My Healthy Rice-A-Roni is reminiscent of the famous San Francisco Treat. Seared Brussels sprouts & crispy potatoes add flavor & texture.

January 21, 2019 Updated March 6, 2022 Jump to Recipe
My Healthy Rice-A-Roni is reminiscent of the famous San Francisco Treat. Seared Brussels sprouts & crispy potatoes add flavor & texture.
Rice-A-Roni is a memory from my childhood.
We didn’t have it very often. My mom rarely made dinner from a box; I remember nearly every meal being homemade from scratch.
She also spoiled us with what, in some ways, could be called a homemade version of Rice-A-Roni: rice pilaf. I remember my mom’s rice pilaf being full of wonderful textures from the wild rice medlies she’d use.
The dish I’m sharing today isn’t exactly Rice-A-Roni—there’s no pasta in it, and it’s technically not rice pilaf either. It falls somewhere in between. But the taste and textures here are—for me—so reminiscent of both dishes that I’m borrowing the name of everyone’s favorite San Francisco Treat.
My Rice-A-Roni is healthy, filling, and full of flavor. This is largely due to the seared Brussels sprouts. Next to roasting Brussels sprouts, searing is my favorite way to enjoy this underrated veggie. The seared Brussels sprouts in this dish add great texture, and help make this a one-bowl meal. Crispy potatoes and leeks also bring amazing texture and a caramelized flavor to the dish.
I used a rice medley from Trader Joe’s for the photos here, but I’ve made this Healthy Rice-A-Roni with other rice medlies, and it always works.
Just follow the directions for cooking on the package of whatever rice you use. If you’re ok with there being less texture, you could also make this Healthy Rice-A-Roni solely with white rice or brown rice. It’ll be better with some sort of medley, but use what you can find.
Did I mention this Healthy-Rice-A-Roni is vegan? The Parmesan at the end of the recipe is delicious, but optional.
And depending on the rice medley you use, this meal also gluten-free.
Make my Healthy-Rice-A-Roni for a delicious, healthy twist on a nostalgic dish.
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tsp sea salt
This Post Has 6 Comments
Congratulations on your Amazon shop! And thank for this rice recipe. I love rice dishes!
Thanks Jeff! I agree, rice dishes are some of the best!
Oh man, I haven’t thought about Rice-a-Roni in years. We did have that one as kids, but I haven’t made dinner from a box in ages. I love using that Trader Joe’s brown rice to make a healthier version of the classic! I should put this on the list as Robbie does love rice!
Thanks David! Rice-A-Roni is such a childhood memory isn’t it?
Huge fan of both Brussels sprouts and rice here, but I don’t think I’ve ever combined both things together. This looks absolutely hearty, homey (In a very good way), and tasty.
Thanks Ben! It’s definitely a filling meal. 😋