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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Side Dishes

    Vegan Rice-A-Roni

    Updated May 20, 2021 by Lori · THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS.

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    Homemade Vegan Rice-a-Roni is a perfect side dish for any meal. 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 how easy it is to prepare, too, whether cooked on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.

    overhead view of buttery vegan rice pilaf in a white serving bowl.

    Why We Love This Recipe

    Did you grow up eating Rice-A-Roni? I actually didn't. When I was a child, much to my dismay, my mom was all about healthy, whole foods, so she didn't buy processed products.

    But in high school, my 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 this Easy Vegan Fried Rice!

    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!

    • 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 gets the job done.
    • 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 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 if you don't have any.
    looking inside Instant Pot at toasted rice and pasta.

    How To Make It

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

    1. In a large pot over medium heat or using the Instant Pot sauté function, melt the butter. Add the broken pasta pieces and rice, and stir to coat. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes or until the rice is fragrant.
    2. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
    3. 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 lid.
    4. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
    close up of a backlit serving bowl full of homemade rice a roni.

    Serving Suggestions

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

    Turn vegan rice-a-roni into a full meal by adding cooked beans, baked tofu or tempeh, or shredded seitan. Top with green onion and fresh herbs 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.

    How long does it keep?

    Similar to other cooked rice dishes, this one will stay fresh for up to 5 days when kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It's also freezer-friendly.

    Can I make other Rice-a-Roni flavors?

    Yes! Instead of vegan chicken broth, try this recipe with beef-flavored bouillon or Ocean's Halo No Beef Broth.

    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!

    You might also like these vegan sides:

    • BEST Vegan Mac and Cheese
    • The BEST Vegan Mashed Potatoes
    • Vegan Mushroom Gravy
    • Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese
    close up overhead of finished dish in a white serving bowl.

    Vegan Rice-A-Roni (Chicken Flavor)

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Pure nostalgia, the savory, buttery flavor of Rice-A-Roni is not only easy to make from scratch, it's easy to make vegan! With stovetop and Instant Pot instructions, you'll love this easy rice side dish.
    Servings: 8 servings
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins

    Equipment

    • pasta/soup pot
    • 6-quart instant pot

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 have not tested this dish 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 broth powder 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.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSodium: 295mgFiber: 1g

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Tried the recipe?I love hearing from you! Share your feedback below!

    More Vegan Side Dishes

    • Instant Pot Acorn Squash
    • 30-Minute Pasta Fresca
    • Vegan Pineapple Stuffing
    • Vegan Mushroom Stuffing
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sally

      June 10, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      I've made this twice now and it's delicious! And it's so easy to make! We never had Rice-A-Roni as a kid, but I'm always down for a good rice dish. I didn't have parsley so substituted rosemary and it came out great. Thanks for another great recipe!

      Reply
    2. Deborah Logue

      April 18, 2022 at 7:52 am

      Rice a roni ticks so many memory boxes. Unfortunately, I really do not like nutritional yeast. Is there a substitute please.
      Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Lori

        April 18, 2022 at 9:45 am

        Hi Deborah,
        The nutritional yeast is optional, which means you can simply leave it out. You'll also want to use a store-bought bouillon instead of my homemade chicken-flavor seasoning (since the nutritional yeast is required for that one).
        I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. Jordan

      February 23, 2022 at 8:31 am

      Made this in the instant pot for last night's dinner. The rice-a-roni was delicious and took me back to dinner with my family where rice-a-roni was a rare treat. Great recipe and easy and quick in the instant pot.

      Reply
    4. melody sieglitz

      May 23, 2021 at 1:51 pm

      IM GOING TO TRY YOUR RICE A RONI LOOKS SOO GOOD HOWEVER I DO NOT USE ANY OILS OR BUTTERS. I CANT FIND VEGAN BULLION WITHOUT OILS!! ANY SUGGESTIONS

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 23, 2021 at 2:33 pm

        Thanks, Melody! You're right, it's difficult to find bouillon that doesn't contain oils. I just posted this new recipe for homemade vegan chicken broth powder, so that should help. I've also tested the rice-a-roni using that homemade powder mixed with water, and it was great! 😀

        Reply

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

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