Frozen Cauliflower Rice (How to Cook It Perfectly Every Time)
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Frozen cauliflower rice has become such a weeknight staple in my kitchen. The problem is, it often turns watery, tastes bland, and ends up steaming in the pan instead of getting that slightly crisp, rice-like texture we actually want. After plenty of trial and error, I finally landed on a simple method that fixes all of that. Once you know how to cook it properly, it quickly becomes one of the most reliable and versatile frozen cauliflower rice recipes to keep on repeat. I love serving it with this Tender Pepper Steak Recipe.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Frozen Cauliflower Rice (How to Cook It Perfectly Every Time)
- 🕦 Ready in: 7 minutes
- 🤝 Serves: 1
- 🍴 Calories: 133kcal
- 🧑🍳 Main ingredients: frozen cauliflower rice, olive oil
- ✨ Summary: Best way to cook frozen cauliflower rice so it’s never soggy or bland. An easy low-carb rice substitute ready in under 10 minutes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
I love rice, but sometimes I want the same texture without the extra carbs – and that’s where cauliflower rice comes in. It’s quick, versatile, and an easy way to add more vegetables to any meal while working as a great low-carb rice substitute.
- Healthy: Cauliflower contains high amounts of vitamins C and K. It is also high in fiber and great for digestive health. Any time you can add an extra vegetable to your plate, you are doing your body a huge favor! Pair it with this Easy Chicken Piccata for protein.
- Different diets: The beauty of cauliflower rice is that it is perfect for just about any diet too, whether you are gluten free, dairy free, meat free, or carb free!
- Easy ingredients: You only need 2 things for this incredibly simple recipe: frozen cauliflower rice and olive oil! And unlike making your own cauliflower rice from scratch, frozen cauliflower rice is already chopped and in rice form. Saving you loads of prep time!
Pair this with one of these protein-rich mains: Creamy Tarragon Chicken, Fryer Steak Bites with Garlic Butter and Shredded Chicken.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Frozen riced cauliflower is full of nutrients. Some good frozen varieties to try are Birdseye, Kroger, Del Monte, or Green Giant if you are in the US. If you are in the UK, good brands are Tesco, Asda, Ocado, Sainsbury, or Iceland.
- Olive oil: We use a large skillet or frying pan over high heat with a bit of olive oil. The olive oil is used to caramelize the cauliflower to give it a nice rich flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
- Spice it up: Frozen cauliflower rice recipes can be simple like mine or you can spice things up with spices of your choosing. If you are making tacos, you may want to throw some Mexican seasonings in your cauliflower rice, like chili powder, cumin, and garlic.
- Try different add-ons: I love adding lime, garlic, and cilantro to mine for a light fresh take on the cauliflower rice flavoring. Something fresh like this would pair perfectly with this TENDER Cast Iron Chicken Breast. Another easy way to add flavor is to just add a store bought sauce that you love.
- Add protein: You can also add a protein like chicken or beef to cauliflower rice to make it a complete meal. Or for vegetarian option, serve with my Gochujang Aubergine.
How to cook frozen cauliflower rice
- Before opening the bag, use a rolling pin (or bottle of wine) to break any frozen clumps of cauliflower rice apart (Image 1).
- To a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and cauliflower rice. Spread across the pan and leave to cook for 4 minutes. You can cook frozen cauliflower rice straight from frozen, so there’s no need to thaw it first for most brands. (Image 2).
3. After this time, the cauliflower rice should have taken on a little bit of colour. Stir and season with salt and continue to cook for around 3 minutes (Image 3).
4. Serve with a crack of black pepper and enjoy with a protein and/or a sauce of choice (Image 4).
Love cauliflower? Try Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Chilli Mayo, Baked Chicken and Cauliflower and Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup.
Tips for the best results
- If you notice that your frozen cauliflower rice is very wet, try wringing it out in a tea towel or if possible, try a different brand that may use less water.
- Cooking frozen cauliflower rice over medium-high to high heat helps excess moisture evaporate quickly, allowing the cauliflower to fry instead of steam and giving it a better rice-like texture.
- If the pan is too full, the frozen riced cauliflower releases steam and becomes soft. Cook in a large skillet or in batches so the frozen cauliflower rice cooks evenly.
