Today I'm going to show you how to make cauliflower rice ... with my simple no-mess method. The easiest and tastiest recipe is an absolute low carb, keto, Whole30, and Paleo staple recipe.
In fact, you can adapt and flavor cauliflower rice any which way you like.
So if you want an easily adaptable family-friendly side dish for curry, chicken, beef, pork, salmon, or lamb, this is it.
If you have ever made cauliflower rice with a hand grater/shredder and found cauliflower covering your entire kitchen, then watch the quick cooking video, and watch how I end up with ZERO mess using my method.
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Is cauliflower keto?
Yes, cauliflower is a low-carb nonstarchy vegetable. Cauliflower is incredibly low in net grams of carbs, high in fiber, and incredibly versatile.
Cauliflower is used in many low-carb recipes and keto recipes. It is the most common vegetable used for those following a low-carb diet or keto diet.
Is riced cauliflower healthier than rice? Yes, it is. Just look at the nutrition values per serving to compare cauliflower rice with long-grain white rice and brown rice. You'll see it is extremely low net carbs and has extremely reduced calories.
Cauliflower rice vs white rice nutrition
And remember with traditional white rice, is that many people either overeat (who eats just 1 cup?) so you could easily consume a few days' worth of carbs in just one sitting.
Cauliflower 1 cup serving: 5.3g carbs, 2.5g fibre, 2.4g sugar, Vit A 0.3%, Vit B6 10%, Vit c 77%, calcium 2.2%, iron 2.4%, magnesium 4%
White rice 1 cup cooked: 53.2g carbs, 0.6g fibre, 0.7g sugar, Vit A 0%, Vit B6 15%, Vit C 0%, calcium 0.6%, iron 15%, magnesium 21%
Brown rice 1 cup cooked: 44.8g carbs, 3.5g fibre, 0.7g sugar, Vit A 0%, Vit B6 15%, Vit C 0%, calcium 2%, iron 4.5%, magnesium 21% (% of your daily requirement)
Nutritional values from cronometer.com
With cauliflower rice, the sky is the limit. You can eat and eat as much as you like without feeling guilty or feeling bloated and stodgy for hours. I have never eaten so many vegetables since I switched to a low-carb and keto diet.
In fact, I eat more vegetables than many vegetarians I know. My children have never eaten so many vegetables and in such a wide variety of ways. Yes, it takes a while to get used to doing things a bit differently, but it soon becomes the "new normal".
Benefits of cauliflower
Cauliflower is incredibly low carb, high in fiber, Vit A, Vit B6, and Vit C. It is a wonderful high-fiber vegetable.
It is a versatile vegetable that can be used in a number of healthy recipes. Cauliflower can be served mashed, fried, roasted, and even raw or blanched in a broccoli and cauliflower salad. Cauliflower is a staple for vegetarians, vegans, and those who simply live on a whole food diet, and nutrient-rich diet.
It's also a brilliant low-carb vegetable for those who are restricting their carbs to help their blood sugar levels. It's keto, vegan, Whole30, Paleo, dairy-free and super easy.
How to stop soggy cauliflower
If your cauliflower rice often ends up soggy and watery. There are two quick and easy ways to prevent this:
- Do not add too much liquid to the cauliflower rice. I never add water to my cauliflower rice, I only add coconut cream and seasonings.
- Allow the cauliflower rice to release all of its steam before sevring. So if you are cooking your rice in a sauecpan, always remove the lid to allow all of the steam to escape.
How to stop "that" taste?
Some people are sensitive to the subtle flavor and smell of cauliflower, it may not taste the same as regular white rice but these 3 tips will completely change how your regular riced cauliflower turns out.
- Flavors and seasoning- the top tip I can give you today is to add plenty of salt and pepper to the shredded cauliflower during cooking. Adjust to your preferences. Salt really does make an enormous difference.
- Add herbs and spices - you can easily make a Mediterannean couscous, or curry cauliflower rice by adding curry powder, spices, cumin, coriander, cilantro and fresh herbs such as chopped parsley. In the case of this curry cauliflower rice recipe, add plenty of curry powder or curry paste.
- Add coconut cream - this makes the rice taste less of cauliflower and more of coconut, btu without being overpowering.
