The leftovers keep well for several days in the fridge, and you can also freeze them and reheat them directly from frozen. I’ve been making this delicious side dish at least once a week over the past ten years. It amazes me how well it works as a substitute for white rice! It’s not just delicious, but also very similar in its mouthfeel and texture to the real thing. Even my kids are happy to eat cauliflower rice - especially when I use it as a bed for saucy main dishes such as butter chicken or pulled chicken.
Ingredients
Recipe Card
Fresh cauliflower: You can use a whole head or buy pre-washed florets. Oil: Either a neutral-tasting avocado oil or flavorful extra-virgin olive oil. Butter is also an option. To season: Kosher salt and black pepper. Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although freshly minced garlic does taste better.
But if you make it as a side dish, and not as a bed for saucy main courses, it doesn’t have to be neutral-tasting. In this case, by all means, go ahead and make it more interesting! For example, you can cook the cauliflower in flavorful olive oil instead of neutral avocado oil. You can also cook it in butter, and when it’s done, take it off the heat and mix in two tablespoons of grated parmesan and a pinch of dried thyme. Another great variation is to make cauliflower fried rice. Place the cauliflower in your food processor and process it into tiny “grains.” Alternatively, you can buy it pre-riced. Saute the cauliflower in oil until it’s tender but not mushy. Add salt, pepper, and garlic, then serve. It also goes well with saucy dishes such as:
Meatballs with tomato sauce Chicken curry Sloppy joes Goulash Moroccan chicken Baked scallops Pork stew Korean ground beef
Sometimes, I use it to make a lovely bowl for lunch. In the photo below, I topped it with an egg, an avocado, and kimchi:
