The Fastest Way To Make Cauliflower Rice Without Using A Knife

Whether you're looking to go low-carb or want to get more veggies into your diet, cauliflower rice offers a convenient, cost-effective, and all-around tasty solution. Chock-full of vitamin C, folate, and magnesium, this humble little brassica has a deliciously sharp, peppery flavor when raw that softens to pleasantly tangy nuttiness when cooked. Not only will it infuse your meals with beneficial nutrients, it'll also impart tons of flavor as the base of a burrito bowl or as a replacement for regular rice in cabbage rolls.

Possibly the only downside to cauliflower rice is making it. While some grocery stores sell pre-packaged versions, the added expense isn't usually worth the convenience. However, few people relish the idea of mincing cauliflower into tiny, uniform pieces with a utility knife. Enter one of your kitchen's most versatile appliances — the blender. Aside from whipping up incredible coffee smoothies first thing in the morning, most blenders are more than capable of quickly and easily breaking down cauliflower into little, rice-sized bits.

The trick is to prepare your cauliflower properly to prevent the blender from clogging and avoid liquefying your veg instead of just breaking it down. With a sharp paring knife, slice the florets away from the hard central stalk. Toss the florets into a bowl of cold water and agitate them a little to dislodge any dirt or debris, pat dry, and add it to your blender. Lid the blender and pulse in five second intervals until your veg is sufficiently pulverized.

Making cauliflower rice in your blender is usually pretty simple, but there are several things you can do to make it go even more smoothly. First is to make sure your florets are fairly small. While there's no need to be precise, pieces larger than a quarter could gum up the works and make it hard for your blender to break everything down evenly. If the blade does get stuck on a big piece, unplug your blender before reaching in to dislodge it.

Something else to watch out for is overcrowding your blender. Depending on the size of your cauliflower crown, you'll likely need to rice it in batches, filling your blender no more than one third full with each batch. This helps ensure the blades can easily reach everything, and helps prevent over-blending, which would result in a one-ingredient cauliflower smoothie instead of the expected rice.

When you're ready to use it, the best way to keep cauliflower rice from getting mushy is to sauté it in a large pan, so it has room to crisp up. Cooking it in thick layers will just create steam that'll make it soggy. After it's cooked, you can serve it hot under chili or grilled salmon, chill and mix it into quinoa to toss into kale salads, or season it with lots of garlic and ginger to enjoy alongside homemade orange chicken. Leftovers will stay fresh for a day or two in a refrigerated, airtight container.