I am such a fan of frozen riced cauliflower. It’s inexpensive, ready-to-cook, and versatile. Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, kale, cabbages, etc) contain many, many nutrients, making them totally worth it to incorporate into your menu. When it comes to improving your nutrition and cooking, it is much more important to add foods to your diet than to burden yourself with eliminating foods you love. (Another reason you won’t find me writing about why you should stop eating “xyz foods”– nope, not into that!) I think it’s essential to have easy ingredients on-hand, and I hope you’ll give frozen riced cauliflower a try.
There are a few different varieties of frozen riced cauliflower (or “cauliflower rice” or “cauli-rice”).
Some brands make lemon & garlic, pesto, southwestern, etc. Generally, the more flavor, the better; but I usually go for plain, so I can season it on my own.
Let’s get into the Top 3 Ways to Use Cauliflower Rice!
If you want to make this frozen veggie as a side dish, on its own, you MUST sauté it in a skillet vs. microwaving it in the bag. All frozen veggies release water when cooked, and if you microwave it or boil frozen cauliflower, it will likely end up soggy and unappetizing.
1. The #1 way to cook frozen cauli-rice is to make Cauliflower Risotto.
Heat 1 tsp (or more) olive oil in a skillet, and add an entire bag of frozen riced cauliflower. Stir the veggies frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula, allowing the excess water to evaporate and the cauliflower to slightly brown.
Try it on your own by following this recipe for Cauliflower Rice Risotto:
Cauliflower Rice Risotto
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 lb riced cauliflower, frozen
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup peas, frozen
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 tbsp white wine (optional)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to melt, add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add frozen cauliflower and peas to skillet, stirring for 3-4 minutes until vegetables release water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high.
- Add wine, if using. Saute, stirring frequently, until liquid is evaporated, about 6-8 minutes total.
- Remove from heat, add grated parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately.
#2. Mix it in with cooked grains.
In this method, you can shortcut the cooking by using the microwave because the grains will absorb some excess liquid. Simply cook 1 bag of cauli-rice (microwave according to package instructions), and drain in a fine mesh strainer. Add the strained cauli-rice to a pot of cooked rice, quinoa, or barley.
Recipe: Burrito Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice
#3. Add it to smoothies.
For this last (and my favorite) way to use frozen cauliflower rice, be sure you are using only PLAIN, not garlic cauliflower! Add 1/4-1/2 cup per serving and blend it up with your other smoothie ingredients: fruit, nut butter, almond/other milk, and protein powder. You don’t taste the cauliflower, I promise. And hooray, veggies for breakfast!
Recipe: Cherries and Cream Smoothie
