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GET IT NOWMy Go-To Method For Cauliflower Rice That Turns Out Actually Good
After years of eating low carb, cauliflower rice has been a staple at my house for over a decade. It’s quick and easy, you get some extra veggies, and the neutral flavor goes with just about anything. I have literally dozens of riced cauliflower recipes here on Wholesome Yum. But if you want the best texture without “that smell”, there’s a certain way to make it. Here’s why I always use this method:
- Perfect rice-like texture – I think most cauliflower rice recipes get the texture wrong. My method creates light, airy “grains” that mimic real rice.
- Quick and easy to make – You can have this ready in 15 minutes flat. It’s the perfect versatile, healthy base side dish for your busy weeknights, and I even have recipes below that use it to make something unique and different.
- NO “steamed cauliflower” smell – Say goodbye to the usual smell associated with steaming cauliflower! My method has a neutral flavor and doesn’t smell strong.
- Neutral base for any flavor – Riced cauliflower has a subtle taste that pairs perfectly with any cuisine. I rotate it with mashed cauliflower to soak up sauces and flavors in my dishes.
- Low carb, gluten free, and healthy – I started with it during my days eating keto, but even now that I just focus on whole foods, I still make it on repeat. It’s an easy way to eat more vegetables.
Let me show you how to make cauliflower rice you’ll actually enjoy. Make it with me and you’ll see!
“Followed your instructions exactly and it came out great!! Used the shredding disk with processor, as you recommended.”
-Liz
How To Make Cauliflower Rice
Making cauliflower rice is super easy! I’ve tested several ways to do it, so you can use the tools you’ve got.
I don’t recommend buying packaged fresh riced cauliflower unless you’re cooking it the same day, because it goes bad in 1-2 days. But if you prefer, you can buy it frozen — just follow my method to cook frozen cauliflower rice instead.
Cut The Cauliflower:
Before ricing, you’ll need to chop your head of cauliflower into florets. Here’s my go-to method for doing it quickly (I also use it when I roast cauliflower). Or for a shortcut, grab a bag of pre-cut florets at the store and skip this step.
- Cut the cauliflower head into quarters. Cut it in half, then in half again to make quarters.
- Slice off the core. Hold a quarter of the cauliflower head vertically and use a knife to slice off the woody center, so the florets fall off. See my picture below!
- Cut into florets. If the florets are still too big, you can cut them a bit smaller as needed.
TIP: Cut your florets small enough!
You don’t have to make tiny ones, but the pieces will need to fit into the feed tube your food processor. If you’ll be using another method, you can get away with larger florets.
Rice The Cauliflower Florets:
Once you’ve got florets, you have a few options to make cauliflower rice from them. I prefer and highly recommend the food processor — it’s so fast and makes the perfect rice shapes with my method! — but the others work, too.
- Food processor – My fave! Attach the grater disc (not the S blade) and feed tube to your food processor, then start it and feed the florets through the feed tube. You can do this in batches if it gets too full, but I have this food processor and an entire head of cauliflower fits — yay! You can rice cauliflower using the knife blade (S blade), but I recommend the grater attachment because you get better rice-shaped pieces that way.
- Blender – The texture isn’t as great as the food processor method, but a blender actually works! Add about 3/4 cup of water to your blender along with the florets, and pulse intermittently to get the texture you want. Drain the water and pat dry when you’re done.
- Box grater – The cauliflower rice you get with this is just as good as the food processor, it’s just more tedious. I do love this sturdy box grater I got this year.
- Knife – This method is the most annoying, but go for it if it’s all you’ve got. Simply chop, chop, chop that cauliflower into grain-sized pieces. I never do this but tested it out for this post. I found it helpful to chop small florets first, then mince them similarly to how you’d mince garlic.
How To Cook It
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee. I recommend medium-high heat, which reduces the “cauliflower smell” and cooks fast, but medium heat works too if you don’t like any browning at all.
- Season the cauliflower rice. Add it to the pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook until tender. Stir fry, uncovered, until soft but not mushy.
My Tips For Making & Using Riced Cauliflower
- Use the grating food processor attachment. I can’t emphasize this enough! The grating attachment gets you actual grain-shaped cauliflower rice, instead of just tiny cubes or mush. Use the S blade only if you prefer a finer texture.
- Use more florets and fewer stems. The florets give a better texture and flavor, and using long stems can result in very long “grains”.
- Cook uncovered, with the heat high enough. If you cover the pan or the heat is too low, you’ll get that dreaded steamed cauliflower smell and the texture can turn out mushy or watery.
- Time can vary depending on your pan, so be careful not to overcook. Cauliflower rice cooks fast—just a few minutes. It takes 3-4 minutes in my cast iron pan and 4-5 minutes in my favorite nonstick pan.
- Never cook it with water. Unlike regular rice, adding water will leave you with a soggy mess.
