Cauliflower rice is a quick and easy way to replace starchy rice in any dish. This recipe is a light and flavorful way to get more veggies on your plate.
This recipe takes just ten minutes to make and is a great alternative to carbs. This recipe is an easy holiday side dish. It’s vegetarian and vegan-friendly, making it the perfect Easter or Thanksgiving recipe to share.
Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable that allows you to create lots of different recipes. Check out some of my other cauliflower recipes, such as this Spicy Chicken with Cauliflower Rice, Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe, Golden Cauliflower Rice Recipe, Italian Sausage Cauliflower Rice Skillet, Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Rice Recipe, and Cauliflower Rice Recipe too. They’re all super easy to make and packed with veggies, too.
The bright taste of the vegetables topped with pesto and hemp seeds is low-carb and gluten-free. That means it fits great into the paleo or Whole30 eating plans.
How to make cauliflower rice
This rice is an easy and quick replacement for carb-heavy white rice. In recipes like this, we combine it with zucchini and pesto for amazing flavor.
Knowing how to make it is a great skill. You’ll make this frequently!
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters and cut out the inner core. Then you will be able to pull the florets apart with your hands. Only use the core in making rice if it is tender.
- Pulse the florets in a food processor with the blade attachment. Don’t overfill the food processor, or it won’t cut the cauliflower evenly. You can do this in batches if you have a lot of cauliflower. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a box grater instead.
- Cook the rice in a skillet with olive oil. For this dish, I start the onion, zucchini, and seasonings first, then add the cauliflower rice. The rice only takes five to eight minutes to cook, depending on how tender you want it to be.
You can also use this raw. It’s a great topping for salads or other cold dishes.
How long is cauliflower rice good for?
It’s easy to make it in large portions. You can rice several heads of cauliflower at one time and store what you aren’t going to use right away.
Uncooked cauliflower rice should be stored in an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for four days or the freezer for two months.
This is a great meal prep solution. Having several servings of riced cauliflower in the freezer eliminates the need to prep it each time.
Simply set it on the counter for an hour to thaw before you plan to cook it.
Recipe ideas
Once you know how to make this recipe, it is a quick ten-minute side dish. It’s a perfect way to get another serving of vegetables in your diet and a delicious replacement for starchy white rice.
Other ideas for seasoning are:
- Mediterranean with red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and parsley
- Fried rice with broccoli, carrots and peas seasoned with ginger and soy sauce
- Tabbouleh, where you replace the traditional bulgar with cauliflower rice
- Mexican with jalapenos, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro
Want to make regular rice instead? Check out this How to Make Fluffy Rice for tips and notes!
Easy Zucchini Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup red onions chopped
- 2 cups zucchini diced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 5 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
- 1 ½ tablespoon pesto
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- Fresh parsley for garnishing chopped
Instructions
- Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until it’s a rice-like consistency. Set aside.
- Add oil on pot or skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for about 5 minutes. Then add zucchini, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes.
- Add riced cauliflower, pesto and mix everything well. Cook until tender.
- When it’s time to serve, top with hemp seeds and fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Smaller zucchinis are less watery than larger ones.
- To save time, you can buy pre-cut cauliflower florets or riced cauliflower.
- Make sure to dice the zucchini finely so you get even bites of cauliflower and zucchini.
- To store: Store the zucchini cauliflower rice for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- To freeze: Freeze the rice in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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I had this for lunch with some Rotisserie chicken and it was wonderful. It was very easy to make and it was a great meal for lunch and meal prep. I will be making it again soon, for sure. I used 3 – 12oz bags of riced cauliflower for 5 portions. Very low calorie, flavorful, and filling.
Happy you liked it!
Delicious! I made it with some leftover shredded beef BBQ but am going to have it next time with some shrimp! Thank you!
Mm… sounds delicious! Shrimp will be good too!
I notice it says in ingredients a tbsp and a half of pesto but I don’t see in instructions where or when to add.
We just fixed it. Thanks for pointing it out.