Homemade Rice a Roni Recipe

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Do you like the taste of boxed Rice-a-Roni but have been looking for a healthier alternative?  Do you dislike boxed Rice-a-Roni but would still love a delicious and versatile side dish?  Whichever camp you’re in, you’re going to love this homemade Rice a Roni recipe!  Naturally gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian and vegan.

I grew up with a very health-conscious mom who made every effort to keep us healthy.  That included cooking healthy meals from scratch, avoiding processed foods, and only on rare occasions pulling out the boxed stuff.  Among those boxed items that made rare appearances was Rice-a-Roni.  But as rare as those occasions were, I remember that Rice-a-Roni well because for pre-prepared packaged stuff it tastes good!  It’s been ages since I’ve had the boxed stuff because I’ve been making my own variation of homemade Rice-a-Roni for years and not only is it much healthier, it tastes even better!  It’s simple, makes a versatile side dish, and is oh so good!

What is Rice a Roni?

If you’ve never heard of it before you may be scratching your head.  Rice-a-Roni is a brand of boxed food that contains of rice, vermicelli pasta, and seasonings.  It is similar to rice pilaf and is made easy and convenient.  You brown the rice and pasta in butter, add water and the seasonings packet, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.  First introduced in the United States in 1958 and branded as “The San Francisco Treat”, it’s a quick and versatile side dish.

Variations and Substitutions

Feel free to change things up to your taste: for example, you can use pecans or pine nuts instead of walnuts, beef broth for beef rice a roni, vegetable broth for vegetable rice a roni, or different herbs or seasonings of your choice.  You can even add veggies and some diced or ground meat or chicken for a complete meal. For gluten free homemade rice a roni simply substitute GF orzo or spaghetti and for a vegetarian or vegan rice a roni use vegetable broth.

Homemade Rice a Roni Recipe

Let’s get started!

We’re going to use long-grain rice (either white or brown) which is important for the consistency and orzo.  I like the shape and aesthetics orzo but you can also use broken up vermicelli or spaghetti.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet and add the rice, orzo and chopped walnuts.

Saute until roughly half of the rice and orzo is browned.

Add the onion and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add the broth, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer as you would normally cook rice, 15-20 minutes (longer if you’re using brown rice), or until done.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

What to Serve with Homemade Rice a Roni

Rice a Roni is a versatile side dish that pairs with a wide variety of main dishes and sides.  Here are just a few ideas of mains and other sides to pair with it:

• Beef, Pork, Lamb or Seafood Dishes – like my Pot Roast, Tri Tip Roast, Braised Lamb Shanks, Italian Pork Ribs, Osso Buco, or Braciole.
• Chicken Dishes – like my Smothered Chicken, Hasselback Chicken, Coq Au Vin, Chicken Piccata, Slow Cooker Greek Chicken, or for a special occasion my Chicken Wellington.
• Grilled, Roasted or Steamed Vegetables – like my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction, Grilled Eggplant, Green Beans Almondine, Spiralized Beets, Creamed Spinach, or Baked Endives with Ham and Bechamel.
• Salads – like a leafy green salad, Broccoli Salad, Creamy Cucumber Salad, Pea Salad, Four Bean Salad, Greek Grilled Asparagus Salad, Creamy Coleslaw, or a refreshing Waldorf Salad.

Enjoy!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet June 21, 2013