- Making soup with it? Add it at the end. The cauliflower rice will take just a few minutes to cook, so stir it in when your soup is almost done.
- Adding it to a casserole? Pre-cook it. Some casseroles with regular rice let it cook as the entire dish does, but this doesn’t work well with riced cauliflower (it will get watery). Instead, cook it first and add to your casserole after.
- Using a sauce? You might need less than you’re used to. Cauliflower rice doesn’t soak up sauce like regular rice, so if you’re swapping it in, you’ll need less sauce.
- Not sure how much cauliflower to get? I usually get about 4 cups (1 pound) of riced cauliflower from a medium (1.5-pound) head of cauliflower, or 6 cups (1.5 pounds) from a large (2-pound) head. This can be helpful if you’re using a recipe that calls for cups or weight of just the cauli rice alone.
Cauliflower Rice (How To Make It + Recipes)
Learn how to make cauliflower rice the right way for the best texture! Plus, dozens of cauliflower rice recipes and serving ideas.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters, then cut away the core from each quarter. Chop into florets.
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Use a food processor with grater blade (my recommendation) or a box grater to rice the cauliflower. (I've got more methods for ricing and tips for the best way to do it in the post above.)
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with tall sides over medium-high heat, for 1-2 minutes.
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Add the riced cauliflower to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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Stir fry for 3-5 minutes, uncovered, until the cauliflower rice is soft but not mushy. (Think al dente!) It may take a couple minutes longer if your cauliflower rice was frozen.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect texture in your cauliflower rice, use it correctly in recipes (like soups and casseroles), and estimate how much you need.
- Can you add something for more flavor? Yes! See my options for flavor boosters below.
- More cauliflower rice recipes: This is my most basic version, but there are so many ways to use it! Check out my other recipes below, as well as serving ideas for different cuisines.
- Storage: Keep cooked or uncooked cauliflower rice in the fridge. Fresh lasts 2-3 days, and cooked up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze: Keep it in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. You can freeze after cooking, or if you want to freeze it fresh, blanch it first (boil 30 seconds, ice bath, then dry) to maintain texture and flavor. I use a vacuum sealer to prevent freezer burn.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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How To Make Cauliflower Rice
Optional Flavor Boosters
This recipe is as simple as it gets — just cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and pepper. But if you want to kick up the flavor, here are a few easy ways to do it:
- Garlic – Sauté a few minced cloves in oil until they’re golden and fragrant, then toss in the cauliflower rice. It smells amazing!
- Fresh herbs – Finish with parsley, cilantro, basil, or chives, depending on the flavors in the dish you’re serving with it.
- Seasonings – Spice it up with Italian or Cajun seasoning.
- Lemon – A little lemon zest or lemon juice goes a long way to brighten it up.
- Asian Inspired – I use coconut aminos for my cauliflower fried rice (along with garlic, plus sesame oil to finish), but soy sauce or another soy sauce alternative works, too.
Serving Ideas
Some of my cauliflower rice recipes use it incorporated into a dish (see ways I use it below), but most often, I actually just use it as a base or side for a main dish. It goes with so many cuisines! Pick the one you’re craving:
- Asian – Rice is a must for Asian dishes, and riced cauliflower totally works. Serve my coconut chicken curry, beef and broccoli stir fry, honey garlic shrimp, or chicken stir fry over it.
- Mediterranean – Mix in some fresh mint and parsley, and you’ve got the perfect side for lamb kofta, Mediterranean chicken, or chicken kabobs.
- Mexican – Pair it with marinated carne asada or zesty cilantro lime chicken. It’s also awesome in a burrito bowl — just swap in cilantro lime cauli rice. And don’t forget a skinny margarita to go with it!
- Italian – I love cauliflower rice with creamy Italian dishes to soak up the sauce. Try it under chicken marsala, savory marry me chicken (who knows, it might work!), or creamy Tuscan salmon.
10 Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipes
Cauliflower rice is one of my favorite kitchen hacks. It’s quick, versatile, and works with so many dishes! I’ve got dozens of recipes with it, but here are my top 10 to turn it into something new:
Cauliflower Fried Rice
I added bell peppers for extra flavor, but you can switch it up with traditional fried rice veggies like peas and carrots—or even turn it into cauliflower chicken fried rice.
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
So tangy and fresh! This makes a perfect side for a variety of Mexican dishes.
Cauliflower Tots
These easy, healthy tots need just 4 ingredients! They’re perfect as a side with a juicy burger or paired with keto chicken nuggets for a fun, nostalgic meal.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
This version is sturdy, not soggy, and totally holds up when you eat it with your hands! And you only need 3 simple ingredients.
Cauliflower Risotto
Cauliflower rice is my go-to swap for creamy risotto—it’s so good! Plus, it’s a reader favorite for a quick and easy vegetarian meal.
