The frozen cauliflower rice bags at the store cost more than a whole head of cauliflower, and most of them come loaded with extra seasoning you may not want. Keto cauliflower rice made from scratch takes about the same five minutes, minus the markup.
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I buy extra heads when cauliflower goes on sale and freeze what I do not use right away. This version stays plain on purpose, so you can flavor it however the rest of your meal calls for, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, or a splash of soy sauce.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Simple Cauliflower Rice
Most people reach for a bag of frozen riced cauliflower because they assume making it from scratch is more work. It really is not. The whole process, from whole head to riced and cooked, takes about 15 minutes total, and most of that is hands-off.
I use a cheese grater rather than a food processor for this. Starting at the florets and working down toward the stem gives a more even, rice-like texture than pulsing in a food processor, which tends to turn some pieces to mush while others stay chunky. Discard the tough stem once you get there.
Keep this version plain and season it to match whatever you are serving it with. It is a blank base, not a finished side, and that is exactly the point. A simple pat of butter and a pinch of salt is often all it needs.
What You’ll Love About Simple Cauliflower Rice
- Costs less than the frozen bag version, and you control exactly what’s in it.
- Plain enough to season any way you want, so it fits almost any meal without a recipe change.
- Freezes well raw, so a big cauliflower haul on sale doesn’t go to waste.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower – One whole head, or a bag of florets if you’d rather skip the trimming.
- Butter – Salted. Olive oil works if you’d rather keep this dairy-free.
- Salt and pepper – To taste, added once it’s cooked.
How to Make Simple Cauliflower Rice
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Rinse the cauliflower and break it into large florets. Using a cheese grater, grate the cauliflower starting at the florets and working down toward the stem, then discard the stems.
If you’d rather use a food processor, pulse the florets until finely chopped, then check for and remove any large remaining pieces.
Add butter to a medium skillet and heat over medium. Add the riced cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender-crisp.
Season with salt and pepper, or add your own flavors, like garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, or a splash of soy sauce.
Make It A Meal
This is the side I turn to most for Keto Beef and Broccoli, since plain cauliflower rice gives the sauce something to soak into without competing with it. It works just as well under a Korean Beef Bowl.
If you want a version with more built-in flavor instead of seasoning it yourself, my Low Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice is the more finished, seasoned take on the same base.
Storage
Store leftover cauliflower rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat to avoid extra moisture from the microwave. This freezes well raw, riced but uncooked, for up to 3 months. Thaw and cook straight from frozen or after thawing in the fridge.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 each head of cauliflower
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the cauliflower and then break it into large florets. Using a cheese grater, grate the cauliflower starting at the florets and working down toward the stem. Discard the stems. Or, put the florets into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove any remaining large pieces.
- In a medium size skillet, add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Add the cauliflower rice and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes or until tender crisp.
- Add your favorite flavors, like garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, soy sauce, or follow my recipe for garlic-herb butter. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
keep it up Jennifer! I love KETO recipes. Looking forward to more. Mieke
Thank you; happy eating!