- Adding salt too early can pull out extra moisture. For the best way to cook frozen cauliflower rice, season once most of the water has cooked off so the flavors stay concentrated.
- Spice this basic cauliflower rice recipe however you see fit, and consider pairing it with these Easy Devilled Sausages.
The best way to cook frozen cauliflower rice (so it’s not soggy)
Frozen cauliflower rice gets a bad reputation because it often turns soft or watery, but that usually comes down to moisture and cooking method, not the cauliflower itself. The goal is to remove excess water quickly so the cauliflower can actually fry and develop flavour instead of steaming in the pan.
If your cauliflower rice tends to release loads of liquid, you can thaw it first and gently squeeze out excess moisture using a clean tea towel or cheesecloth. This extra step isn’t always necessary, but it can make a big difference depending on the brand you use.
Cooking over high heat is just as important. A hot pan allows the moisture to evaporate quickly and helps the cauliflower lightly caramelise, which improves both texture and flavour. Stirring too often or overcrowding the pan traps steam and you end up with mush.
How to season frozen cauliflower rice
If you’ve ever wondered how to make frozen cauliflower rice taste good, seasoning and high heat make the biggest difference.
How you season frozen cauliflower rice really depends on how you’re planning to serve it. I usually keep it simple with salt and freshly cracked pepper so it pairs easily with whatever main dish I’m making. As it cooks, the cauliflower naturally browns in the pan, creating more depth of flavour without needing many ingredients.
If you want to switch things up, try adding garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, taco seasoning, or even a splash of soy sauce. Small additions go a long way & help transform cauliflower rice into something that actually feels satisfying instead of bland.
Serving suggestions
Riced cauliflower is super versatile and can go with just about any meal that would normally use rice.
Try it with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: Cooked cauliflower rice can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in the microwave for 30 seconds or until heated through. You can also reheat in a frying pan over low heat until hot throughout.
Freezer: If you do not use the entire bag of frozen cauliflower rice, you can refreeze it unless it has been sitting at room temperature for 2 hours or more. You can freeze cooked cauliflower rice for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat in the microwave until hot or in a skillet until hot and no longer frozen.
FAQs
Frozen cauliflower rice is healthy because it is frozen as soon as possible after it is harvested and riced. For that reason, frozen produce often retains more nutrients than fresh produce.
I normally like to just try a piece of the cauliflower rice to see if it is done to my liking. I like it slightly al dente but heated through. I find that when it is cooked too long, the cauliflower rice gets a mushy consistency that does not resemble rice to me.
You can cook frozen cauliflower rice straight from frozen – no thawing required for most brands.
But thaw it if you have used the brand before and noticed that it is very wet. In that case you may want to absorb some of the water with a towel. But if the cauliflower is not watery, then there is no need to thaw it first. It really just depends on the brand you use.
Cauliflower naturally releases sulfur compounds when it cooks, which can create a stronger smell, especially if it’s overcooked. Cooking it quickly over higher heat and avoiding overcooking helps reduce the odor and keeps the flavor mild.
Yes, cooked cauliflower rice works well for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days and reheat quickly in a hot pan or microwave until warmed through. Avoid overcooking when reheating so it doesn’t become soft.
Serve any left over caulflower rice with my Chicken Meal Prep, Creamy Mustard Chicken or Mini Chicken Pot Pies.
If you tried this Frozen Cauliflower Rice recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
How to Cook Frozen Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 bag) cauliflower rice (frozen) (£2.55/4)=(£0.64)
Cupboard Essentials
- ½ tbsp olive oil
Method
- Before opening the bag, use a rolling pin (or bottle of wine) to break any frozen clumps of cauliflower rice apart.
- To a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and cauliflower rice. Spread across the pan and leave to cook for 4 minutes.
- After this time, the cauliflower rice should have taken on a little bit of colour. Stir and season with salt and continue to cook for around 3 minutes.
- Serve with a crack of black pepper and enjoy with a protein and/or a sauce of choice.
Notes
- If your frozen cauliflower rice is very wet, wring it out in a tea towel or try a different brand with less water.
- Customise this basic cauliflower rice recipe with your preferred spices.
Nutrition
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