It is important to remember that unlike grain rice, rice made from cauliflower has no starch. It’s just a non-starchy vegetable. Starch adds thickness to dishes—think of a spoonful of white rice soaking up a bowl of gumbo, or the heaviness it adds to a risotto or cheesy broccoli casserole. Such dishes are not a good match for cauliflower rice.
In addition to thinking about the role the rice plays in a dish, when deciding whether subbing in cauliflower will work, it’s also important to consider the type of cauliflower rice. Have you grated it fresh on a grater or given it a whirl in your food processor? Did you buy a pre-made carton in the produce aisle at Whole Foods? Or did you grab a bag of the frozen version?
The two will have drastically different effects on moisture levels. Frozen cauliflower provides excessive moisture when added to a dish. Fresh homemade cauliflower rice releases less, and the ready-made store-bought version may soak up just a little bit of liquid, depending on how fresh it is and if it’s dried out at all.
