• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
A Sprinkle and A Splash
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy/Disclaimer
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy/Disclaimer
×

You are here: Home » Side Dishes

How to Make Cauliflower Rice Two Ways

Published June 23, 2020. Last Modified September 11, 2022 By Teri

  • Facebook18
  • Yummly
  • Email

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Cauliflower Rice Pin Image 1
Cauliflower Rice Pin Image 2
Cauliflower Rice Pin Image 5
Cauliflower Rice Pin Image 4
Cauliflower Rice Pin Image 3

Homemade cauliflower rice made with fresh cauliflower tastes SO much better than buying it premade and frozen. It's also SO much cheaper and incredibly easy! You can make a huge batch of this in FIVE minutes!

Overhead view of cauliflower rice two ways in bowls

This recipe was originally published in October 2019. It has been updated with FAQs and Expert Tips.

Learn how to make homemade cauliflower rice with my easy to follow instructions. You can make it with a food processor or even with a simple box grater.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Frozen cauliflower rice is readily available today in most all grocery stores, but the flavor from making it fresh is really and truly SO much better.
  • The flavor difference is worth the minimal effort required.
  • This is an easy way to get fresh, whole foods into your everyday eating.

What Goes Into This Recipe

All that you need to make this is a head of cauliflower and either a box grater or a food processor. As I said, it's SO simple!

Head of cauliflower on wooden cutting board with box grater behind it

How To Make This Recipe With A Box Grater

When I don't feel like getting out my big, clunky food processor, I use my oh so quick box grater. This is the one I've had for at least ten years and I still love it to this day.

To make cauliflower rice with a box grater, you first need to wash the cauliflower.

Next remove all of the green outer leaves, then break it down and cut it into smaller manageable pieces.

Cutting cauliflower head into smaller pieces
Cut cauliflower into smaller, manageable pieces

Once the cauliflower has been broken down, all you need to do is grate it like you would cheese. If you have a large cutting board, I would use that over a smaller one, since it tends to be a little messy.

Shredding cauliflower on a box grater
Grate using a box grater as you would a block of cheese

Below is what the finished product will look like.

Pile of cauliflower rice on a cutting board made with the box grater

How to Make this Recipe With A Food Processor

If you need to purchase a good food processor without breaking the bank, this one is a really good option.

Making the rice this way starts out pretty much the same way, with chopping the cauliflower into pieces.

Make sure to chop it into smaller pieces than you would use for the box grater technique, to make sure they all will fit in the food processor.

Cleaned and trimmed cauliflower on wooden cutting board with knife
Cauliflower chopped into smaller pieces on cutting board, ready for food processor
Cut into smaller pieces that will fit in the food processor

I do want to point out that I started out chopping my veggies with this knife that I love, love love and use for everything, but then I remembered a new knife that we bought.

We bought the WÜSTHOF 8 Inch Offset Knife and I whipped that baby out and guess what? This knife cut through everything like butter. My new love! The serrated edges of this knife is perfect for cutting vegetables.

So basically the next step is to just turn on the food processor until there are no big pieces left. So simple!

Below is what the finished product will look like.

Overhead view of finished cauliflower rice in food processor

Expert Tips

  • Making cauliflower rice with a box grater produces a larger "rice" texture than if you were to make it with a food processor. This texture holds up better for dishes like cauliflower fried rice, or any recipe you need a rice substitute.
  • Making cauliflower rice with a food processor produces a texture that is more fine. It's better suited for mashed cauliflower dishes or pizza crust.
  • If you're looking for the quickest way to get this job done, the food processor option is for you.
  • When cooking from fresh, cook in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes. For cooking on the stove top, cook in a medium sized pot for about 3-4 minutes on low to medium.
  • Squeeze all of the water out of the cooked rice with flour sack towels. This veggie holds a lot of water, and can turn your finished dishes into watery messes. See below for instructions on how we do this.
  • A head of cauliflower makes approximately 2 cups of cauliflower rice.

FAQs

How do I store fresh cauliflower rice?

I put all my cauliflower rice in ziploc bags and store it right in the freezer, no matter what my plans for it are. (Unless I'm going to use it right then, I won't do this.) I normally make more than I would eat at once, so I don't have to do it so often, and I have it ready to go.fresh cauliflower rice in ziploc bag ready for the freezer

How do I cook frozen cauliflower rice?

When you're ready to use the frozen rice, just get it out, put it in a glass bowl and microwave it for about 4 minutes, then use it for whatever recipe you're making. It's seriously that simple!

If you don't have a microwave, you can add the frozen rice to a small or medium sized pot, add a couple of tablespoons of water, cover, and heat over low to medium heat for about ten minutes. Make sure to stir halfway through.

How do I get the water out of the cooked rice?

If you're using the rice in a recipe or baked dish, getting the water out of it after it is cooked is SO important. Please don't skip this step. I swear I've looked at the cooked rice before and it looks so nice and dry. It's lying to you!

