Gluten Free Rice A Roni Recipe

4.94 from 48 votes

Homemade gluten free Rice A Roni recipe from scratch in just 20 minutes. Enjoy it as a gluten free side dish or main course.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free rice pilaf, homemade rice a roni

Servings: servings

1 ½ cups long grain rice (brown or white)
3 ounces gluten free spaghetti (or gluten free vermicelli noodles) broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes can substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch square pieces (optional)
3 ½ cups water or less, depending on the type of rice used

In a medium-size bowl, place the rice and spaghetti or vermicelli and mix to combine. Set the bowl aside or place in a 4-cup glass or plastic container with a lid, then set it aside.
In a small bowl, place the rest of the dry mix ingredients and mix to combine well. Set the bowl aside or place its contents in a small, zip-top bag, squeeze out all the air and seal, then place in the lidded container with the rice and pasta and seal the container for later use.

In a 12-inch skillet with a lid, place the butter and olive oil and melt the butter over medium heat.

Place the chicken in the skillet at this point, and sauté in the butter and oil for about 5 minutes total or until cooked through.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a separate bowl, draining it of all liquid as you remove it from the skillet. Continue with the recipe as written, and add the chicken before serving.

Add the rice and pasta mixture to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the dried pasta and rice begin to smell nutty (about 3 minutes). Add the entire spice mixture, and mix to coat the grains evenly in the spices.
Add the water (3 cups if using white long grain rice, 3 1/2 cups if using brown), and mix to combine. With the skillet still uncovered, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the grains are tender. Allow to sit, covered, for 3 minutes before serving.

Originally published on the blog in 2015. Recipe unchanged. Some photos new and how -t0 video in 2019, other photos and text new in 2021.