Cauliflower Hash Browns
These are amazing with steak and eggs for a savory breakfast. The crispy edges are the best part!
Cauliflower Breadsticks
Riced cauliflower… as bread? Yes, really… and it makes cheesy, dippable results. Dunk them in my sugar-free marinara sauce.
Cauliflower Grits And Shrimp
This dish brings together creamy, cheesy “grits” (made with cauliflower rice), crispy bacon, and juicy shrimp. It’s one of my favorite Southern-inspired meals!
Korean Beef Bowl
This quick 20-minute meal is loaded with ground beef, a savory Asian sauce, cauli rice, crisp cucumbers, and fresh green onions. It’s simple and so tasty!
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
This salad is loaded with fresh veggies, parsley, and a zesty lemon dressing. You won’t even miss the grains!
52 Comments
Jerri Bowden
0I haven’t had the Korean beef bowl yet; but, I can’t wait to taste it! It just looks delicious thank you and you need to know that I gave you five stars because I’m sure you will earn that after I taste it.
Wholesome Yum D
0Jerri, thank you so much! Be sure to let me know what you think once you dig in!
Lynn
0This is the reason I bought a new food processor. Riced cauliflower is so fast and easy. This time Im pairing it with your recipe for Almond Chicken. Its so very good.
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s wonderful, Lynn! A food processor makes ricing cauliflower such a breeze, and pairing it with Almond Chicken sounds like the perfect combo. Love that you’re enjoying both recipes together!
Liz Roberts
0Followed your instructions exactly and it came out great!! Used the shredding disk w. processor, as you recommended.
One lg. cauliflower came out to 4c., as was posted. Fussily cut off ALL pieces of stem and saved those for crunchy salad. Sauteed at high heat one cup at a time w. 2 T. veg oil (not olive oil, to keep the flavors neutral) for a brief time-the slight browning makes for a firmer rice. Hate mushy!!! Added 2T. oil for each cup-wasn’t too oily. I’m keto/vegan, so added oil is a plus! Immediately put batch in fridge for later. (more firming) Had a late snack wwww. 1c. of “rice”, 1t. vegan butter, 2T. vegan Feta (“Follow your heart” brand-awesome!). Yummy as all get out! Thx , Liz
Wholesome Yum D
0Love hearing all the details, Liz! Sounds like you really nailed the texture and flavor. I’m so glad you found a method that works perfectly for you—thanks so much for sharing all your tips!
Linda D.
0Love your cauliflower rice and my husband loves it too, that’s saying something. It is healthy and is easy to prepare. I had it with your air fryer salmon, a salad and it was a perfect healthy meal.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Linda, that means a lot! That sounds like the perfect meal with air fryer salmon and a salad.
Judy
0The cauliflower rice has become a regular on my menu. So easy to make and tasty. I like to sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you like it, Judy! Parmesan makes a wonderful addition.
Allisa Z.
0Hi Maya. I am going to be trying this recipe and was just wondering how it would work using store bought riced cauliflower that you buy in the produce section (I don’t own a food processor). Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Allisa, It would work the same way using store-bought riced cauliflower. I also have a recipe for cooking frozen riced cauliflower if you get the frozen kind.
Todd
0We made this riced cauliflower recipe last week but also incorporated some 16-20 count shrimp to make it an ‘entree.’ Adding fresh lemon juice added another dimension. Nonetheless, this riced cauliflower dish was a hit and definitely worthy of repeating. Thank you, Maya!
Jan
0Maya!!!
Hi. I’m using your recipe here. I have a tip for you. In the processor, it is so much easier and faster to not use the grater insert. Just use the blades to do all the work!
The grater I have only has small cut outs so it was much better using the blades ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jan, Yes, agree it makes sense to use the knife blade if your cutouts are small. Mine aren’t too small. I like that I get a bit longer pieces (more like regular rice, to me) with the grater blade, but the S knife blade is fine as long as you don’t overdo it.
Ann
0It was good, easy to do!
Leslie
0THIS CAULIFLOWER RECIPE WAS DELISH. I WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM SUBSTITUTING CAULIFLOWER FOR RICE.
THANKS MAYA FOR THIS SIMPLE FUN RECIPE.
Candice Brasington
0Thank you for sharing your recipes. Any suggestions on how to make this shelf-stable like the ones you can buy pre-cooked in the Pouches? Can the riced cauliflower be canned? (cooked or uncooked). I’ve been searching but haven’t come across anything yet.
Carol L
0@Candice:
Either dehydrate or freeze dry after cooking to make this shelf stable.
Janet williams
0Can’t wait to try the cauliflower mac n cheese.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Candice, Sorry, I’m not sure how to do that. I wouldn’t recommend canning this homemade recipe.
