Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe
I think this Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe is the perfect way to cook cauliflower rice as a side dish, and I make this over and over! It’s the garlic and green onion that makes this cauliflower rice recipe so good.
PIN the Cauliflower Rice Recipe to try it later!
Cauliflower rice has become pretty mainstream, and most people who are watching carbs have probably tried it. But even though I’ve made a quite a few different versions of it I think this Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe is the absolute BEST cauliflower rice to serve for a side dish, and I’m featuring it as my Friday Favorites pick this week. This is the cauliflower rice recipe I find myself making over and over!
It’s the flavor added from the garlic that seasons the oil and the crunch of the green onions that I think makes this cauliflower rice recipe so flavorful, and I do like to use a lot of green onion! And I also think it’s worth the extra time to make it with freshly-chopped raw cauliflower or purchased chopped cauliflower rice, but if frozen cauliflower rice is the only way this will get on the table at your house, that will still be delicious.
If you haven’t been that excited about cauliflower rice so far, I hope you’ll try my favorite recipe for it with only four ingredients, plus a little salt and pepper; this recipe for cauliflower rice turns it into a fabulous side dish!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)
- smallish same-size cauliflower pieces, stems included (or bag of riced cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice)
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- cloves of garlic
- green onion
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Why I love this Cauliflower Rice Recipe:
I think cauliflower rice can be a bit ho-hum if you don’t take care to season it well when you cook it, do you agree? I think flavoring the oil with fresh garlic cloves before you pan-fry the rice, and then stirring in a generous amount of sliced green onion to add some crunch and flavor really makes this recipe the best way to cook cauliflower rice!
Is the Easy Cauliflower Rice low in carbs?
This perfect recipe for cauliflower rice to serve as a side dish only has about 5 net carbs per serving!
What type of cauliflower rice is best for this cauliflower rice recipe?
I don’t find chopping cauliflower in the food processor to be that labor intensive, and when I make my own cauliflower rice that way I like to use 4 cups of riced cauliflower. And truthfully I do prefer fresh-chopped cauliflower for this recipe. But sometimes you just need to use pre-chopped cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice, and both those options will also be delicious. The fresh or frozen packaged cauliflower rice comes in a package that’s smaller than the four cups I use; see the different amounts listed in the recipe if you’re using one of those. And you might also need to check the cooking time on the package to see if it needs to be adjusted.
Can you use less green onion for the cauliflower rice recipe?
Of course you can use less green onion for this recipe if you prefer. But it’s the crunch of the green onion added just before serving that I think really makes this good, so I encourage you to use a generous amount of green onion and try it!
Want more ideas using Cauliflower Rice?
- 20 Cauliflower Rice Casserole Recipes
- Low-Carb and Keto Soups with Cauliflower Rice
- Low-Carb Dinners using Frozen Cauliflower Rice
- Keto Cauliflower Rice Recipes
How to Make this Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- If you’re making your own riced cauliflower, start with smallish pieces of cauliflower and buzz it in the food processor until it’s finely chopped.
- Also prepare 6-8 large cloves of garlic, slicing them in half, and slice a cup of green onions.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the garlic slices just long enough to “season the oil” with garlic flavor. (This only takes a minute or so; don’t let the garlic burn.)
- Remove the garlic and add the cauliflower and season well with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Cook the cauliflower over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it’s just starting to soften and lose the raw flavor, about 3-4 minutes. (Check the package for cooking time if you’re using purchased cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice.)
- Turn off heat, stir in the green onions, and serve.
- I promise, people will devour this easy cauliflower rice, especially if you serve it with some kind of tasty saucy meat or vegetables over the top!
More Favorite Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice:
- Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp
- Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowl
- Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls
Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe
I think this Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe (with garlic and green onion) is the BEST cauliflower rice recipe, and it's the one I find myself making over and over.
Ingredients
Ingredients If You're Chopping Your Own Cauliflower
- 4 heaping cups smallish same-size cauliflower pieces, stems included
- 2 T olive oil
- 8 large cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise if really big
- 1 cup sliced green onion
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Ingredients If You're Using a 12 oz. Bag of Riced Cauliflower or Frozen Cauliflower Rice
- 1 bag (12 oz.) riced cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 1/2 T olive oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
- 3/4 cup sliced green onion
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower, including the stems, into smallish same size pieces until you have 4 generous cups of cauliflower pieces.
- Using the steel blade, process 2 cups of cauliflower pieces at a time in the food processor, buzzing it in short bursts until it’s finely chopped enough to resemble rice, but slightly larger. I use my beloved Cuisinart 7 Cup Food Processor (affiliate link) for this, which does a great job.
