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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dinner / Roasted Cauliflower Rice (+ 5 Top Tips)

Published July 6, 2015, Updated September 21, 2018

Roasted Cauliflower Rice (+ 5 Top Tips)

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A collage image of roasted cauliflower rice

Top tips for how to make the best roasted cauliflower rice. This recipe is a delicious and healthy alternative to white rice! (grain free, gluten free).

A white bowl of roasted cauliflower rice topped with herbs

I hope your July 4th weekend was as fun and relaxing as ours! After all that cobbler and ice cream, though, it’s nice to get back on the healthy train. 

So today seemed like a great time to share my Top 5 tips for making the best cauliflower rice! It’s gluten free, grain free, and 100% unprocessed!

Even if you eat “real rice”, it’s a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your meal, and you might be surprised by how much you like it!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. By making purchases through these links, you pay the same amount for products, but a portion of the sale will be sent my way to help with blog expenses. Thanks!

How to Make the Best Cauliflower Rice

Wash the cauliflower, then cut into large florets (not larger than the width of the food processor chute). Place the course shredder blade into your food processor and feed the florets through the chute.
 
Divide the riced cauliflower between two baking sheets. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of melted ghee over each pan, then use clean hands to “massage” until rice is fully coated with ghee.
 
Sprinkle generously with sea salt and roast for about 25 minutes, or until browned to your liking.

Step by step photos for how to make roasted cauliflower rice

5 Top Tips For Making Roasted Cauliflower Rice

There are lots of recipes and tutorials out there for ricing cauliflower. Here are my top 5 tips for success: 

1. Shred It 

You can use the standard chopping blade of your food processor (I’ve done it before with success), but the result is more of a couscous texture than that of long grain rice. You also have to work in batches, which I’m never a fan of if I can avoid it. I much prefer quickly feeding handfuls of florets into the chute of the food processor, one after another, with the shredder blade in place. It shaves time off the prep and gives the “rice” a more authentic, longer grain shape. 

2. Season It

Just as with “real rice”, the right amount of butter and salt take this cauliflower rice from good to great! I add plenty of melted ghee and sea salt before cooking, then usually sprinkle a little more sea salt on it just before serving. 

3. Roast It

Stovetop cooking works if you’re able to stir often (think stir fry) to prevent sticking and burning, but roasting is my favorite. It’s a simple, hands-off method so you can prep the rest of your dinner while the oven does the work. You could even roast a tray of okra or broccoli at the same time!

4. Serve It

I prefer to serve cauliflower rice alongside really flavorful main dish recipes – Lemon Feta Chicken and Easy Salmon with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale come to mind. And, don’t forget, you can always blend cauliflower rice 50/50 with regular cooked rice – this is a great approach if you’re new to cauliflower rice, or are serving it to “real rice” lovers! 

5. Sell It

Here’s the deal. Cauliflower rice is NOT rice – never will be. But it’s a pretty close second. I don’t try to pull one over on my family by calling it rice. I tell them I’m serving shredded and roasted cauliflower that looks, tastes, and feels a lot like rice. That way, everyone knows what to expect, and is happy when they get it. 

A tray of roasted cauliflower rice with slices of lemon

5 from 16 votes
An overhead shot of roasted cauliflower rice
Print
Roasted Cauliflower Rice
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Whether you're grain free or just trying to eat more veggies, this delicious roasted cauliflower rice is a healthy alternative to white rice! 
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower rice, low carb rice
Servings: 4 - 6 cups
Author: Back To The Book Nutrition
Ingredients
  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • 1/4 cup pastured ghee melted
  • sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Wash the cauliflower, then cut into large florets (not larger than the width of the food processor chute)
  3. Place the course shredder blade into your food processor and feed the florets through the chute.
  4. Divide the riced cauliflower between two baking sheets.
  5. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of melted ghee over each pan, then use clean hands to "massage" until rice is fully coated with ghee.
  6. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and roast for about 25 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
  7. Makes 4-6 cups.
Recipe Notes

1. I used lighter baking pans but you'll want to shorten the cooking time and may need to stir halfway if you're using darker roasting pans.
2. Time saving tip: shred two heads of cauliflower and freeze half for later use!

Your turn – what are your favorite tips & recipes for making cauliflower rice? 

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: cauliflower, cauliflower rice, rice, Roasted

Holistic Nutrition Coaching with Dena Norton, MS, RD, LD can transform your health from the inside out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. April says

    November 3, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    I do put a lot of focus on eating veggies. I think I don’t get enough of them in my daily meals. So your recipe came jsut in time and is such a great alternative to the white rice that I have been eating a lot lately. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dena @ Back To The Book Nutrition says

      November 5, 2018 at 5:14 am

      Glad to help, April! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. Krista Price says

    November 3, 2018 at 5:19 pm

    Riced cauliflower is a staple in my house, but I’ve never thought to roast it. I bet it tastes soooo much better this way. I’m kind of disappointed in myself for never thinking to do this, lol. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Dena @ Back To The Book Nutrition says

      November 5, 2018 at 5:13 am

      You’re welcome! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. Anna Hettick says

    November 3, 2018 at 5:29 pm

    ROASTED cauliflower rice?!?! YUMMY!! Seriously, I love the flavor roasting gives cauliflower and to have that flavor with cauli rice would be DIVINE!!

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    November 3, 2018 at 10:59 pm

    Oh yum! I love how you roast this cauliflower rice to make it less watery/soggy. I usually cook mine as fried rice and add all the proteins/ingredients.

    Reply
    • Dena @ Back To The Book Nutrition says

      November 5, 2018 at 5:13 am

      Yes, the roasting (or stir frying) adds such a nice texture!

      Reply
  5. Chef Mireille says

    November 5, 2018 at 8:26 am

    what a delicious and healthy way of the cauliflower rice – looks so delicious

    Reply
  6. Stephanie Simmons says

    November 9, 2018 at 3:42 pm

    This looks so delicious and easy to make! I bet it would be a great base for all sorts of veggies!

    Reply
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Dena Norton, Holistic Dietitian, Nutrition Coach, and Real Food Lover Welcome! I’m Dena Norton, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian, mom, & holistic nutrition coach, here to help you eat well, live well, & feel better than ever! Subscribe to get holistic nutrition advice + healthy, hassle-free recipes your whole family will love! Read More →

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