How to Make Cauliflower Rice Without a Food Processor (Three ways)
By Josefina Pagani – September 10, 2023
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I love cauliflower rice! It is really easy to make cauliflower rice if you have a food processor, but what if you don’t have one? You can buy your cauliflower rice at the supermarket nowadays, but the thing is, it’s not that difficult to make it yourself. So let´s see three ways to make cauliflower rice without a food processor.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice Without a Food Processor
I will show you three ways I frequently use to make my cauliflower rice. With each method, you will get slightly different results, which can be used in different types of recipes.
To get things started, wash and dry your cauliflower, then remove all greens. Cut the cauliflower into florets. I usually keep the stems to make some cauliflower soup or mash later. Now that you have the florets, let’s see the three different ways you can grind them.
Method 1: Just use any old fashioned grater.
I have a hand grater that I love and that gets the job done well. With this grater, I get fine Cauliflower rice that I like to use in certain recipes, such as cauliflower rice tabbouleh. But a box grater or cheese grater is also good.
Technique:
- Hold the grater securely over a plate or bowl on a stable surface.
- Rub each cauliflower floret against the holes of the grater, moving in a downward motion.
Method 2: Cauliflower ricer
This gadget is a good one! I like it as the cauliflower rice you get with it is a litthle bit chunkier. There are recipes where I like my rice with a bit of texture.
Technique:
- Take the green lead off the gadget.
- Place the cauliflower florets into the white container of the ricer.
- Put the green lead back on; don’t press too much.
- Turn the green base and the green lead in opposite directions. You will need to use some force here.
Tip 1: You want the florets to be quite small; otherwise, you will need to use a lot of force, which won’t work as well.
Tip 2: Don’t overcrowd the container; around 6 small florets would be okay; this way is easier to turn the handles.
Method 3: Use a blender
In case you are wondering, yes, you can use a blender to make cauliflower rice! So if you don´t have a food processor or any of the stuff mentioned above but you do have a blender, you are good to go. I sometimes use my magic bullet, and it works great.
Technique:
- Place the cauliflower florets into the blender jug until three-quarters full.
- Add enough water to cover the cauliflower florets.
- Blend for 2 to 4 seconds and see how it goes. For me, these 4 seconds are enough, as I work in small batches. At this point, you will see the cauliflower rice floating in the water.
- Pour the cauliflower rice water through a mesh strainer over the sink.
- Tap to remove as much water as possible.
- Place the cauliflower rice in a bowl.
The results on how to make cauliflower rice without a food processor
Method: Hand Grater
Method: Cauliflower Ricer
Method: Blender
Once you have all your cauliflower rice ready, you can either cook it right away or store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. I like to make a big batch on Sundays so I have cauliflower rice for the week ahead.
Can cauliflower rice be frozen?
Yes! You can freeze raw cauliflower rice; it lasts for 2 months in the freezer. This is great because you can make your cauliflower rice ahead of time.
How to freeze it: The best way to freeze it is to portion the cauliflower rice into freezer bags or airtight containers and label them with the date. Place it in the freezer.
Tip: Whenever you want to use your frozen cauliflower rice, just cook it straight from the freezer rather than letting it defrost first. This way, you prevent the rice from going soggy.
Can cauliflower rice be eaten raw?
You can eat cauliflower raw, but keep in mind that there is always some risk of foodborne illness when eating raw vegetables. I prefer to cook my cauliflower rice at least for a few minutes to make sure it is safe to eat. Another disadvantage of eating it raw is that it can cause digestive discomfort. So let’s see how to cook it.
How to cook cauliflower Rice
Equipment:
Hand grater / cauliflower ricer gadget / Blender
Knife
Cutting board
Plate or bowl
saucepan or skillet
Silicon spatula
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic
Lemon (Optional)
Instructions:
Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
Add a small amount of olive oil.
Chop the garlic and add it to the skillet.
Cook for a minute or so.
Add the cauliflower rice and stir.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the cauliflower rice is tender but still has a bite; I like it “al dente”.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the cauliflower rice is cooked, remove it from the heat.
Squeeze some lemon juice over.
Add some more pepper (optional, but I love it) and serve.
How to serve Cauliflower rice
I love cauliflower rice as a replacement of wihte rice in any curry. Try it with my authentic pork vindaloo recipe.
Is it cheaper to make your own cauliflower rice or buy it?
Yes, it is cheaper. Cauliflower rice bags are quite expensive compared to the price of a head of cauliflower. But how much is the difference? Let’s see!
If you buy regular cauliflower (not organic):
Homemade:
- Average weight in one head of cauliflower: 2 Pounds (32 ounces)
- Price for a head of cauliflower (not organic): $2.47
- Cost per ounce: $0,077
Store-bought:
- Best deal: Amazon Fresh
- Net Weight in a pouch of Cauliflower rice (Amazon Fresh): 12 oz
- Price for 12 ounce organic cauliflower rice bag: $1.69
- Cost per ounce: $0,14
Price difference per ounce:
There is a $0,063 price difference, so it is really more expensive. It is 81% more expensive to buy the bag than to make your cauliflower rice if it is not organic.
If you buy organic Cauliflower:
Homemade:
- Average weight in one head of cauliflower: 2 Pounds (32 ounces)
- Price for organic head of cauliflower: $3.86
- Cost per ounce: $0.12
Store bought:
- Best deal: 365 Whole Foods
- Net Weight in a big bag Organic Cauliflower rice (365 Whole Foods): 24 oz
- Price for 24 ounce organic cauliflower rice bag: $4
- Cost per ounce: $0.16
Price difference per ounce:
There is a $0.04 price difference, so it is 33% more expensive to buy a bag of organic cauliflower rice than to make your own organic cauliflower rice.
So, there are a lot of ways you can make your own cauliflower rice at home without a food processor. I hope you find these three alternative methods useful and try them out. Let me know how it goes!
Net carbs in Cauliflower rice
Serving size: 1 cup / Servings Per Recipe: 6
Net Carbs per serving 4 grams
Please note: values are calculated with food package labels and my USDA nutritional values, they may not be 100% accurate.
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Disclaimer: Recipes and articles on this website should not be taken as medical advice. You should talk to your doctor before starting any diet or cutting any food from your diet.
Cauliflower Rice with Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Raw cauliflower rice
- 1 Tsp Olive oil
- salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry the cauliflower.
- Remove the greens.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets.
METHOD 1: HAND GRATER
- Hold the grater over a plate or bowl and rub each cauliflower floret against the holes of the grater.
METHOD 2: CAULIFLOWER RICER
- Take the green lead off the gadget. Place the cauliflower florets into the white container of the ricer.
- Put the green lead back on and turn the green base and the green lead in opposite directions.
METHOD 3: BLENDER
- Place the cauliflower florets into the blender jug until three-quarters full.
- Add enough water to cover the cauliflower florets.
- Blend just for 2 to 4 seconds, or until you get smal granules.
- Pour the cauliflower rice water through a mesh strainer over the sink.
- Tap to remove as much water as possible and place in a bowl.
COOK THE CAULIFLOWER RICE
- Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil to the hot skillet.
- Chop the garlic and add it to the skillet.
- Cook for a minute or so.
- Add the cauliflower rice and stir.
- Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes or unite the cauliflower rice is tender but still has a bite. I like it "al dente".
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the cauliflower rice is cooked, remove it from the heat.
- Squeeze some lemon juice and add some more pepper.
- Enjoy!