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–+ servings
healthy rice-a-roni
5 from 2 votes

Healthy Rice-A-Roni with Seared Brussels Sprouts

My Healthy Rice-A-Roni is reminiscent of the famous San Francisco Treat.  Seared Brussels sprouts & crispy potatoes add flavor & texture.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Resting time5 mins
Total Time1 hr
Servings: 6 people
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the rice:

  • 2 cups rice medley, from Trader Joe's or whatever rice medley you can find
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

For the Brussels sprouts:

  • 16 oz Brussels sprouts, halved
  • ¾ tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil

For the potatoes:

  • 4-6 small potatoes OR 2-3 large potatoes, unpeeled and cubed to ½ inch pieces (I prefer to use Yukon Gold or Red potatoes)

  • ½ tsp sea salt

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

For the leek:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 leek, chopped (or onion if you can't find leeks)
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Everything else:

  • ⅓ cup Parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for serving (Parmesan is optional; omit to keep this meal vegan)

Instructions

Cook the rice

  • Add the rice, vegetable broth, olive oil, salt, and garlic powder to a large pot. Turn the heat on to medium-high, and bring the broth to a boil.
  • Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, and bring the rice to a simmer. Cover the pot, and let the rice simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through, but not mushy.
  • When the rice finishes cooking, turn the heat off, cover the pot, and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Sear the Brussels sprouts

  • While the rice cooks, sear the Brussels sprouts. Add the sprouts to a large skillet, and arrange the sprouts so that the flat side of each sprout is face-down in the pan.
  • Turn the heat on to medium, and sprinkle ¼ tsp salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil over the sprouts. Sear until the sprouts begin to turn bright green on top, and the side that is face-down in the pan starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Now flip each sprout so the round side is face-down in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining ½ tsp salt and 1-2 Tbsp more olive oil over the sprouts, and sear another 3 minutes, until this side of each sprout also starts to brown.
  • Sprouts are done, set aside.

Cook the potatoes and leek

  • You can cook the potatoes and leek in the same skillet you used for the Brussels sprouts. Add the potatoes, ½ tsp salt, and 2 Tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally, to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • After 5 minutes, add the leek, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir to incorporate. Cook for 5 more minutes over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low.
  • Add additional oil, or a few Tbsp of water, if the pan gets dry, and cook for another 5 minutes. The potatoes will be cooked through and crisped on the outside, while the leek will be transparent.

Put it all together and serve!

  • Once each component finishes cooking, add everything to the large pot you cooked the rice in, including the ⅓ cup Parmesan, if using.
  • Mix it all together, and serve. Garnish each serving with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

This meal is vegan if you omit the Parmesan.
This meal is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free rice medley.