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You know all those people who say that mashed cauliflower tastes exactly like mashed potatoes? I am here to tell you that those people have probably not had a mashed potato in awhile. Much like Sara isn’t going to to pretend that spaghetti squash is just like sitting down to a big ol’ bowl of homemade pasta in your favorite Italian restaurant, I’m not going to pretend like cauliflower rice is just like regular white rice.
That said. I really like cauliflower rice. I’m not anti-carbs or anti-grains or anything, but for me personally, if I’m going to blow 120 calories on carbs, I’d rather blow it on a cookie than on a bowl of rice (and that’s just a 1/2 cup of rice, which is just a tease. At least for a girl who likes to eat.) It’s an easy way to get some extra veggies into my diet, it’s quick, and it transforms one of nature’s more offensive vegetables (sorry…I’m not generally a fan. I’m sure there are people out there who love a big bowl of raw cauliflower, but I’ve never met them) into something mild and easy to make.
Now, you can’t just use finely chopped cauliflower interchangeably with regular rice. Here’s a handy guide to help you know when you should and shouldn’t use cauliflower rice.
To Use:
- If you’re cutting back on carbs.
- If you’re trying to find new and exciting ways to implement cruciferous vegetables into your diet.
- If you want to mix regular rice with something else to make it a little less calorie-dense.
- If you don’t like/are allergic to/are scared of rice.
Not to Use:
- In soups, casseroles, and other dishes where regular rice absorbs liquid and helps thicken the final dish.
- In rice pudding. Do people still eat rice pudding?
- Anything where you’re expecting the rice to kind of soak up juices/sauces/liquids of something else. I mean, you can still use cauliflower rice and it will taste good, just don’t expect it to operate quite the same way with your beef and broccoli.
To make this super-easy side dish, you’ll need a head of cauliflower.
You’ll also need a little olive oil (I use our garlic olive oil), a clove or two of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off of the cauliflower, then break the cauliflower into small-ish florets (it will happen pretty naturally–they don’t need to be bite-sized or anything, just wherever they break naturally).
Place the cauliflower pieces into a food processor fitted with a chopping blade or a heavy-duty blender (my Blendtec does the job).
You’ll probably need to do it in batches. Which is exactly what I didn’t do in this picture–only fill it up about halfway. Do as I say, not as I do.
Using the pulse setting, chop the cauliflower until it reaches a rice-like consistency. If you don’t have a blender or a food processor, you can use a cheese grater, it just requires a little more elbow grease.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not mushy (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. The chopped, uncooked cauliflower can be frozen for quick cooking in the future. Makes about 4 1-cup servings
Cauliflower Rice
Tutorial by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (I use our garlic olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off of the cauliflower, then break the cauliflower into small-ish florets (it will happen pretty naturally–they don’t need to be bite-sized or anything, just wherever they break naturally). Place the cauliflower pieces into a food processor fitted with a chopping blade or a heavy-duty blender (my Blendtec does the job). You’ll probably need to do it in batches. Using the pulse setting, chop the cauliflower until it reaches a rice-like consistency.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and garlic and cook until tender but not mushy (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. The chopped, uncooked cauliflower can be frozen for quick cooking in the future. Makes about 4 1-cup servings
Nutrition Information (per 1 cup)
Calories: 46
Fat: 2
Carbs: 7
Fiber: 3
Sugars: 3
Protein: 3
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Questions & Reviews
Yay! I was just thinking about making my favorite chicken korma, I will try this with it to cut some of the calories.
Made this for the first time last night….I loved it! The kids loved it! The husband loved it and the Sister loved it!
Thanks for talking me into it. I had my doubts.
I’m sad to know that rice pudding is outdated. I’ll be sure to tell my slow-cooker sticky rice pudding with mangos that.
🙂 LOL
I would love that recipe! I make rice pudding very regularly. My husband loves to take it to work because it is high protein and sticks long enough to keep him satisfied. I use brown rice too.
Thanks for sharing. I’ve never tried cauliflower rice. I have a favorite cauliflower recipe. Although it’s not as low-cal as your cauliflower rice, it’s delicious.
Swiss Sauce Cauliflower
http://www.homeecathome.com/the-home-economist/swiss-sauce-cauliflower
I’ve seen a recipe for cauliflower fried rice that I might try now that I’ve seen this post. 🙂
Must comment here – rice pudding is awesome! My husband is of Greek/Italian heritage, and rice pudding and Greeks go together like pasta and Italians. I had never thought much of rice pudding until I tried my mother-in-law’s recipe. It is so delicious and comforting – rich, thick, sweet, with just enough texture to keep it interesting. It’s probably my husband’s favorite dessert, though I only make it once in a while because it is a bit calorie and cholesterol dense. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!
Ok I admit I love cauliflower… my family NOT so much! Ok not at ALL! I will have to give this a try even if it is only for me. I know my husband tries to like cauliflower but it always tastes bitter to him, just like brussels sprouts. I tried the cauliflower pizza crust and my family thought I had LOST my mind! Its a good thing I have to go to the grocery store as soon as my husband gets home. Can you say cauliflower rice with dinner? And regular rice too because the guys love it! (being 15 and 16 they can eat it without any concerns!)
Rice Pudding! OH yes, people still eat that. We love it!!
I would love to hear from fellow readers or anyone that has used this in place of rice. What kind of recipes would it work as a substitution? Because my family would be just as excited to eat that plain as they would a big old bowl of rice, which is not at all. Thanks!!
I use cauliflower rice all the time to make burrito bowls for my family. I take the rice and sauté it as described above. Then I add a few spices like chili powder or cumin–just a sprinkle (you can also just use packaged taco seasoning). Then we eat it with shredded taco chicken on top with lettuce, black beans, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, salsa, etc. You can eat this with a fork or scoop with tortilla chips. It’s one of our favorite meals to eat!
Kate, I’m sorry, I have no comment on the cauliflower rice. I probably will never make it. But I just had to comment on rice pudding – I just made rice pudding for the first time two weeks ago! And my family was like, why are you making that?? It was one of those things on my once-in-my-life-I-must-make-it list. I used leftover eggnog in it and it was delicious!