Vegan Rice-A-Roni

Vegan Rice-a-Roni is a perfect side dish for any meal and easy to make at home. It's every bit as fluffy, buttery, and delicious as the boxed stuff you enjoyed as a kid, but made dairy-free and vegan! You'll love the nostalgic flavor and how easy it is to prepare, whether cooked on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot.

overhead view of copycat Rice-A-Roni vegan rice in a large serving bowl.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Did you grow up eating Rice-A-Roni? Since my mom was into healthier, unprocessed foods, I actually didn't discover it until I was a teenager.

My high school best friend introduced me to chicken Rice-A-Roni, and holy moly... I was hooked! Every time I went to Jen's house I asked if we could make a pot of Rice-A-Roni. I mean, what hungry teenager doesn't love buttery, salty, fluffy white rice?

This recipe gives you all the same delicious flavors but without dairy or chicken. It's amazing how much it tastes like the original, and I think you'll love it, too!

RELATED: Enjoy vegan rice dishes? Try my Vegan Fried Rice and Brown Rice Pilaf!

labeled photo of the 9 ingredients needed to make vegan rice-a-roni.

Ingredient Notes

For the most authentic flavor, you'll want to stick closely to the recipe as written.

But of course, it's just a rice dish! So if you want to experiment and make it whole grain, gluten-free, or oil-free, I don't blame you. Have fun with it!

Rice - I often have white basmati rice in the pantry, so that's what you see in the photos. Long grain white rice is also perfect.
Pasta - if you can find vermicelli that works well here; I used angel hair pasta, broken into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces. Feel free to substitute whole-grain or gluten-free pasta.
Vegan butter - though many of the recipes I share are oil-free, for true Rice-A-Roni flavor we need a little butter. Just 2 tablespoons adds amazing flavor without making the dish feel heavy.
Vegan "chicken" broth - I used Edward & Son's Not-Chicken Bouillon Cubes; other options are Ocean's Halo broth or Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor.
Update: here's a homemade chicken-flavor broth mix you can make in minutes!
Seasonings - the combination of parsley, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder replicates the ingredients and flavor of chicken-style Rice-A-Roni.
Turmeric - turmeric is an ingredient in original Rice-A-Roni. It gives the rice a lovely golden color but can be omitted.

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See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.

looking inside Instant Pot at toasted vegan rice and vermicelli.

How To Make It

Vegan rice-a-roni can be prepared on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. The process looks like this:

In a large pot over medium heat or using the Instant Pot sauté function, melt the vegan butter. Add the broken pasta pieces and rice, and stir to coat. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes or until the rice is fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
For the stovetop method, bring to a simmer, stir, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes (refer to the cooking instructions for the particular type of rice you're using). Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.
For Instant Pot method, stir the ingredients well. Lock on the lid, and set to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure, and remove the lid.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

close up of a backlit serving bowl full of homemade vegan rice.

Serving Suggestions

Pair this vegan rice dish with my Vegan Turkey Roast or Beyond Meat Meatloaf and Parmesan Roasted Broccoli for a classic (vegan) American dinner.

It's also delicious with homemade Vegan Chicken Nuggets and coleslaw or a side salad.

Turn vegan rice-a-roni into a full meal by tossing in some chickpeas or other cooked bean, baked tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Garnish with green onion and chopped parsley for a healthy and comforting meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is vegan rice-a-roni gluten-free?

It can be! Select your favorite gluten-free spaghetti or angel hair pasta, and make sure the broth you're using is gluten-free. Most brands of vegan butter are gluten-free, but it's always a good idea to check the label.

What if I don't have vegan chicken broth?

The broth is the main source of saltiness and chicken flavor in this recipe, so it is pretty important. But if necessary, vegetable broth can be used. I recommend adding ⅛ teaspoon poultry seasoning and an additional tablespoon of nutritional yeast to make it more savory. Or just use this DIY vegan chicken broth.

Can I make other Rice-a-Roni flavors?

Absolutely! Instead of vegan chicken broth, try it with beef-flavored bouillon or my homemade vegan beef broth powder.

How long does it keep?

Similar to other cooked rice dishes, rice-a-roni is good for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It's also freezer-friendly.

I hope you enjoy this simple, nostalgic vegan rice-a-roni as much as we do!

As always, if you try the recipe I would love to hear from you. Comment below and leave a star rating to let everyone know how it turned out!

Recipe

close up overhead of finished dish in a white serving bowl.

Vegan Rice-A-Roni

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This vegan rice-a-roni copycat recipe is pure nostalgia! With its savory, buttery flavor, fluffy texture, and hint of parsley and aromatics, it's sure to become a favorite. With stovetop and Instant Pot instructions, you'll love this easy vegan rice recipe.

4.9 from 12 votes

Servings: servings

Prep:10

Cook:20

Total Time:30

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 ½ cups white basmati or long grain rice - See Notes.
3 ounces angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup) - Sub whole-grain or gluten-free if desired.
4 cups vegan chicken-flavored broth or 2 ½ cubes vegan chicken-style bouillon dissolved in 4 cups water - See Notes for brand recommendations & a homemade version.
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional
1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ¼ teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

Stovetop instructions:

Place a large pot over medium heat. Melt the butter, and add the broken pasta pieces and rice, and stir to coat. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice is fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Stir the rice, cover the pot, and reduce heat to low. Cook until the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes (refer to the cooking instructions for the particular type of rice you're using). Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork, and serve.

Instant Pot instructions:

Using the sauté function on your Instant Pot, melt the butter. Add the broken pasta pieces and rice, and stir to coat. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the rice is fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir to combine. Cancel the saute function. Lock on the lid, and set to sealing. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure, and remove the lid. Fluff with a fork, and serve.

Notes

Type of Rice to Use

White basmati or long grain rice create the most authentic tasting rice-a-roni copycat dish.

I haven't tested this recipe with brown rice. If you choose to use brown rice, you may need to omit the pasta because their cook times are so different. For brown rice be sure to increase the cook time accordingly - about 45 minutes on the stove or 22 minutes (high pressure) in the Instant Pot.

Vegan Chicken Broth Options

I used 2.5 cubes of Edward & Son's Not-Chicken Bouillon dissolved in 4 cups hot water. Other options are Ocean's Halo No Chicken Broth or Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor.

Or make your own broth with this quick and easy vegan broth recipe. Use 3 tablespoons of the powder to 4 cups of water.

Storage

Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen for extended storage.