Frozen cauliflower rice
I often have a few bags of frozen cauliflower rice sitting in my freezer. Frozen cauliflower is often cheaper than fresh cauliflower when it is out of season.
Utilizing your freezer can really be a lifesaver when in need of a quick and healthy low-carb side dish. I also like to keep a variety of low-carb freezer meals in there too. This means we never need to get fast food or takeout.
You can either cook the rice from frozen or allow it to defrost first. Pour the frozen (or defrosted) vegetable rice into a saucepan or frying pan and heat until hot and steaming.
"No-mess method"
I try and make all my recipes as easy as possible. I don't use a hand shredder/grater, I don't pre-soak, I don't pre-season... I shred/grate it all using the blender, then cook in coconut cream and seasoning.
All in all, it is actually quicker than cooking regular white rice! I like to flavor mine so it is not so 'cauliflowery', but plain rice needs flavoring too. Cauliflower rice can really add to the meal, rather than being the vehicle for the meat to go on.
How to use your food processor to make riced cauliflower
1: PREPARE - To make the riced cauliflower, cut your cauliflower into chunks (or florets) and place these into your food processor and pulse with the blade until "rice" pieces are formed.
Just make certain that you pulse for just a few short moments and keep a close eye on it while you're doing so.
If you over pulse, you'll actually end up making curried cauliflower "mashed potatoes". And in all honesty, that will still be really good but you'll have a much creamier texture that won't resemble rice.
2: COOK - Add your rice to your frying pan/skillet or large saucepan. Add coconut cream and seasonings then cook/fry for up to 5 minutes. Just long enough for the rice to be steaming hot, but not mushy.
More low-carb curries
Cauliflower rice can be served with these dishes. It can also be served as a quick and tasty vegetable side dish with chicken dishes, pork, and beef.
- Slow Cooker Malaysian Beef Curry
- Low Carb Chicken Coconut Curry
- Lamb Curry - Saag Gosht
- Keto Instant Pot lamb curry
- Low-carb coconut fish curry
📖 Recipe
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How To Make Cauliflower Rice
Recipe Video
Calculate ingredients
Ingredients
- ½ cauliflower cut into pieces, small enough to fit into your blender
- 250 ml (1 cup) coconut cream full fat
- 25 g (⅓ cup) desiccated/shredded coconut unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander/cilantro dried or fresh
- salt to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Grate/shred all the cauliflower using the blender.
- Place in a large saucepan and add the coconut cream, coconut, coriander and salt.
- Cook on a medium/high heat until softened, stirring occasionally to stop the coconut cream from burning.
- Garnish with more coriander and desiccated coconut.
Notes
5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK
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YOUR HOLIDAY PANTRY & GIFT GUIDES
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Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.
Trvelly Cuthbert
Wont be coming back here. Click after click to find what you want. Lifes to short to be manipuated by you lot.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
No probelm. If you would lie to be part of my private website that has no adverts, you can join here 🙂
Letesa
Is this a good recipe to meal prep with? How long does it stay fresh in the fridge?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes, this is brilliant for meal prep. You can cook a large batch and keep in the fridge for a few days OR you can even freeze cauliflower rice, ready to reheat when needed. YAY!
anita
i find that it gives a lot of water even when lightly stire fried.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Are you using fresh or frozen? Fresh cauliflower should be nice and dry. I add coconut cream and sometimes even turmeric or smoked paprika - yum.
Stephanie
If I strain the water out of coconut milk can I use the thick stuff because I have forgotten the coconut cream ?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Sure that would work!
Diana
What a good idea to use coconut cream and coconut--I bet this would go well with my de-carbed chicken tikka masala! I"ve been making my cauliflower rice by cooking it with a little heavy whipping cream and stirring in a beaten egg in the end, fluffing it up to give it body--that prep is really good with pot roast and dishes with sauces where you want a neutrally flavored rice. I'm going to try your coconut rice next with my new favorite Indian dish, pork vindaloo!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Diana this is a wonderful suggestion. As you can tell from the number of low-carb curries on my site, my family an children loooooove curries.
Margaret
Is the total carb = net carb? Or i have to subtract the fiber to get the net carb?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
All recipes here state total carbs. To find the net, simply deduct the fibre value.
