Can You Make Cauliflower Rice In A Blender?
Cauliflower rice is an excellent alternative to the staple sources of grainy carbohydrate-enriched dishes like Fried Rice or Couscous. It is a dish that you prepare from tiny grated pieces of cauliflower. If you are a grain-free food enthusiast, this should be a favorite on your wish list.
Although you might not find it worthy of being labeled as “palatable” to your tastes, it does stand out from the crowd. Not only that, but you could also use riced cauliflower in different meals like filling in burritos. If you don’t mind grains, fried rice, and cauliflower couscous could be a good meal for a day.
In this article, I will explain how to make perfect cauliflower rice in a blender.
Contents
What is Cauliflower Rice?
As mentioned above, cauliflower rice is a delicious and healthy dish you can prepare from one of the tastiest cruciferous veggies, cauliflower. Since it is the main dish for the meal of the day, you could cook this as a low-calorie replacement for your staple food, such as rice or potato fries.
Unless you are afraid to experiment, this is still a good rice alternative, and trying this out is a must.
I have been doing a lot of research about this particular dish recently ever since I had this unknowingly at a Sunday brunch a few weeks ago. It turns out the meal actually lived up to my expectations and did not just appeal to my palate as a first impression.
Cauliflower can be shredded in different ways. The most convenient way you could do it is to shred the cauliflower in your food processor or blender, preferably a powerful desktop model like VitaMix 5300 Blender.
The process is fairly straightforward. Take cauliflower and cut off the leaves and stem. Next, cut the cauliflower in quarters. Then, cut out the cores in the quarters individually. Next, put the cores in the blender and keep blending till the veggie turns into grains. Finally, put your blended cauliflower grains in a rice cooker or on the pan and cook with salt and seasonings of your choice.
Can You Make Cauliflower Rice In a Blender?
Yes, you can make cauliflower rice in a blender. While some say that a food processor offers more control over your riced cauliflower, I believe a blender works better.
Please keep reading to learn how to make cauliflower rice in a blender.
How To Make Cauliflower Rice In A Blender?
- Put the cauliflower on your chopping board and lay it on the board on its side in such a way that the stem is visible.
- Cut off the stem and the leaves carefully from the bottom.
- Cut cauliflower head into four quarters of more or less the same size.
- Next, separate each of the cores of the quarters with your hands.
- Chop the inseparable ones with a knife.
- Add the cauliflower to the blender and put the lid on.
- Blend as long as you get your desired texture.
Then you transfer the raw cauliflower rice into the container and repeat the process with the next batch.
The last step might vary from person to person based on the texture of the blend they like. More than often, there are variations even in blending.
Some prefer putting the cauliflower in the blender without adding any water in the usual way. In contrast, others just need a finer blend. This is when you need to add a bit of water to the cauliflower cores after putting them inside the blender.
There are even two ways of blending. You could pulse twice or thrice till you get the desired blend, and the other times, you could blend at a low to medium speed for up to a few seconds for a finer consistent cut.
Alternative Methods of Shredding Cauliflower
There are a few other ways of shredding cauliflower into cauliflower rice.
You could grate the cauliflower with a food processor, or a box grater and simply go all-in with your knife and hands.
You can use the box grater to grate your cauliflower finely. Simply cut out the stem and leaves as before, cut the cauliflower into quarters, and eventually into larger chunks. Then just choose the medium-sized holes for grating and grate away.
Next up is the food processor. The process is to cut them into smaller chunks and then use the grater attachment to grate them into fine grains of rice.
If you are looking for a more versatile solution for making cauliflower rice, a blender and food processor combo can be a great option. This type of appliance allows you to switch between blending and food processing functions, making it a convenient and space-saving option for the kitchen. With a blender and food processor combo, you can easily create cauliflower rice, as well as other dishes like smoothies, soups, and dips.
In the end, the simplest way is to chop away into small pieces with your chef’s knife. It is lengthy but a process that requires the minimum usage of tools. Simply cut the cauliflower florets from the stem. Next, keep mincing them into smaller pieces as long as the pieces don’t resemble the size of a grain of rice.
How To Cook Cauliflower Rice?
One way is to eat the minced vegetable without any cooking since it becomes very palatable. It tastes terrific in a salad but does not actually come very near to a substitute for rice if that is how you want to have it.
Another way is to steam it after putting it on a cheesecloth or a steamer. Although the process is pretty hectic as the grains get stuck, the texture you get might just be worth it.
Cooking the cauliflower rice with water before or after steaming like plain rice makes the product mushy or soggy. This is not something I liked, as it turned out to be disastrous for me.
Microwaving is one of my preferred ways of cooking this dish. Just stir with a tablespoon of oil for a while. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap with a minimal amount of water inside and then put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Usually, I see that the texture stays intact. The fine grains are softer but not too sticky or mushy.
You could merely sauté the veggie by heating up a pan with olive oil and cooking it lightly over the stove. This one turned out to have a creamier texture than the microwaved one.
The best is yet to come. You can simply turn up the heat and roast the cauliflowers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. This one had a sweeter caramelized texture. This process results in the best taste and can also be served as a side dish.
If you have made too much cauliflower rice, you can freeze it and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Do you have your favorite cauliflower rice recipe? Please share it in the comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of cauliflower works best?
While any type of cauliflower can be used to make cauliflower rice, it is generally recommended to use white cauliflower for the best texture and flavor. White cauliflower is the most commonly available variety and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that works well in many dishes. Sometimes I use other types of cauliflower, such as purple or orange cauliflower, to make cauliflower rice, but they may have a slightly different texture and flavor.
Which blender works best for cauliflower rice?
I suggest using a high-speed blender with a powerful motor and sharp blades would be the best choice. Look for blenders that have at least 1000 watts of power and multiple sharp blades to ensure that the cauliflower is evenly chopped and processed. Additionally, it is important to only pulse the blender in short bursts to avoid over-processing and turning the cauliflower into a puree.
If you want to learn what is the best blender for cauliflower rice, please comment below and I will do the testing and write a detailed review.
Is cauliflower rice a paleo-friendly meal?
Yes, cauliflower rice is considered a paleo-friendly meal. The paleo diet emphasizes eating whole, nutrient-dense foods while avoiding processed and refined foods. Cauliflower rice is a great option for those following a paleo diet because it is made from a whole, unprocessed vegetable and is low in carbohydrates, making it a great alternative to traditional rice. Additionally, cauliflower is a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, providing a range of health benefits that align with the principles of the paleo diet.
Is cauliflower rice a keto-friendly meal?
Yes, cauliflower rice is considered a keto-friendly meal. It is a low-carb and low-calorie alternative to traditional rice, making it an ideal option for those following a ketogenic diet. One cup of cauliflower rice contains only around 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates, making it a great choice for those who are looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake. Additionally, cauliflower is a nutrient-dense vegetable, providing essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium, making it a healthy addition to any diet.
Conclusion
Making cauliflower rice in a blender is a quick and super easy to make alternative to using a food processor. While a food processor is the recommended appliance for creating the rice-like texture needed for cauliflower rice, a high-speed blender like Vitamix 5300 is my preferred way with the right technique.
To ensure the best results, it is important to use a blender with a powerful motor and sharp blades and to only pulse the blender in short bursts to avoid over-processing.
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