How To Rice Cauliflower With A Grater Vs. A Food Processor

Cauliflower rice has been in its heyday for a while now, and it's exactly what it sounds like — cauliflower that's been chopped into tiny pieces to mimic the look of rice. Doing this at home means you can either grate or food process the cruciferous superhero (that's the cauliflower) into rice.

Cauliflower naturally absorbs a lot of the flavors of the spices, sauces, and other ingredients used in the dish. This makes it a natural substitute or addition to rice. Before we get into it, it's important to note that you can purchase cauliflower already riced. It comes fresh in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, frozen in the freezer for longevity, and even in shelf-stable packs that can be stored like any dry good. However, ricing it fresh is a great way to get full use out of a head of cauliflower. All you need is a food processor or a box grater.

No matter which tool you use, start by removing the green leaves and consider removing the cauliflower's core. If the core is tender enough, it too can be riced, but if it's too tough or fibrous, don't fight against it — just discard and focus on the cauliflower florets.

If you're taking the box grater route, cut the whole head into wedges from the center of the core. Then, grate each wedge on the large hole side of the box cutter. This isn't the neatest route to take, so make sure to do this on a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl to catch rogue cauliflower pieces. A food processor might require slightly more parts, but it also should have a bit less cleanup because all the cauliflower rice will be inside the food processor's bowl. Just cut the cauliflower into florets, assemble the food processor using the grater disc attachment, then insert the cauliflower florets one by one and let the grater do its thing. 

Can't find the grater disc? No problem. It's possible to pulse the cauliflower florets in batches using the food processor blade attachment. Keep going until the cauliflower becomes something that resembles rice. Just be sure to remove any large pieces and re-pulse or repurpose them so you don't end up with a large, tough piece of cauliflower amidst the rest of the tender cauliflower rice.

Now that you have your pile of cauliflower rice, be warned that while it resembles rice, it is not an exact clone. It's likely to be a little more liquidy than rice because it doesn't absorb water, and since it's lower in carbohydrates than rice, it won't fill you up or give you the same kind of energy as traditional rice. That being said, it's still a worthwhile tool to have in your kitchen arsenal to mix with regular rice or enjoy on its own with flavorful sauces and spices.