Broccoli Rice

Don't toss that broccoli stalk! Instead, pulse it into broccoli rice to add to burritos, bowls, stir-fries, and more. It's easy, healthy, and delicious!

Broccoli rice

Everyone’s crazy for cauliflower rice, but if you ask me, broccoli rice deserves just as much love. It’s a great way to take an entire head of broccoli – stalk and all – and turn it into something delicious. Lightly sauté it with cilantro and lime to make a grain-free base for a homemade burrito bowl, mix it with brown rice to make a zesty side dish, toss it into a stir fry, or roll it into a wrap. Really, your options are endless.

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that I love to find ways to cook with parts of vegetables that are commonly scrapped. This has been especially true in the last few weeks, as I’ve had to make my produce last longer between trips to the store. If you’re in the same boat, don’t toss the stalk next time you’re cooking broccoli. Instead, try making broccoli rice! It’s easy, tasty, and healthy, and it puts every ounce of broccoli to good use.

Broccoli florets in a food processor

How to Make Broccoli Rice

Broccoli rice is SO easy to make! All you need is a head of broccoli, a knife and/or vegetable peeler, and a food processor. Then, follow these simple steps:

  • First, trim the stalk. Use the knife to cut away any tough, woody parts at the bottom. If the skin is thick, peel it off with the vegetable peeler.
  • Next, chop the broccoli into 1-inch pieces. This step is crucial! If the pieces you add to the food processor are too large, they won’t process evenly. You’ll end up with a mix of big chunks and mushy, over-processed broccoli. For the best results, break or cut the broccoli florets and stem into 1-inch chunks.

How to make broccoli rice

  • Then, pulse! Add the broccoli to a food processor and pulse until it resembles (green) grains of rice. Stop there and use it in any recipe that calls for broccoli or cauliflower rice, or follow the recipe below to make my easy cilantro lime broccoli rice. That’s it!

Broccoli rice in a food processor

Broccoli Rice Recipes

Below, you’ll find my go-to broccoli rice recipe. I sauté it with scallions, garlic, cilantro, and lime to make a fragrant, zesty cilantro lime “rice.” Often, I mix in cooked brown or white rice for extra texture. Then, I serve it as a simple side dish, in the Broccoli Rice Black Bean Burritos on page 149 of Love and Lemons Every Day, or in any recipe that calls for cilantro lime rice. Try stuffing it into a burrito or using it as the base of a DIY burrito bowl topped with pico de gallo, fajita veggies, black beans, and plenty of guac.

You could also use broccoli rice in any recipe that calls for cauliflower rice, like my Turmeric Cauliflower Fried Rice or Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls. In addition, it would be a great substitute for the regular rice in my Mango Ginger Rice Bowl, Buddha Bowl, or any of these rice bowl recipes.

Broccoli rice recipe

More Favorite Cooking Components

If you love this recipe, try cooking these plant-based basics next:

And for more of my favorite rice recipes, check out this post!

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Broccoli Rice

rate this recipe:
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
You can use this broccoli rice recipe two ways. Leave it raw and add it to any recipe that calls for broccoli or cauliflower rice, or make the sautéed cilantro lime "rice" recipe to use in place of regular rice.

Ingredients

  • 1

    small

    broccoli head (about 8 ounces)

for Cilantro-Lime Broccoli Rice:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • 2 scallions, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems, plus 1/2 cup leaves reserved
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin, more to taste
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice, optional

Instructions

  • Remove any tough, woody parts from the broccoli stalk. If the outer skin of the stalk is very tough, you can peel it with a vegetable peeler. Chop the remaining stalk and the florets into 1-inch pieces.
  • Place into a food processor and pulse until the broccoli is broken up into tiny rice-sized pieces. This should yield about 2 cups of “riced” broccoli. Stop there and use your broccoli rice in any recipe that calls for broccoli rice or cauliflower rice.
  • To make Cilantro-Lime Broccoli Rice, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and brush with olive oil. Add the riced broccoli, the scallions, garlic, cilantro stems, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute, until lightly warmed but still bright green. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cumin, lime zest, and a squeeze of lime juice. Stir in the brown rice, if using. Season to taste and serve.

15 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. angel chaudhary
    12.14.2022

    5 stars
    WOW , EASY , YUMMY AND HEALTHY HOW LONG CAN WE KEEP IT ?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      12.16.2022

      It keeps well for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

  2. Susan Nance
    06.17.2022

    Have you tried mixing broccoli rice and cauliflower rice?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.18.2022

      Hi Susan, you could totally do that! It would be great.

  3. Maggie
    06.01.2022

    Sounds yum! I will definitely try this. Another idea for the stems is to chop up and add to fried rice. I have stored stems in the freezer and made broccoli soup with them too. Thank you.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.03.2022

      hat’s a great tip, thank you!

      • Chithra
        05.27.2023

        5 stars
        Hi I am Chithra from Chennai India. I came across your recipe… it looks very simple easy and good… would like to follow more of your recipes… Thank you so much for giving us such excellent recipes

  4. Gabija
    08.30.2021

    5 stars
    great trick for low carb dinners!

  5. Moza
    07.09.2021

    great idea 🙂 will make soon

  6. Miguel
    02.11.2021

    Hi! Great recipe, just wondering how long it would last in the fridge, for example if I wanted to meal prep?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.11.2021

      Hi Miguel, I’d say about 3 days in the fridge. I’m glad you enjoyed!

  7. Laurie L
    06.18.2020

    Hi! Can the “raw” broccoli rice be freezed? How about the Cilantro-Lime Broccoli Rice, can it be frozen for a future date?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.12.2020

      Hi Laurie, it will get watery as it thaws, so I would recommend eating this one fresh.

  8. Jean H
    04.12.2020

    Thanks for calling out broccoli stems. They are wonderful and increasingly hard to find. Many stores are selling crowns only. So I always go where I can find the whole stalk broccoli. I put the riced broccoli in my diced veg mix that I make into breakfast frittatas (1 1/2 c veg to 1 egg, 1 T potato flour, 1 oz grated super firm tofu, cooked in 1 T avocado oil). The veg mix is cauliflower, broccoli, onion/scallions/leek/shallot, dill/parsley, sometimes rutabaga, shishito peppers, or kale) Very forgiving. Season to whim. My go to. Thanks for all those ‘plug and play’ recipes you share with us. They are the best.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.14.2020

      Ooh, your breakfast frittata sounds so good! I’m glad you enjoyed the broccoli rice in the mix!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.