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Easy Oven Roasted Cauliflower Rice (keto, low carb)

Oven roasting is a simple hands off way to make low carb cauliflower rice that actually tastes good!

The top layer gets golden brown and crispy, while the layer below is soft, light and fluffy. 

Low carb cauliflower rice on a sheet pan

Stop making bland, mushy, cauliflower rice, and try this easy sheet pan recipe!

Just 7g net carbs per serving!

Be sure to pair this with my Keto Thai Basil Chicken!

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I grew up eating rice, we ate lots of curries and stews which are perfect with a big fluffy pile of rice.

I was easily eating 2 cups of basmati rice per day and it was by far the biggest hurdle in committing to a low carb lifestyle long term. 

Since I started oven roasting my cauli rice I have never looked back because this recipe is so damn delicious I don’t need rice! This rice is better!

If you are looking for a low carb rice substitute then oven roasted cauliflower rice is for you!

Cooked oven roasted cauliflower rice

Why you Will Love This

  • This method of making cauliflower rice actually tastes good
  • Oven roasting adds little crispy bits to the cauli rice which are amazing
  • It’s a hands off sheet pan method, so you can work on the rest of dinner while its cooking
  • A low carb rice substitute perfect for keto diets 
  • Oven roasting removes water from the cauliflower rice which gives it a perfect rice like texture that isn’t bland or mushy. 

What Is Cauliflower Rice?

Cauliflower rice is a low carb rice substitute made from very finely chopped, shredded, or grated cauliflower, into rice sized pieces. 

This riced cauliflower is then cooked until tender and served in place of rice.

This keto friendly rice the the perfect way to cut the carbs and still enjoy your favourite dishes. 

Whats The Best Way To Cook Cauliflower Rice?

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Oven roasting…duh.

There is a common complaint that cauliflower rice smells and tastes bad, kind of like rotten eggs. If you have tried making cauliflower in the past and were not pleased with the results then this is the method for you.  

The oven draws moisture out of the cauliflower which improves the texture and it creates this wonderful little crispy brown bits throughout the fluffy rice.

You can also make this in large batches while freeing up your hands and stove top so you can prepare the low carb curry, korma, or stir fry to enjoy with this crispy low carb rice.

Crispy bit on top of oven roasted cauliflower rice

What You Need To Know

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3 Ways To Rice Cauliflower

USE A FOOD PROCESSOR (RECOMMENDED):

Many food processors come with various grating discs which can be used to make perfect cauliflower rice very quickly. 

Install the larger disc in the food processor and break down the head of cauliflower into florets small enough to fit through the chute on the processor lid. 

Feed the chunks into the processor, and press down with the plunger. The spinning disc chops perfect rice every time. If you are making lots of cauliflower rice regularly like myself, a food processor with a grating disc is a worthwhile purchase.

The regular blade can be used to break down cauliflower as well, just don’t chop it too fine or it will become mush. Pulse it until the cauliflower has broken down into small couscous/rice sized pieces. 

THIS FOOD PROCESSOR IS GREAT FOR MAKING LOW CARB CAULI RICE!

Below are the key details you need to know to make your own cauliflower rice at home. 

Ricing Cauliflower:

The simplest way to get cauliflower rice is to buy it from the store pre-riced.

You can find this with the other frozen vegetables, or if you are lucky, your local grocer will have freshly prepared in house in the deli or salad bar area.

This can get expensive  so if you are eating a lot of cauliflower rice like we do, then its the most economical to make it yourself.

How to rice cauliflower process image

Cauliflower rice without a food processor

CHEESE GRATER

A simple cheese grater, sometimes called a box grater can make quick work of a full head of cauliflower. Break the head into manageable chunks and grate it using the larger holes on a grater.

A KNIFE

If nothing else, you can use a regular knife. Simply dice the cauliflower into very small rice sized pieces with repeated passes of a large knife until the cauliflower is small enough.

It takes longer and gives you a more rustic rice, but before I had a food processor, this is how I made cauliflower rice all the time.

Hand Chopper

There are various styles of hand powered choppers out there that can make cauliflower rice very easily and are usually pretty affordable.

The downside is you will have to rice the cauliflower in smaller batches. 

Here are 2 great hand choppers for making cauliflower rice

If you need raw cauliflower rice as an ingredient in a recipe like jambalaya, then you are good to go from here!

Try these low carb recipes that use cauliflower rice!

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Prepare For Roasting

To prepare the cauliflower for sheet pan roasting.

  1. Lay out riced cauliflower on a foil lined baking sheet. The foil will help prevent sticking. 
  2. Drizzle liberally with oil, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything really well to make sure that all the rice is well coated with the oil and seasonings.

Baking Times and Temperatures

What You Need: Foil lined baking sheet, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Temperature: 400°F [205°C]

Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

You know its done when: The top layer has crispy brown bits and the rice below is tender and fluffy. 

