What’s rice a roni?
Rice-A-Roni is a brand of boxed food products in the USA. It’s a type of quick-cooking rice and pasta mix that typically includes rice, vermicelli pasta, and seasonings. Today’s recipe, broccoli au gratin rice a roni also has both of these delicious ingredients in it. As the name suggests this dish has a combination of two very tasty dishes i.e. ‘broccoli au gratin’ and ‘rice a roni’. Adding carbs i.e. rice and orzo to the combination of broccoli and cheddar cheese makes this easy side dish even more delicious. You can make this homemade rice a roni in just 35 minutes with 9 basic ingredients.
Something similar to Lebanese vermicelli rice but with more ingredients and flavors.
What’s needed to make broccoli au gratin rice a roni?
Here’s all you need to make this cheesy rice.
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
Rice: Use any medium or long-grain white rice. Brown rice is fine too but cook it for a longer time. Orzo: Orzo is a pasta with the shape of rice grain. You can also use vermicelli instead of orzo pasta to make this rice a roni. Broccoli: I have used fresh broccoli but thawed frozen broccoli can be used too. Cheese: I prefer using sharp cheddar cheese but you can use mild cheddar cheese too. Oil: Olive oil or any neutral-flavored oil like canola oil or vegetable oil can be used in this recipe. Butter: Preferably unsalted butter. You can use salted butter too but then add extra salt carefully and only if necessary as cheddar cheese will be salty too.
Other ingredient details and nutritional information are shared in the recipe card.
How to make(step-by-step instructions)?
To make this homemade rice a roni recipe just follow the easy step-by-step instructions given below: Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet or pan. Add orzo and rinsed rice. Saute on medium heat until the orzo turns golden brown. Step 2: Add vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Steps 3 and 4: Mix and cook covered until most of the vegetable broth gets absorbed. Step 5: Add chopped broccoli and mix. Step 6: Cover the pot again and cook covered for another 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Step 7: Add shredded cheddar cheese and butter. Step 8: Gently mix. Your broccoli au gratin rice a roni is ready to be served.
Serving cheddar broccoli rice-a-roni
Serve this cheesy rice hot or warm. Generally, it’s served with salmon. But if you are a vegetarian like me you can serve this cheesy creamy side dish with dishes like garlic bread, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, and garlic mushrooms with it.
Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
Store the leftover rice a roni in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be fine for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in air-tight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. The best way to reheat this dish is by using the microwave. But, you can also reheat covered in a pan on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or milk while reheating.
Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
Instead of orzo, you can also use vermicelli in this recipe. Stir the rice grains gently otherwise, they will break. Use unsalted butter. You can use salted butter too but then add salt carefully as the cheese and butter both are salty. This dish tastes the best with a simple salt and pepper seasoning. However, if you want you can add other seasonings of choice too like garlic powder, dried parsley, etc.
Frequently asked question
More easy orzo recipes
Looking for some more great recipes made with orzo? Don’t miss to check out the following links:
Mushroom orzo with green peas Pesto orzo salad Greek tomato orzo-kritharaki Vegetable orzo soup Orzo salad with feta
More rice recipes from around the world
If you enjoyed this cheesy rice and want to make more rice dishes then the following recipes are worth trying out:
Spanakorizo- Greek spinach rice Mexican bean rice Curried rice with vegetables Jeera rice Pumpkin rice with coconut milk Thai red curry rice with vegetables Edamame rice Pineapple fried rice
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