Skipping this step can be the difference of a perfect finished creamy mashed cauliflower or a big watery, soupy mess. Trust me. I've done it.

It really is as simple as putting the cooked and cooled cauliflower on a clean flour sack towel, wrapping it up and squeezing all the water out.

I like to use flour sack towels because they're large and really thin, which makes them easy to squeeze tight and get out as much water as possible. Regular kitchen towels are too thick and may leave behind small fuzzy pieces of cotton.

After you get all of the water out, it will appear as though you have not much left. Just dump it into a bowl and fluff it up with a fork and it will miraculously come back to life!
Cooked cauliflower rice on a flour sack towelWrapping cauliflower rice in flour sack towelSqueezing water out of the cauliflower rice that's wrapped in a flour sack towel

Recipe Suggestions

What should you do with all of this fresh, amazing rice? Try it out with my Loaded Baked Cauliflower Mash or my Lemony Raw Kale Salad. I guarantee you won't ever go back to the frozen stuff!

If you're looking for other recipes to pair along with this, there are lots of great healthy options here! Try mixing in my Vegan Pistachio Pesto into hot, cooked cauliflower rice for a super quick, easy and flavorful side dish.

If you've made this recipe, please give a star rating in the recipe card below and leave me a comment under the recipe card. I appreciate your feedback! Please also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for my email list to get notified of new recipes and more!

Overhead view of cauliflower rice two ways in bowls

How To Make Cauliflower Rice Two Ways

Homemade cauliflower rice made with fresh cauliflower tastes SO much better than buying it premade and frozen. It's also SO much cheaper and incredibly easy! You can make a huge batch of this in FIVE minutes!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 24kcal
Author: Teri
Cost: $2

Equipment

  • box grater
  • food processor
  • flour sack towels

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower

Instructions

Using a Box Grater

  • Wash and dry cauliflower.
  • Remove large stem and leaves.
  • Cut cauliflower into manageable pieces.
  • Shred on box grater as you would a block of cheese.

Using a Food Processor

  • Wash and dry cauliflower. 
  • Remove large stem and leaves.
  • Cut cauliflower into manageable pieces, smaller pieces so they all will fit in the food processor.
  • Pulse food processor until all pieces have been turned into cauliflower rice. You may need to open the lid and scrape down the sides one or two times.

Notes

  • Making cauliflower rice with a box grater produces a larger "rice" texture than if you were to make it with a food processor. This texture holds up better for dishes like cauliflower fried rice, or any recipe you need a rice substitute.
  • Making cauliflower rice with a food processor produces a texture that is more fine. It's better suited for mashed cauliflower dishes or pizza crust.
  • If you're looking for the quickest way to get this job done, the food processor option is for you.
  • When cooking from fresh, cook in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes. For cooking on the stove top, cook in a medium sized pot for about 3-4 minutes on low to medium.
  • Squeeze all of the water out of the cooked rice with flour sack towels. This veggie holds a lot of water, and can turn your finished dishes into watery messes. See below for instructions on how we do this.
  • A head of cauliflower makes approximately 2 cups of cauliflower rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @ASprinkleAndASplash or tag #asprinkleandasplash! I'd love to see your finished recipe!

More Side Dish Recipes

  • Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
  • Creamy Italian Pasta Salad
  • Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
  • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Monna Ellithorpe

    October 11, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Hi Teri,

    I still haven't tried anything made with cauliflower/rice. I do love cauliflower and figure I would like anything made with it.

    You supply such good tips with your cooking. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Teri

      October 11, 2019 at 3:56 pm

      Thanks! You should try it sometime!

      Reply
  2. Jaimee Mcdermott

    April 01, 2021 at 1:07 am

    Love the picture!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Photo of Teri, Blog Writer

Hi, I'm Teri!

Welcome to my blog where I'm sharing all the easy to make recipes I create and cook for my family and friends.

I'm making everything from healthy eats, to quick weeknight family dinners, to indulgent comfort food and desserts.

More about me →

More Popular Recipes

  • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
  • Easy Roasted Garlic Spread
  • Easy Homemade Almond Hummus
  • Coleslaw with Pineapple
  • Cheesy Ranch Garlic Bread
  • Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches with Pork Roll Egg and Cheese
  • Quick Bratwurst Pizza
  • How to Make Cauliflower Rice Two Ways

Holiday Recipes

  • The Ultimate List of 120+ Christmas Appetizers
  • Christmas Shortbread Bites
  • M&M Crinkle Christmas Cookies
  • How to Make a Charcuterie Board

Desserts and Treats

  • Easy White Chocolate Graham Croissants
  • Butterscotch Snickerdoodles
  • Superstar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Muffins
  • Chocolate Pots de Crème

DELICIOUSNESS DELIVERED

Sign up now to get notified of new posts!

Amazon Associates Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Footer

Websites A Sprinkle and A Splash as been featured on

Copyright © 2023 A Sprinkle and A Splash on the Foodie Pro Theme

Get free recipe updates:
  • 18Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Yummly

Privacy Policy