How to Freeze Cauliflower Rice

Can you freeze riced cauliflower? Yes, you can, and no need to blanch it first! Keep reading for all my tips, from chopping to storing to how to use frozen cauliflower rice.

Cauliflower rice has been popular for quite some time, but it wasn’t until I learned how easy it was to make my own cauliflower rice that I fully embraced it.

I mean, why in the world would I pay $2.50 for a small bag of cauliflower rice – knowing FULL WELL that I’d need 2-3 bags for just one dinner – when I could pay the same price for a full head of cauliflower and make my own?! I mean, I’m saving 66% right off the bat by doing it myself!

Well friends, the deal just got better, because today I’m showing you how to FREEZE cauliflower rice. That way you can stock up when cauliflower is on sale, save a ton of money, AND save yourself time later on by having it ready to go in the freezer!

FREEZING RICED CAULIFLOWER

• This should go without saying, but before you can start freezing riced cauliflower, you need to MAKE cauliflower rice.
• And before you MAKE cauliflower rice, you need to BUY cauliflower. Or grow your own. Your call.

In either case, you don’t need special cauliflower to make and freeze cauliflower rice. You can start with a whole head OR you can start with pre-cut cauliflower florets. Pick whichever is on sale or available in your area.

Tip: Whole heads will be cheaper in most instances, but when they’re priced per pound, weigh each head so you know how much you’re actually going to pay. They’re surprisingly heavy! Then you can better compare the price of the whole head of cauliflower versus the pre cut cauliflower florets.

FROZEN CAULIFLOWER RICE

There are a few ways to go about making cauliflower rice recipes. Before you start though, make sure you wash your cauliflower using the natural produce wash option that works best for you, and fully dry your cauliflower.

Then you can use any of the following tools to make your cauliflower rice:

• Knife and cutting board
• Box grater
• Food processor
• Blender with water

Read more about which method I use to make cauliflower rice here and instructions to make your own.

HOW TO FREEZE CAULIFLOWER RICE

Now that you’ve chopped up your cauliflower, it’s time to freeze cauliflower rice!

STEP 1. MAKE SURE YOUR RICE IS COMPLETELY DRY.

This probably isn’t an issue if you use a knife, box grater, or food processor. If you used the blender method, make sure your cauliflower rice is super dry. Blot with paper towels if necessary to remove excess moisture.

If there is extra water in the cauli rice, it will get soggy as it thaws, and it will have a stronger cauliflower taste and smell once cooked. If you’re like me and you’re not a fan of that, dry the cauliflower out before freezing!

STEP 2. DETERMINE THE PORTIONS OF RICE.

• This might not seem like a big deal, but it is. You want to make sure that when you thaw the cauliflower rice later, you’re thawing enough for dinner and maybe a leftover lunch, but you don’t want to thaw too much, especially if your family isn’t keen on eating leftovers.
• For my family of four, I freeze cauliflower rice 4 cups at a time and usually, there are just enough leftovers for one lunch.
• If you’re not sure how much cauliflower rice to freeze in one package, I recommend allotting ½ cup per person if it’s a side dish, or 1 cup per person if it’s the main element (like Korean Beef Bowls or Slow Cooker Beef Ragu).

STEP 3. PORTION OUT THE CAULIFLOWER RICE.

• Can you freeze riced cauliflower without cooking it first? Yes! That’s good news to this mama because I certainly don’t have the energy to COOK several heads of cauliflower rice once I’ve finally finished chopping it all up!
• Using freezer-safe containers (I use resealable freezer bags), portion your rice for the freezer. Four cups of cauliflower rice just fit into a one-quart bag. Two cups will fit in a sandwich bag.
• If you’re working solo, I highly recommend these baggie holders so you can get the cauliflower rice into the bags without making a huge mess all over the place. They’re inexpensive and TRULY a lifesaver!

STEP 4. GET ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE BAG.

You want to avoid freezer burn, so make sure you get as much air out of the bag as possible.

STEP 5. LABEL THE BAG.

You’ve probably heard me say this a thousand times when I showed you how to freeze tomato paste and how to freeze pizza dough and how to freeze ginger and how to freeze herbs and how to freeze yogurt and how to freeze bread, but make sure you label your storage bags.

In the case of freezing riced cauliflower, you want to write what it is, how much there is, and the date you prepared it.

Do NOT blindly toss a full bag of cauliflower rice in the freezer and think you’ll know what it is later. Because you won’t. Trust me on this one.

STEP 6. FREEZE CAULIFLOWER RICE!

When your bags are full and labeled, toss them in the freezer!

• I like to freeze them flat and stack them on top of each other for the first day. (make sure you have a good seal!)
• That way they can be re-arranged into a “bookshelf” of sorts later on. Storing items like a bookshelf is one of the most efficient ways to use freezer space, plus it makes it easier to find later on!
• I would be a poor teacher if I didn’t tell you that if you’re going to make and freeze cauliflower rice, it’s worth your time to do several heads of cauliflower at one time.
• You’ll make a mess once, clean it up once, and you’ll have tons of frozen cauliflower rice for whenever you need it!
• Frozen cauliflower rice is good in the freezer for 4-6 months.

HOW TO COOK CAULIFLOWER FROZEN RICE RECIPE

You’ll use your cauliflower frozen rice just like you would raw cauliflower rice in any recipe. It might take a minute or two longer to cook, but not much because the rice is so small and will cook quickly! Read here for how to make crispy cauliflower rice in a skillet.

Feel free to play around with the flavor and season it as desired! Try adding some other ingredients:

• salt
• garlic
• pepper
• olive oil

Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)

MAIN DISHES TO SERVE WITH FROZEN CAULIFLOWER RICE

Need some ideas for protein to serve with your low carb cauliflower rice? Try one of these gluten-free recipes:

• Sheet Pan Hawaiian Shrimp
• 30 Minute Cashew Chicken
• 15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables
• Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

Another idea is to make steamed veggies and add them to your cauliflower rice.

CAN YOU FREEZE RICED CAULIFLOWER FAQS

MORE FREEZER-FRIENDLY RECIPES

• One-Hour Freezer Cooking Meal Prep: Breakfast
• One-Hour Freezer Cooking Session: Dinner Recipes
• Homemade Fish Sticks
• 15-Minute Italian Meatballs
• Homemade Breakfast Sausage
• No-Bake Brownie Bites
• Cinnamon Oatmeal Blender Waffles