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Make Roasted Cauliflower Rice with Parmesan cheese and garlic with a package of cauli-rice from the FROZEN food aisle or with a freshly prepared batch. Either way, it's an easy side dish everyone will love!
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The first (and second) time I made this recipe, I sat down and devoured the entire bowl. Who does that...unless it's absolutely delicious...and low-carb and gluten-free?!
I rave about all my cauliflower recipes because they're like children and I truly enjoy them all. From cauliflower muffins to cauliflower grits, this vegetable is a staple at our house.
But, roasted cauliflower rice that has been tossed with olive oil and garlic and toasted in the oven until it's a little browned is hands down my favorite child...I mean recipe.
The texture is light, fluffy with a bit of nuttiness all at the same time! Each bite melts in your mouth. We use the same process to make Roasted Broccoli Rice and get the exact same result!
Top it with powdery Parmesan cheese to create a side that will complement everything from Gourmet Meatloaf Muffins to Lemon Pepper Tilapia. No matter what the diet, you'll pick this healthy side dish over rice every single time.
That's just how delicious it is.
Recipe Ingredients
Gather the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- Cauliflower rice - make it from scratch. Or, take the easy route and buy a fully prepared bag from the freezer section of the grocery store.
- Olive Oil
- Garlic cloves - use a garlic press or knife to finely chop it.
- Parmesan cheese - use the option that works for your diet, such as a vegan or vegetarian alternative. My daughter makes up this Vegan Parmesan Cheese by Vegan in the Freezer.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Rice
Four cups of riced cauliflower will serve 4 people. You'll end up with about 3 cups cooked. As mentioned previously, that can go pretty quickly (ahem!!!) To double the recipe, use 2 sheet pans so the rice is not crowded which is rule number 1 of perfectly roasting vegetables!
How to make fresh cauli-rice
Wash and thoroughly dry a head of cauliflower. Cut the florets from the stalk. Add them to a food processor and pulse several times or until the cauliflower resembles rice. A box grater can be used instead of a food processor too. There are few more process pictures in the recipe for Curried Cauliflower Rice plus another plug for making extra bags to freeze.
How to prepare frozen cauliflower rice
We LOVE the convenience of using frozen cauliflower rice to make this recipe and it doesn't take away from the taste at all!
Whether using a bag of rice you've prepared yourself or using a bag from the store, the only thing you need to do is break up any clumps. I've been able to easily do this with my hands, breaking it up with a fork or hitting the closed bag on the counter.
Do NOT defrost the cauliflower rice first. However, if you are unable to break apart a large clump, then zap it in the microwave for a few seconds.
How to Roast Cauliflower Rice
Roasting cauliflower rice works much like the process used for roasting any type of vegetable. Spray a large sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray. This helps with browning as well as sticking.
Mound the cauliflower rice in the center of the sheet pan. Top with pressed garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands or a spoon to coat the rice with oil. When you're done, spread it in an even layer in the pan. (I do it on the pan to avoid an extra mixing bowl!)
Roast the cauliflower rice in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes and then turn the rice using a spatula or large spoon. Spread it out on the pan again. It won't be brown at this point. Don't worry!
Continue roasting for 10-15 more minutes. Frozen cauliflower rice will likely take the full 15 minutes. Take a peek to make sure it's browned to your liking.
It won't be brown all over. Instead, there will be some browned pieces and some that are just a little brown. Scrape all of those delicious brown bits into the bowl with the roasted cauliflower rice.
Finish it off with Parmesan cheese and enjoy. We added a little dried parsley for the picture.
Video: Roasted Cauliflower Rice with Garlic and Parmesan
We made this batch using a bag of frozen cauli-rice from the grocery store! No fuss-no muss!
Please rate this recipe and tag @DinnerMom or #DinnerMom on social media. We love to see what you are cooking up!
📋 Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower Rice from Frozen
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Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower rice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves pressed or minced
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- If using frozen cauliflower, break up any frozen clumps, but do NOT defrost.
- Mound cauliflower rice in the center of a sheet pan coated with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle garlic and drizzle olive oil over the top of the cauliflower rice and toss to combine. (I use my hands!)
- Spread cauliflower rice into an even layer on the sheet pan.
- Roast cauliflower rice in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning the rice half-way through with a spatula or large spoon. If cooking from frozen, it will take about 25 minutes.
- Remove cauliflower rice from oven to serving bowl, scraping up all the browned bits on the pan.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Frozen Cauliflower Rice Recipes that start with a bag from the Freezer Section of the grocery store.
Tiffany says
Thank you SO much for this! I'm trying to eat more veggies and less refined carbohydrates, so switching to cauliflower rice has been part of that change. However, I'd find myself snacking on cheese and avocados all day just staring at the bags of cauliflower rice in my freezer because they were so mushy and sad tasting. THIS METHOD CHANGES EVERYTHING! Omg the crisp texture of the rice, cooked in olive oil, somehow negates the watery cauliflower taste completely and it actually felt like eating a nice crisped rice! I tried this out using the Green Giant frozen cauliflower blend that has mushrooms & asparagus in it (and just used garlic powder instead of fresh garlic) and ate it with some canned salmon and it was amazing. Thank you, thank you!!!! This is how I am doing cauliflower rice from now on!
Marjory Pilley says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. The mix you used sounds fantastic! I have lots of recipes using frozen cauliflower rice so you may want to check those out. (Muffins, waffles, mash to name a few.) Enjoy!
Jessica says
This recipe is wonderful, and makes a great template that is easy to adapt to any style of meal. I've made this multiple times! Sometime I add lightly sautéed onion, stirred in for the last 5-7 minutes, and then right when I take it out of the oven, a handful of frozen peas and maybe some grated carrot. So pretty! Tex-Mex? Hold the parm, add a sprinkle of chili powder and a can of black beans at the end.
Thanks for a great post!
Marjory Pilley says
Thank you so much for sharing ways you have used the base recipe. I love these ideas!
Connie says
I am so tired of ending up with soggy riced cauliflower, and I got the idea to maybe try roasting. I googled just to see if it's been tried and found your recipe. It's perfect! I tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and curry powder, followed your baking directions and WOW! It really turned out fantastic! It was firm but still moist - but not soggy. You'd never know it wasn't rice. Thank you for this recipe!
Marjory Pilley says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Jennifer Warthan says
Really good