Step-by-step recipe that shows you the best way to make rice or couscous out of cauliflower. So easy, delicious, and healthy (yes, it’s Paleo).
Makesabout 6 cups
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I don’t say this very often, but, friends, cauliflower “couscous” or “rice” is mind-blowing. Zero exaggeration. It’s light and fluffy. It takes five minutes to make. It can replace couscous or rice in any dish — hot or cold, vegetable side dish, or otherwise. Talk about a food crush.
Don’t wait a second more: Here’s a step-by-step recipe that shows how you can make cauliflower rice, too.
Can you really substitute cauliflower rice for regular rice?
I admit to a fair amount of skepticism when I first heard about cauliflower rice and couscous from my Paleo and grain-free friends. I am already distrustful of one kind of food disguised as another, and when I thought about cauliflower as a stand-in for either couscous or rice, I just couldn’t make the math work in my head.
No way a crunchy cruciferous veggie like cauliflower could convince me to pass up a scoop of rice with my dinner.
Well, I should get a slap on the wrist for this one. Please don’t wait as long as I did before you try it for yourself.
What is Cauliflower “Couscous”?
Cauliflower “couscous” is surprisingly grain-like. No, it probably wouldn’t win in a side-by-side taste test with either couscous or white rice, but it does a fair job of coming close. It’s light and fluffy, like couscous. It’s also tender and has just the right amount of chew, like rice.
How to Make Cauliflower “Couscous”?
You make this copycat couscous by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor (or grating them on a box grater) until they’ve broken down into tiny granules. Eaten raw, the grains are tender but crunchy with a mild flavor. Raw cauliflower “couscous” can be used like cooked grains in salads like tabbouleh or any of these hearty lunch salads.
Quickly cooked in a little butter or olive oil on the stovetop, the couscous becomes softer and more tender. It can be served just like rice as a side dish for curry, a quick stir-fry, or beans. I’ve also used it in a fried “rice” dish and as a filling for burritos. I haven’t yet tried it in a casserole, but I feel confident the cauliflower ‘couscous’ would hold its own there, too.
Bottom line: Whether you’re trying to sneak more vegetables into your day or are avoiding grains (or heck, even if you just want another idea for the dinner table), cauliflower ‘couscous’ is something you need in your life.