Jane
0I love cauliflower rice! I used to make it all the time, but then I got lazy and started buying it at the store. It’s so easy to make at home though, and it tastes better than any store-bought brand.
Jessica
0I’ve done all 3 methods, and they all work! I just love how quickly cauliflower rice cooks up and that it’s fresh and low carb.
Giangi Townsend
0I love cauliflower, and I look for recipes constantly. When I found yours, I knew I had to try it. Delicious! We all love it and my family has requested it again.
Thank you.
Shelby
0This cauliflower rice is such an easy staple to have in the fridge! Makes whipping up a stir fry an easy weeknight dinner.
Elizabeth S
0This was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be! And it tasted wayyyy better than the store-bought bagged stuff. Definitely making it myself from now on.
WhiteFlower
0I believe my hubby’s statement is truly the ultimate compliment – “I do not want regular rice anymore. You can make me this rice for me anytime.” He devours this stuff! Trust me, this is high praise from someone who used to love brown rice! Thanks, Maya!
Carrie
0I was surprised it was satisfying with only like 98 calories. I like the cauliflower rice made fresh. I used the bromelain powder you recommended in another recipe as a meat tenderizer. I love that I am getting 2 full servings of fresh vegetables and it satisfies my craving.
Bridgitte
0Fast & easy to make. Flavoursome, wholesome, spicy – just delicious!
Amy L Huntley
0I prefer the texture of cauliflower rice over rice. I love the texture and flavor so much better.
Kristyn
0I make cauliflower rice all the time. Love the benefits, plus it’s so good!
Natalie
0This is my rice of choice!! It’s so light & fluffy & tastes great with anything!
Toni
0Such a perfect side dish!! I love how easy this is to make! Thank you!
Beth
0This was so helpful and our rice turned out great! Such an easy recipe. I’m excited to use this in different recipes, especially for our lunch today! My family is going to love trying some of these recipes today!
Camille
0I will definitely try this!
Tara
0I love cauliflower rice so much and it comes out perfectly every time! Thank you!
Tiffany
0Thank you for sharing! So many wonderful tips on how to make the perfect cauliflower dish! This was so helpful!
Yohaan
0much better than expected. i’m glad i tried it. thanks
Bahar
0Tastier than I thought it’ll be, would definitely make it again
Jane
0This dish was awesome, very tasty and will be making this a lot.
Michele Barr
0So good! Quick, easy meal.
Linda Harbord
0Love the cauli rice, great with curry..can’wait to try it with other recipes!
Linda
Chery
0This is such an amazing recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Meredith
0I am so glad I found your post! I have been buying the frozen cauliflower rice, but do not love the texture. Can’t wait to make my own from fresh cauliflower!
Deanna
0Hi Maya, I bought a large food processor with the grater attachment mostly just to make cauliflower rice! I tried it once with a grater and it just too long. I made this recipe with the food processor tonight and was delighted with how easy it was. However, a fair amount of the cauliflower was literally grated like shredded cheese. Is this normal? Would this maybe mean I did not trim it close enough to the stems? Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to eat it with your coconut chicken curry at work tomorrow 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deanna, Yes, your stems are too large. Chop them up into smaller pieces before sending them through the food processor and it will help to get the right “rice” texture.
Raia Todd
0I love cauliflower rice! Such a delicious option for those of us who can’t do rice. 🙂 Thanks for the easy how-to.
Tarah
0Wow – what a great all-in-one tutorial!! Thank you for sharing! This will be a post to bookmark!
Mary
0Wow, this is SO comprehensive! I’m a tried and true brown rice fan, but I may have to try cauliflower rice now!
Terry Duncan
0I LOVE so many of your recipes, thank you! I really don’t understand the instructions regarding blanching the cauliflower rice prior to freezing – you say “blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds then in ice bath”. If you just dump all the tiny “grains” into boiling water you will never be able to scoop them all out at the same time and into an ice bath. Won’t some of them get cooked longer while you’re still scooping them out? and the same thing with trying to scoop them all out of the ice bath? Sounds like they will be awfully soggy after all that – what am I missing? I would love to be able to freeze cauliflower rice! Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Terry, You can simply dump the entire pot into a fine mesh strainer and it will catch the cauliflower rice, while the water runs through. Hope this helps!
Raewyn Wright
0Someone else asked about dehydrating cauliflower rice and gave me the idea. I riced 2 whole heads and spread them onto 6 trays of my dehydrator for 4 hours at 50 degrees. Then I froze the resulting crumble. No use as a rice side dish at that stage – but it only took a few minutes to defrost and it made the most wonderful pizza crust – I just added a tablespoon of avocado oil to the recipe to get it to stay together. Lovely thin, firm base easy to pick up to eat. Because I am only feeding one on keto, I rolled the dough out to a rectangle and baked it on a pizza stone then cut six servings and froze 5 of them. Made one little pizza with yummy keto friendly toppings.