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.
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!
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?
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.
What You Need To Know
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.
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!
Prepare For Roasting
To prepare the cauliflower for sheet pan roasting.
- Lay out riced cauliflower on a foil lined baking sheet. The foil will help prevent sticking.
- 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.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Rice
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.
Notes
Nutrition
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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.
Making Cauliflower Rice FAQs
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.
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.
Enjoy!