Brandy
Could you provide an approximate weight for half a cauliflower? Heads vary widely in size here and I would like to try this with the proper ratio of veg to cream, thank you!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Gosh I have never weighed my cauliflower, in fact the ratios are there as a guide as I generally throw the cauliflower in the food processor, blitz it up, then pour on the coconut cream and salt. If I were to estimate an amount, I would guess about 4-5 cups of cauliflower once it is processed.
Karen
Hi Liibby - I'm currently living in Spain & having no luck finding coconut cream. I have found creamed coconut - which is packaged in a solid block. Is it the same thing but just needs to be loosened off?
Thanks, Karen
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes you could use this, just add as much as you think you need to flavour it, and possibly a little water.
Kari
Karen, where in Spain are you? Here in Costa del Sol we have all the coconut milk and cream we'll ever need.
djnikkik
I like to lightly saute my processed cauliflower in olive oil for my cauliflower rice, as I love the taste of cauliflower and don't feel the need to add any flavourings. But this makes a nice alternative, especially to serve with Thai and Indian curries where the coconut flavour goes well.
Jan C
Does this taste like coconut? I don't like the taste/texture of coconut & it seems to be used in so many low carb recipes.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes it does but I like to use the coconut to hide the cauliflower taste. You could easily omit the coconut and use other flavours such as a little curry paste (for a curry), mustard (to accompany meat), garlic (to accompany chicken) or dill (to accompany salmon) - just a few examples. I just don't like plain cauliflower rice and I think that is why so many other people try and fail at cauli rice as the taste is so strong. I like to 'pimp my cauli' 😉
TheGiantGirl
I hail your genius! This is better then rice. Absolutely delicious. And perfect with spiced chicken. Can't wait to try it with low carb green chicken curry bites (a recipe I am yet to devise, but NOW -with this wonderful rice - it will be a priority).
Carolyn
Just had this for lunch with baked salmon. No coconut cream, so use heavy cream. I freeze packets of it, so always have it handy. So good!
Fluffy
First time I try the cauliflower rice and it's a success! I set aside a portion of it without coriander, put it in a pan with a bit of more cream, vanilla extract and chocolate powder and cooked it for a bit. It made a delicious chocolate rice pudding! 🙂
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Brilliant! I love your idea of turning it into a chocolate rice pudding - genius.
Tina B
Sorry if this has been asked before but I can't seem to find it in the comments...does 'c' stand for cup(s)?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Yes c is the standard abbreviation for cups. I'll maybe try and write cups from now on.
ashley neil
Can anyone tell me how many calories per portion please?
Pete Cram
Hi. I am single. Can I cook this recipe and freeze the rest for later? Thanks very much.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
I'm sure you could. Freeze it in individual portion sizes then defrost and heat on the stove top so it doesn't go soggy.
Kirsten
Just like homemade baby food, puree veggies can be frozen in ice cube trays and cooked later on stove top or microwave. Each cube is about 1oz.
Ruth Peck
What exactly do you mean when you say "coconut cream" in the ingredients? Do you mean canned coconut milk? I'm sure you don't mean that sugared version of cream of coconut.
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Take a look at my page on Food Brands. Coconut cream is generally only 1-3% carbs and 25% fat, but brands vary widely.
woodplus2014
To clarify: you are right, Libby does not mean the creamed coconut which usually comes in a jar and tastes to me like coconut ice (very sweet and nearly solid) she means coconut cream which usually comes in a can and is thicker (if you get a good brand) than the coconut milk in a can. 🙂
thehomeschoolingdoctor
Wish my family would eat it better. I keep trying! They do so well with other things, but not cauliflower except served as cauliflower. Will keep trying. Thanks!
Amie
Try roasting it in the oven. This is my favorite way to have cauliflower rice. I use a little avocado oil, salt, pepper, & turmeric. 30 mins in a hot oven, and you have a delicious side.
Jel
How many degrees?
Jel
I just fry it with some olive oil, salt en garam massala.4-5 minutes. No taste of cauliflower any mire and nice and dry!
woodplus2014
Recipe looks great but the dish you presented it in is beautiful!!! It is so much more interesting to eat food presented well 🙂 and I'm keen to try this as I don't usually like cauliflower!
Ron
Not to mention that if you are diabetic like I am, You cannot eat rice at all. this is my new rice!!! It is also my new mashed potatoes.