Keto Cauliflower Rice Recipe (low carb)

On the keto diet and miss having rice? Want to know how to create a low carb alternative? Then you will love this easy to make Keto Cauliflower Rice Recipe, also known as cauli-rice.

Let’s face it. Most people don’t eat rice alone. Plain. With nothing on it. Most of the time it is in other things (soup, burritos, stuffed peppers, etc) or it’s topped with something that is the main dish (butter chicken, chili, etc).

The great thing about rice is it will take on the flavors of the other foods in the dish. It makes a perfect side dish that the whole family will enjoy. They might not even miss real rice after trying this recipe.

Good news….there is a low carb vegetable that will act much in the same way….. cauliflower!

Delicious Keto Cauliflower Rice

It’s the perfect rice replacement with just 3 net carbs in 1 cup of cauliflower versus 45 net grams of carbs in 1 cup of rice it’s easy to see that cauliflower rice is a keto meal winner!

You can now buy cauliflower rice in your local grocery store in the freezer section. It’s a fast and convenient way to quickly prepare cauliflower rice without having to do any added work. Perfect for those who are short on time and need something that they can quickly prepare.

Making your own homemade cauliflower rice is much easier than you think. All you need is a knife, a cutting board and a food processor. Don’t have a food processor? Don’t worry. It’s also easy to make just by cutting with a knife or grating on a box grater.

Ingredients for keto cauliflower rice:

• Large head of cauliflower – you will want at least 1 fresh cauliflower head depending upon it’s size and how many people you want to feed. You can also use bagged fresh cauliflower florets.

• Butter – use your favorite brand. It adds flavor to your cauliflower rice. You can also swap this out for olive oil if desired.

• Spices – salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

How to rice cauliflower:

Start by removing the outer leaves of the cauliflower. Cut the tough center stalk out and set aside. Wash your cauliflower in cold water or use a vegetable wash. Check out this recipe for a homemade vegetable wash on this page to clean your cauliflower.

Cut the cauliflower up into smaller pieces. You don’t have to spend a lot of time cutting them into super small pieces. The food processor will do the job for you. You just want pieces that will be small enough to fit into your food processor.

Toss your cauliflower into the food processor. Don’t over load it. You want there to be enough space for the pieces to move around in it.

Pulse the food processor to begin chopping the pieces up. Only pulse for a few seconds at a time. You want to chop it into fine pieces but not puree it. Keep pulsing until you have pieces that are about the size of a grain of rice.

Remove the riced cauliflower and add more pieces. Continue to chop the pieces until you have processed all of your cauliflower.

How to rice cauliflower without a food processor

Don’t have a food processor? You can still make cauliflower rice without one. Use one of these two methods to prep your cauliflower:

• Simply use a box grater with large holes (the kind for shredding cheese) and grate the cauliflower.
• You can also use a large sharp knife to dice the cauliflower into small pieces.

These methods take a bit longer but will still make great cauliflower rice.

To make a batch of cauliflower rice is super easy to do and takes about 5 minutes in the microwave or, for a bigger flavor boost, about 10 minutes to create a deliciously flavored cauliflower rice in a skillet.

Cauliflower rice is a great meal template food.

What is a meal template?

A template is a pattern that can be followed again and again. You know what the end result will be because you’ve made the item before and know that if you follow the template that it will turn out well again.

Stop and think about pizza. You know the meal template for a pizza….. take your crust, top it with some sauce, add various topping, sprinkle on cheese and bake. It’s done the same way over and over again.

So why doesn’t every pizza taste the same? Because they have varied the ingredients in the template. But the template is still the same over and over again.

How can a meal template help you?

Knowing how to make the basic template allows you to easily make the same item again. By swapping out seasonings or adding other items you can change the flavor. But the basic steps for making it stays the same. This helps save you time in the kitchen.

How to make keto cauliflower rice:

Once all of your cauliflower has been riced, heat a large skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat.

Add the butter to the skillet. You can use oil but I find butter adds a better flavor. Once the butter has melted add about 3 cups of riced cauliflower to the skillet.

Sprinkle the seasonings (salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder) over the top of the cauliflower and stir to mix in.

Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes stirring often. You are looking for the cauliflower to become crisp-tender. Don’t over cook it or it will become mushy.

Remove from heat and serve immediately!

How do I store cauliflower rice?

Store your leftover cooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container. It will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator but has the best flavor if eaten in the first 2 to 3.

What is cauliflower rice?

Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower that has been “riced” or cut into rice size pieces.

What is cauliflower rice made of?

Just cauliflower with a few simple ingredients to make it more flavorful such as herbs and spices.

Does cauliflower rice taste like rice?

Cauliflower rice is about the size of rice. If you cook it until it is just tender then the texture will be more like rice. It does have a mild cauliflower flavor because that’s what it’s made of. But, like rice, it is a bland flavor and will pick up flavor from whatever it is cooked with. This is what makes it so great as a rice replacement.

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If you like this post about cauliflower rice you may want to check out these posts:

How to tell if cauliflower is bad (or your cauliflower rice)

Use this recipe as a meal template. By changing a few ingredients you can quickly come up with new flavors. All you’ll need is the ingredients for the basic cauliflower recipe and a few other simple ingredients. All of these recipes make a great side dish. Here are some to get you started:

Fried Rice:

This is a delicious recipe for homemade fried rice. If you miss buying Chinese take-out from your favorite Chinese restaurant then give this easy recipe a try. Follow the basic directions above. When you add the fresh cauliflower rice to the skillet also add in a half a diced onion and a 1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots mixture. Sauté until the vegetables are tender. Along with the spices in the basic recipe add in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or coconut aminos and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil. Stir well. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add in 1 egg that has been scrambled. Once the egg begins to set up mix it into the cauliflower. Turn off the heat. Garnish your cauliflower fried rice with green onions and some sesame seeds.

Garlic and Herb Cauliflower rice:

Replace the powdered or dried garlic with 3 crushed cloves of garlic (about 2 teaspoons of the minced jarred garlic). Add in 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped thyme leaves and fresh flat leaf parsley. Serve topped with our Curry Chicken Meatballs.

Mushroom and Feta Cauliflower rice:

Sauté 2 cups of sliced/diced mushrooms and 1 medium chopped onion in the butter first before adding the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower along with 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Add in a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves or a teaspoon of dried thyme. Once the cauliflower rice is cooked take it off the heat and stir in 1/3 cup of feta crumbles. Try serving with our Mediterranean Lemon Herb Chicken.

Pesto Cauliflower rice:

Follow the directions above. When adding in the spices also add in 2 to 3 tablespoons of prepared pesto. Once the cauliflower rice is cooked take it off the heat and stir in 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Try serving topped with some of our Italian Chicken Stew.

 

Curry Cauliflower rice:

Follow the directions above. Use coconut oil instead of butter if desired. When adding in the spices also add in 1 teaspoon of curry powder and 1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh cilantro. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds before serving. Try serving topped with some of our Butter Chicken.

Spanish rice:

Follow the directions above. When adding in the spices also add in 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of finely minced fresh cilantro if desired before serving. This also tastes great with the Italian Chicken Stew or topped with Taco Seasoned Beef.

 

Vegetable Cauliflower rice:

Follow the directions above. When the butter first melts, saute 1 small diced onion and 1/2 cup shredded carrots for 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the riced cauliflower. When adding in the seasonings also add in 1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil. Serve with your favorite baked chicken or our Hasselback Caprese Chicken.

As you can see the basic cauliflower rice can be used in these creative cauliflower rice recipes. Why not try one as a side dish or even as a main course.

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