12 Delicious Vegan Cauliflower "Rice" Recipes

Cauliflower “rice” (aka riced cauliflower) is a great swap-in for rice in all kinds of dishes. It can also be used as a substitute for other grains like couscous and bulgur. It’s a fantastic way to get a nutritious vegetable into your regimen, and a sneaky way to disguise vegetables for picky eaters! Here’s how to use make cauliflower “rice” and use it in a slew of delicious vegan recipes.

Why used cauliflower rice? Some people have trouble digesting grains. It also makes any dish less carb-oriented. Combined with legumes or use it as a “bed” as you would with other grains, with legumes, it’s nearly as substantial as its grain counterparts.

Cauliflower rice vs. brown rice: Calories & Carbs

Cauliflower rice appeals to calorie- and carb watchers for these facts alone: It has 25 calories per cup, compared with about 218 the same amount of cooked brown rice and 205 for white. As for carbs, cauliflower rice has 5 grams per cup, compared with 45 to 50 grams in a cup of cooked brown or white rice.

Still, cauliflower rice isn’t better or more nutritious than rice — it serves similar purposes, but with a different vibe. It’s light and pleasantly mild-flavored, and quite useful for those avoiding the gluten in couscous or bulgur.

As for fiber, brown rice has both white rice and cauliflower rice beat. Brown rice has 3.5 grams of fiber per cup; cauliflower rice 2 grams per cup, and white rice just 1 gram per cup.

How to make cauliflower rice

How to rice fresh cauliflower

There’s not much too it. Make sure the cauliflower is clean and dry. cut into large florets and put as many as fit comfortably into a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse on and off until it resembles rice (or really more acurately, bulgur). Use right away in a recipe.

Can you make cauliflower rice by hand? Some sources recommend using the large holes of a box grater. Sure, you can do that but it’s pretty tedious and will make a fine mess! You’ll need to mind your knuckles and fingers, too.

If not using right away, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a day or two. It can be frozen without being cooked, too.

How to rice frozen cauliflower

It’s best to process frozen cauliflower when it’s only about half thawed, otherwise it can become mushy. Follow the same steps above.

What if you don’t have a food processor?

Fortunately, you can find cauliflower rice (sometimes labeled “riced cauliflower” in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets, completely ready to use. If your store doesn’t have it, ask the manager to order it. It’s not as economical as DIY but not crazy-costly, and a nice option to have.

Thanks to all the talented bloggers who participated in this roundup for permission to use their photographs and link to their recipes.