How to Make Cilantro Cauliflower Rice with Lime

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Have you ever heard of cauliflower rice? Cauliflower rice is “rice” made of cauliflower except that cauliflower isn’t really rice. Confused yet? Read on to find out how to make this delicious cilantro cauliflower rice.

I’m not sure who decided to start “ricing” cauliflower but, it was a genius idea. Cauliflower rice is a great substitute for rice for those looking to minimize or swap out the popular side while decreasing calories consumption, improving blood sugar and minimizing inflammation. People with diabetes, on grain free diets, looking for healthier alternatives and with other dietary concerns will love how simple this recipe is to make.

About Cauliflower

Cauliflower is in a family of vegetables called Brassicaceae also known as Cruciferae. Cabbages, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli also belong to this family. The claim to fame of cruciferous vegetables is how healthy they are. Specifically, vegetables like cauliflower contain vitamins like vitamin A, C, vitamin K and more.

This makes cauliflower great at lowering inflammation and possess powerful anti-cancer properties.

How to Make Cauliflower Rice

While you can now buy cauliflower rice from just about any freezer section at a grocery store, you should know that it’s incredibly easy to make. Making cauliflower rice at home means that you get to save money and customize the riced cauliflower exactly how you want. If you meal plan or do any type of food prep, you’ll appreciate that cauliflower is easy to store too.

I decided to slide some cilantro in the recipe because cilantro is makes things better. Plus adding to cilantro to any dish adds a really robust flavor. If you’ve ever had Chipotle lime cauliflower rice, you’ll appreciate that you can now make your own version of it at home. Use this cauliflower rice as a base for a cauliflower rice bowl, cauliflower fried rice, stuffed peppers or any other recipe where you would typically use rice.

How to Grate Cauliflower

I’ve tested making cauliflower rice several different ways and have found I get the best texture using a good food processor. The key is to use a shredding disc for the job.

If you don’t have a food processor or are working with more of a minimalistic kitchen, a simple box grater will do. You probably have a box grater in your kitchen right now. Another tip to get the perfect cauliflower rice, is to dry it out by wringing out before cooking. You could use cheesecloth or clean towels in your kitchen to wring out as much water as you can.

You could also try putting the raw cauliflower rice in a bowl, placing it in the refrigerator and covering it with a towel overnight. The towel will absorb any added moisture in the fridge and you can proceed with cooking the cauliflower rice once ready.

Note: Whether you use a food processor or box grater, be sure to remove the green stem before shredding.

Storing Cauliflower Rice

Once you’ve made cauliflower rice, it’s time to store it. You can easily store any cooked cauliflower in a covered container for 3-5 days.

Freezing Cauliflower Rice

The great thing about cauliflower rice is that it can be frozen for storage. Before storing in freezer bags, remove any extra water with cheesecloth or clean kitchen towels. Freeze for up to 3 months.

What to Eat With Cilantro Cauliflower Rice

One of my favorite things about cauliflower rice is how versatile it is. Some of my favorites to pair with cauliflower rice are:

• Lemon Herb Chicken
• Coconut Curry Shrimp
• Pesto Chicken

In this TV segment, I paired the cilantro cauliflower rice with sausage kebabs. You can watch it here.

Jan 8, 2018 Updated 3/22/2021