- If you’re using a bag of cauliflower, just open the bag!
- Peel garlic cloves and slice in half lengthwise.
- Chop enough green onions for the amount of cauliflower you’re using.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until it feels hot when you hold your hand there; then add the garlic cloves and stir-fry until you smell garlic.
- As soon as you see the tiniest color change in the garlic, IMMEDIATELY remove the garlic and discard. (Don’t let it brown or the garlic will leave a bitter taste.)
- Add the cauliflower to the hot pan and season generously with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
- Stir fry the cauliflower, turning it over often, until it’s starting to soften and lose the raw taste, about 3-4 minutes. (Taste a little to see if it’s done to your liking; I prefer it still slightly crisp.)
- (Check the package for cooking time if you're using purchased cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice.)
- Turn off the heat, stir in the green onions, and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 79Total Fat 5.4gSaturated Fat .8gUnsaturated Fat 4.3gCholesterol 0mgSodium 175mgCarbohydrates 7.6gFiber 2.4gSugar 2.1gProtein 2.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe is a great dish for so many healthy diets, including Low-Carb, Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, and the original South Beach Diet!
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one.Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for what I think is the best and easiest cauliflower rice was first posted in 2016, and it’s been popular ever since! It was last updated with more information in 2024.
77 Comments on “Easy Cauliflower Rice Recipe”
Absolutely delicious cauliflower rice! Never tried it before !!! 😃 and so easy
So glad you enjoyed!
I have never liked cauliflower rice, as many times and ways that I’ve tried it. But this was delicious! I appreciate your detailed instructions – no bitter cauli-rice for me this time! It was sweet and nutty and wonderful. I served your Sriracha-Spiced Shrimp and Broccoli on top for a wonderful meal! Thank you for all of the time and thought you put into sharing your great recipes with the helpful notes and fool-proof instructions!
Lynette, thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
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I am new and just made cheesy taco casserole
Wow easy and I used frozen cauliflower rice
It was delicious can’t wait to try more of your great recipes
Glad you liked it!
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My family loves garlic! Would it ruin the dish if the garlic made its way back into the “rice”, diced up smaller and cooked till soft? Just curious if there’s a way to keep the garlic in the dish! Thanks for so many great ideas!
Yes, I think that’s a great idea to add the garlic back in towards the end of the cooking time! I’d love to hear how you like it that way!
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This was delicious! Definitely the best recipe I have found for cauliflower rice! I added some coconut aminos once it was finished and served with seasoned shrimp and roasted asparagus – a tasty whole30 meal that my husband loves as well! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you liked it! I am intrigued with your idea of adding a little coconut aminos! I think I need to experiment with that.
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I almost didn’t make this but it was so simple! I am glad I did. I added the garlic back in midway through the cauliflower cooking. This was great!!
So glad you liked it, and good idea to make it more garlicky!
I was unable to print the recipe using “print recipe.” I am so disappointed, as I wanted to try it. Any suggestions??
Immediately after the recipe itself is a link that says “click for printer friendly recipe.” Go to that page, then use the print function on your computer to print as you usually do. (Only the very newest recipes have a print recipe button.)
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I love all your recipes! I really like the cauliflower rice and how it makes meals seem more filling and special. I've found the fresh cauliflower rice is soooo easy to make but got a little lazy and bought some fresh, pregrated from a local store. I thought the taste was off. It was not as good as doing it yourself. I've never tried frozen "rice". Maybe it's better??
Marsha, so glad you are enjoying the recipes! I agree that the freshly grated cauliflower tastes better in cauliflower rice than the pre-grated fresh cauliflower. I am guessing that sometimes it sits in the store a few days before someone buys it. I've been pretty happy with the frozen cauliflower rice though, and it's certainly quick and easy!
Hi Helen,
So glad you have enjoyed the recipes! I can relate with that needing to get back on track. That's me every January. Thanks for sharing the tip for scoring some cauliflower rice at TJs. I've been finding it at a few other stores too lately!
Hi Kalyn, I recently read about cauliflower rice on your blog. So I went to my local Trader Joe's to buy some. It was about 5:30 at night. Had no idea where to look and asked an employee where it was located. He showed me the location in the frozen case and of course the space was empty. He was not surprised. He told me they get two cases every evening. The store opens at 8:00 am and he said they are sold out by 11:30 am. If I called the store in the morning they would set aside a couple of packages for me. My employee looked very young and I was very impressed with his knowledge of frozen cauliflower rice and the operation of the store. I have never been disappointed with their customer service. Thought this info might help you score some cauliflower rice at your store. I have been reading your blog for many years and love all the recipes I have tried. Have gotten careless with my eating habits and now am trying to get back on track to eating healthy again. I should mention that I live in Columbus, Oh. Thanks for all the great recipes for all kinds of diets.