Note: If your cauliflower rice is sharing the oven with the rest of your dinner, everything may take a bit more time. 

Cauliflower releases lots of moisture as steam in the cooking process which can raise the humidity of your oven. Not a big deal from some dishes, but if you are trying to crisp something up like the skin of chicken, it will take longer due to the extra moisture.

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Oven Roasted Cauliflower Rice

Low carb oven roasted cauliflower rice
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 180 kcal
Net Carbs 6.9 g
Oven roasting until crispy and golden brown is the absolute best way to make low carb cauliflower rice taste delicious! Easy to prepare, and hands off this is a perfect keto friendly rice option.
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Equipment

  • Food processor/cheese grater/hand chopper
  • Knife and Cutting Board
  • sheet pan/baking tray
  • Cooking foil

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 large cauliflower riced
  • ¼ cup olive/avocado oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F [190°C].
  • Rice the cauliflower. If starting with a whole cauliflower, clean and breakdown into manageable pieces. Rice, grate, or chop the cauliflower into cauliflower rice using either a food processor, cheese grater, hand chopper, or a knife, as outlined in further details in the post above. (Jump to section) If you are using pre-riced cauliflower skip to the next step.
    1 large cauliflower
  • Season the rice. Lay the cauliflower rice out on a foil lined baking sheet, and drizzle with oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss the rice with your hands to make sure its all well coated with the oil and seasonings.
    ¼ cup olive/avocado oil, salt and pepper
  • Roast the cauliflower rice. Make sure the rice is evenly spread across the baking sheet and bake in a 400°F [190°C] oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top layer has started to turn golden brown and crispy.
  • Stir and serve. Use a spoon to combine the crispy top layer, with the fluffy cauliflower rice beneath. Serve along side your favourite curries, chili, stir fry, or anytime you need a low carb rice substitute.
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Notes

See the full post above for more details on ricing your own cauliflower (jump to section)
Your cooking time may vary depending on the amount of water in your cauliflower. Cook until the top layer is golden brown and starting to crisp. 
If the cauliflower is sharing the oven with other dishes be aware the humidity of the oven will be quite high from the cauliflower and you may need to adjust cooking times. 
Check the frozen vegetable section or the fresh produce deli area of your local grocer for pre-riced cauliflower and other vegetables. 
Store leftovers sealed in the fridge for use within a week.
Reheat in the microwave, or on a baking tray in the oven. 
Serving size will depend on the size of cauliflower you use. Always verify your own nutritional information based on the actual ingredients you are using with a recipe calculator like Cronometer

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 11.8gProtein: 4.6gFat: 14.2gSaturated Fat: 2.2gSodium: 362mgPotassium: 710mgFiber: 4.75gSugar: 4.54gVitamin C: 114mgCalcium: 52.57mgSugar Alcohols: 0.14gNet Carbs: 6.9g
Did you give this a try?Mention @yummyforadam or use #yummyforadam on instagram!
Looking for a different low carb recipe?Something you don't see here or looking for a low carb version of your favourite recipe? Let me know so I can get working on it! Contact me directly or leave a comment!
Keywords: Cauliflower Rice, low carb rice, rice substitute, sheet pan recipe
Crispy on top soft below, oven roasted cauliflower rice

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What To Serve With Cauliflower Rice

Serve this low carb rice substitute with anything you would normally serve regular rice with like curries, kebabs, stir fry, etc.

Here are some of my favourite low carb recipe to pair with cauli rice.

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Keto butter chicken with a side of oven roasted cauliflower rice

Making Cauliflower Rice FAQs

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Does cauliflower rice taste like rice?

It taste like cauliflower! But the taste is faint, it easily takes on the flavours of whatever you serve it with just like regular rice. 

Why does my cauliflower rice taste bad?

Undercooking and under seasoning can both lead to bland bad tasting cauliflower rice. Use plenty of salt, and cook long enough to caramelize the cauliflower. 

How do you make cauliflower rice not soggy?

Make sure you are cooking the cauliflower in a way like oven roasting to draw out extra moisture and cook until it starts to crisp. 

Can I rice frozen cauliflower?

Running frozen cauliflower through a food processor may damage the grating disk or the thin blades, its best to let it thaw at least partially. 

Can you freeze cauliflower rice?

Raw cauliflower rice should not be frozen as it tends to ruin both the taste and texture. 

Where to buy cauliflower rice?

Check the frozen vegetable section of your grocer, some may even have fresh  cauliflower rice in the produce/deli area. 

How to rice cauliflower at home?

Use a food processor, hand chopper, or a cheese grater. Further details in the post above. 

Jump to section

What’s the best way to cook cauliflower rice?

Any method that lets you get it crispy and draws out moisture like baking/oven roasting. 

Golden brown oven roasted cauliflower rice on a sheet pan

Enjoy!

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