower into rice sized pieces.

Cauliflower Rice on a wooden cutting board beside half a cauliflower and a cheese grater.

That’s it! Now let’s cook that cauliflower rice 🙂

How to cook cauliflower rice

Heat a skillet on medium heat and melt a bit of butter. Toss in the cauliflower rice and sprinkle in some garlic powder, salt and pepper. Give it a stir, add a lid and reduce the heat to medium low.

The cauliflower rice will take about 5-7 minutes. Give it a stir a couple of times throughout the cooking process, and once it is nice and fluffy, serve it hot with your favourite dishes.

A bowl of cauliflower rice next to a cast iron skillet with cauliflower rice.

Watch it all go down!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cauliflower rice taste good?

YES! It does not exactly taste like rice, yet has a nice mild flavour that will compliment the same dishes you would traditionally serve with rice. But to me, and especially my husband, it’s delicious.

The biggest difference I find between rice and cauliflower rice is that the flavour of whatever I am eating with the cauliflower rice will come through a lot stronger than rice because rice tends to soak up and take over flavours.

This means you will want to be careful with spicy dishes such as Keto Thai Curry or Keto Slow Cooker Salsa BBQ Chicken Thighs, so that you don’t go overboard and have it being too spicy or flavourful.

Can you make cauliflower rice ahead of time?

You sure can! The best way to go about this is to get the cauliflower into its riced form and refrigerate it while still raw. Pack the rice into a ziploc bag with the air removed and place into the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Once ready, go ahead and continue on with the cooking method.

How long does cauliflower rice last?

If you pack the raw cauliflower into a ziploc and refrigerate, it will last about 5 days.

If the cauliflower rice has been cooked, pack it into an air tight container and refrigerate. It will last 2-3 days.

Can I reheat cauliflower Rice?

You sure can! The best way would be to microwave the Keto rice for a minute or two until nice and hot. If you don’t have a microwave, toss it into a skillet and warm on medium low heat.

Can I freeze cauliflower Rice?

Yes! If you are going to freeze it, you’ll want to freeze it while it is still raw. Pack the riced cauliflower into a freezer safe ziploc bag, remove the air and toss into the freezer. It will last about 6 months or so in the freezer.

Different ways to cook cauliflower

Besides Cauliflower Rice, a few of my favourite ways to use cauliflower are Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad and Creamy Cauliflower Chowder with Cheddar and Bacon.

Another great starch replacement is Mashed Cauliflower. I use it in my Keto Shepherd’s Pie recipe that is THE BOMB! So, SO good. I’ve had many people shocked that it was cauliflower, not mashed potato, after they had had a large helping of the pie.

One thing I have yet to try? Cauliflower Pizza Crust. This recipe from ifoodreal looks super yummy and is on my bucket list to try. If you’ve had it, what is your opinion?

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A bowl and skillet with keto cauliflower rice.

Keto Cauliflower Rice

Keto Cauliflower Rice is easy to make and totally delicious, perfect to replace rice in dishes such as Butter Chicken or Teriyaki Chicken!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Canadian, Low Carb
Servings 4 cups
Calories 60 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium cauliflower
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Instructions
 

Equipment Needed

Directions

    Food processor method

    • Wash the cauliflower, chop in half, then remove and discard the leaves. Chop up the cauliflower so that you remove as much of the florets from the steam as possible *see note 1.
    • Attach the blade into the bottom of the food processor and dump in all the stem pieces only. Pulse the food processor until the steams are all in rice sized pieces.
    • Remove the blade from the food processor and place the grater attachment onto the center post inside. No need to remove the pulsed stems.
    • Secure the lid and turn the machine on. Push the cauliflower florets through the machine.

    Grater Method

    • Wash the cauliflower and chop in half. Remove and discard the leaves, then chop the cauliflower into florets. Using the large holed side of a cheese grater, simply grate the entire cauliflower into rice sized pieces.

    How to cook cauliflower rice

    • Heat a skillet on medium heat and melt a bit of butter. Toss in the cauliflower rice and sprinkle in some garlic powder, salt and pepper. Give it a stir, add a lid and reduce the heat to low.
    • The cauliflower rice will take about 5-7 minutes. Give it a stir a couple of times throughout the cooking process, and once it is nice and fluffy, serve it hot with your favourite dishes.

    Video

    Notes

    1. With the food processor method, to get the best results, be sure to remove as much of the stem as possible from the florets. The blade will chop the stem into the perfect rice shape, whereas the grater will just shred the stems.
    2. Though the grater method uses way less dishes, it requires a bit more arm work, and the cauliflower stem doesn’t turn out quite as good as the food processor method.
    3. Be sure to cook the cauliflower rice on a lower temperature; it will burn quickly if cooked on too high of a heat.
    4. Use a lid when cooking the cauliflower rice; it needs to steam, rather than fry.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Nutrition facts are an estimate only! The ingredients you choose could have different nutritional values than the ingredients I have used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 6.3gProtein: 2.8gFat: 3.7gSodium: 189mgFiber: 3.3g
    Keyword cauliflower rice, low carb side dish
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    28 thoughts on “Keto Cauliflower Rice

    1. 5 stars
      Great post! Love how you include the serving suggestions…would love to try the Teriyaki Chicken!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Bernice! Yum, great choice, that teriyaki is absolutely delicious 😛

    2. 5 stars
      Always wanted to try cauliflower rice, not to replace rice, just as an alternative. Thanks for the suggestions, tips, and recipe. Will make soon!

      1. Aleta says:

        You’re welcome, I hope you love it!

    3. 5 stars
      This is such a great recipe. Love this as an alternative to regular rice. Easy to make and my whole family enjoys cauliflower. I would love to make this with some of the coloured cauliflowers in the fall.

      1. Aleta says:

        Colourful cauliflower rice? How fun!

    4. Anna says:

      5 stars
      I’ve been a fan of cauliflower rice for years, it’s such a great alternative to traditional rice! It goes so well with almost any dish, and doesn’t leave me feeling bloated or heavy. Thank you for sharing your version of this dish!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Anna, I totally agree!

    5. Denise says:

      5 stars
      I really love cauliflower rice! Sometimes I think I enjoy it more than traditional rice in most recipes.

    6. Amanda Mason says:

      5 stars
      I love that this recipe calls for such simple ingredients, yet this is an extremely versatile food! I love cauliflower rice and tend to buy it in a package at the store. But I need to make my own. This blog post is SO helpful! I’ll be making this for sure!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Amanda!!

    7. Vanessa says:

      5 stars
      I love using cauliflower rice in place of regular rice! It’s so simple to make.

      1. Aleta says:

        Right? So great!

    8. Marisa F. Stewart says:

      5 stars
      I’ve seen the cauliflower rice in the stores and I’ve wondered how it’s done. I can’t believe how easy it is plus it’s so much cheaper than buying it already made. I can think of so many recipes I could use the cauliflower in place of. Thank you for sharing. I’ve got some rice recipes i can sub with this.

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Marisa, I hope you enjoy!

    9. Kathryn says:

      Cauliflower rice is such a good alternative to regular rice. Love some of your serving suggestions!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Kathryn 🙂

    10. I’ve never made cauliflower rice before but I love the idea of working more veggies into our diet (I’m pretty sure we don’t get nearly enough…). We’ll definitely be giving this a try in the not-too-distant future!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Claire, it’s a great way to do so!

    11. Jo says:

      5 stars
      I’m a rice eater, but i’m trying to get out of white rice and substitute with cauliflower rice. I love to flavor my cauliflower rice and serve it with some spicy side dish, the way I enjoy it. Serving it with meatballs is something I need to try soon. Looks delicious!

      1. Aleta says:

        Thanks Jo 🙂

    12. 5 stars
      I made cauliflouwer rice once…but then left it in my freezer and never cooked it. So I have never actually tried it! Time to give it another go!!

      1. Aleta says:

        It’s so delicious! I hope you love it too.

    13. Lois says:

      I make mine and add turmeric, makes it super yummy and a nice bright colour too, goes excellent with a Keto curry

      1. Aleta says:

        Hey Lois that is a great idea! I love mine with Butter Chicken, but have never added the turmeric. Will try next time!

    14. Beekite says:

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing the tips! It is very details and easy to follow

      1. Aleta says:

        I’m glad you think so 🙂

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