Hi Kayln – thank you for everything you do; I have followed you for years and never made anything from your site that wasn't fab! Question for you about the cauliflower rice – do you ever make a whole bunch and freeze it yourself so you don't have to drag out the food processor and get florets everywhere?? I like to prep in bulk whenever possible but wanted to see if you have any tips for freezing for easy future use? Thank you! Here's to a happy and healthy (and low carb) 2017!!
Hi Kathleen; so glad you have been enjoying the recipes! I haven't ever done that but I would love to know how it works, might have to try it! I have used this recipe with the frozen cauliflower rice you can purchase (Trader Joe's and Green Giant are two brands I've had.) It works well, but the cooking time is shorter and I'm thinking it might be just because the cauliflower has been frozen, I don't think it's pre-cooked. Happy New Year to you too!
Great, delicious, I usually add the Cauliflower, shiitake or mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers and onions to the pan. Add a little salt and pepper. stir-frying them until soft ingredients gradually then added the rice to the pan. Let the lemon juice and mix with the rice. Stir to mix ingredients together and permeability spices, for about 2 minutes, add celery and scallions into the rice, stir-frying add 1 more minutes and then turned off and get it into a dish and serve immediately while hot. You can enjoy with soy sauce mixed with a little vinegar and pepper to taste.
Sounds like you have mastered cauliflower rice!
looking super delicious
Thanks, glad you like it!
I've been using the large side of the cheese grater. Takes a little longer but still comes out great. I like the shape of the shreds when i get towards the stalk of the cauliflower, very rice-like.
That works!
This looks great! And perfect timing. Last night I was about to make some to put under some chicken curry (also super easy!) but worried it would be too plain. THIS recipe would be absolutely perfect under indian food! The garlic and green onion compliment it perfectly, I'm sure. Thanks for the great recipe!
to clarify, I was going to make just plain cauliflower rice 🙂
Jess, I have been loving this kicked-up version; hope you enjoy!
I find that using the shredding blade in the Cuisinart and putting chunk of cauliflower in the feed tube gives a much more uniform "rice" and is very easy to do.
Good tip; I will definitely try that! Thanks for sharing.
Would the shredding blade work to make matchstick carrots?
I haven't made them in the food processor; I like the thicker ones you buy. The food processor shreds things well, but the shredded pieces are thin.
I hav never had a food processor except the mini one and my vitamin. If you were just getting one for general uses, would you get a 7 cup or 12 cup? I do love to cook and am upgrading most of the stuff in my kitchen and adding to it.
Nancy I love my 7 Cup Cuisinart, and I can only think of a handful of times when I could have used a bigger one. But if you have plenty of storage space and/or cook a lot for bigger groups I might get the bigger one.
BTW Nancy, you are going to LOVE it. I can't imagine not having one.
I worked for many years and did not cook. Now retired and love it and my newly remodeled kitchen. Not a ton of space so I make everything I buy earn its keep. I will get the 7 cup one as soon as we are back in the country again in June. When one of your recipes hits my email, probably I am going to the store to make it that night. (when home) Pictures and directions are fabulous. A friend of mine makes a lot of bread, healthy kind and she has the dough blade and that is what peaked my interest to begin with!
I think this is the best cauli-rice I've seen yet, Kalyn! Garlic and green onion are two of my favorite ways to make any dish special.
Shirley
Thanks Shirley. I make it over and over!
I always add the garlic for fried rice to make it more nice taste. This cauliflower rice looks so nutritious and delicious! A perfect dinner absolutely! Thanks!
Thanks Tina! Garlic makes everything better, right?
I'm not sure if I got my cauliflower rice recipe from this site or another site, but I make mine sauteed in coconut oil with salt, garlic powder and Bragg's nutritional yeast. My son loves it as it is cooking. He says it smells really great and reminds him of mashed potatoes.
Now I will add the fresh garlic flavor (to the oil) and add the green onions to add a different taste to it.
Thanks!
Maria, that isn't my recipe but I like the sound of it. I have to try nutritional yeast in it!
Maybe cauliflower rice is the recipe that will get me to love cauliflower. I'm willing to try!
Lydia, this is really good. I do hope you try it!
What food processor do you use? I haven't found one that can handle 2C cauliflower that works well.
I have the Cuisinart DLC10 which is a 7 cup food processor, and love it. I've used this same one for about 30 years now! (I am on my second one, but only because I dropped the first one.) I'll add a link in the post for Amazon if you want to see it.
Would you get the 7 cup one over the 12 cup?
See my reply below!