Microwaving cauliflower rice is the quickest way to steam-cook it. It takes a fraction of the time of cooking cauliflower in the oven and only requires a glass baking dish and plastic wrap. Let me show you how to make it!
Can You Microwave Cauliflower Rice?
You can microwave both homemade cauliflower rice and store-bought bagged cauli rice; in fact, this is a really quick and convenient way for me to cook cauliflower rice when I’m in a rush. It’s easy, safe, and all you need is a baking dish and plastic wrap.
How to Microwave Riced Cauliflower
Whether you use cauliflower rice made at home or a bag from the fresh produce aisle, follow these steps and check the video below:
- Cover and microwave.
Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or the dish’s lid, and microwave for 3 minutes. - Stir.
Remove the dish from the microwave, carefully lift the lid or plastic wrap, and stir the rice with a fork. - Microwave again.
Cover and microwave for an additional minute, then season to your liking.
It’s important to use a microwave-safe baking dish, such as glass or porcelain. You could also use a large mixing bowl made of the same material, whatever fits easiest in the microwave.
Laura’s Tips for Microwaving Cauliflower Rice
Frozen cauliflower rice is a convenient way to keep this veggie on hand! It will only take between 4 and 6 minutes to cook it from frozen in the microwave, and the bonus is that you don’t need to add water to the dish.
Soggy cauliflower rice is a common problem and one that I’m very familiar with from all my recipe testing. The reason? Too much liquid is added to the dish with the cauliflower rice. If it’s soggy after microwaving, lift a corner of the plastic wrap and drain out any excess liquid from the dish before serving.
Any leftover steamed cauliflower rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave, just like regular rice. Smaller portions will take around 2 minutes to heat through, while larger amounts (3-4 cups) will need 4 minutes.
Family Favorite Recipes Using Cauliflower Rice
Some family-favorite recipes to try with cauliflower rice are shrimp fried cauliflower rice, healthy chicken & sausage Jambalaya, salsa chicken burrito bowls, and deconstructed egg rolls.
Quick Microwave Cauliflower Rice
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower rice
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or the baking dish lid and microwave for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave, carefully lift the plastic or lid, and stir with a fork. Cover and microwave for an additional minute.
- Stir the cooked cauliflower rice and season to taste.
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kushi says
Love the tips and tricks on microwave cauliflower rice. Thanks for sharing.
TAYLER ROSS says
I used this recipe to make cauliflower rice last night and it was so easy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lubna says
I was looking for good recipe for making cauliflower rice and landed up here. Thank you for sharing all the details of making perfect cauliflower rice.
Jackie says
Ah – this was so easy!! I’ve been trying to eat fewer carbs, but my kids aren’t the biggest fan of cauliflower rice, so I’ve been avoiding making it just for me bc of the extra cleanup/work. I don’t know why I didn’t think about using the microwave before I found this recipe, and it turned out great, the texture was spot on. Thanks for sharing!
Harriet Young says
Great tips, thank you! The cauliflower rice came out perfectly fluffy