How to make cauliflower rice, a low-carb staple of the keto diet

• Cauliflower is a grain-free, low-carb substitution for rice that's easy to make at home.
• The quickest way to make cauliflower rice is with a food processor, but a box grater works too.
• Cauliflower rice is a versatile foundation for curries, soups, salads, burritos, bowls, and more.
• Visit Insider's Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.

Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower chopped up into rice-sized pieces. It has become a popular substitution for white rice at fast-casual restaurants like Chipotle and a staple ingredient for those on the keto diet. Not only is it grain-free and low-carb, it's also high in fiber and vitamin C.

You can find it pre-made on the shelves of most grocery stores, but it's also really easy to make at home. And there's only one ingredient: cauliflower!

Chef Seizan Dreux Ellis loves using cauliflower rice in his plant-based menu at Café Gratitude because it is such a versatile ingredient. "It's a great neutral base to show off flavors of the other ingredients," he says. Below, he gives his tips for making great cauliflower rice at home.

How to cook cauliflower rice

"You can really do anything with cauliflower rice that you would do with regular rice, and you can also eat it raw," Ellis says. But you definitely don't need to boil it or cook it in a rice cooker like regular rice.

If you don't want to eat it raw, give it a quick saute until golden brown, lightly steam it, or blanch it in hot water to soften it up.

From there, use it to make a rice pilaf, add it to soups or stews, use it as the base for a curry, or make a risotto with it. Anywhere you use rice, you can sub in cauliflower rice.

How long is cauliflower rice good for

Ellis recommends keeping raw cauliflower rice in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. "It will smell like cauliflower, so keep in mind that after a day or two it will give off a cabbage odor in the fridge," he says.

If you choose to freeze cauliflower rice, the water molecules and cell structure will change, resulting in a softer texture once it's thawed even without cooking it. Ellis doesn't recommend freezing cauliflower rice, but it's up to your personal texture preference.

Insider's takeaway

Cauliflower rice is easy to make at home with either a food processor or a box grater. All you need is one ingredient - cauliflower. It's easy to cook cauliflower rice with a quick sauté and you can enjoy it raw too. Raw cauliflower rice lasts for several days in the refrigerator and is a great foundation for a variety of dishes.

A full beginner's guide to the keto diet - and what research says about its health benefits and risksHow to cook rice on the stove or in the microwaveThe best food processorsThe nutritional differences for brown rice vs. white rice - and which is better for your health