Substitute for Rice-A-Roni

bdecutler

Hey, everybody! I grew up on a lot of boxed rice and pasta, especially Rice-a-Roni and Pasta Roni. Now that I'm married, my wife and I have mostly started doing more homemade pasta using Barilla, especially their whole wheat and white fiber varieties, which are a bit healthier. We have also swapped Annie's for Kraft Mac and cheese. We tried replacing the Rice-a-Roni with plain rice and adding our own cheese (four cheese and broccoli au gratin are our favorites), but it didn't come out very well. Does anyone have suggestions of other boxed rice mixes that are a bit healthier or copycat recipes with less fat and/or sodium? I'd appreciate the help.

dklibert

You can buy a short pasta that looks like the pasta in rice-a-roni it is called fideo pasta. That way you can use your own rice and a little of the fideo.

I remember a old WW recipe that added chopped broccoli, a small jar of light jalapeno cheez whiz and a can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup to the rice. I think you cooked the broccoli, then add the soup (no water) and cheese, cook until melted then add cooked rice.

This is a good mac and cheese recipe. soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2013/07/creamy-mac-and-cheese.html I have never tried it with rice.

Queenmunchy

http://lifecurrents.dw2.net/homemade-rice-a-roni/

chellekoren

Hmm. I don't know if this is what you mean but pilaf is the noodle that is added to rice a roni along with rice.

However my favorite way to make rice anymore is just white rice cooked in broth or adding boullion, grated garlic, pepper. It is just as good. I have also added different seasonings like cumin. Trick is using broth. Kicks up the flavor.

MamaFunky

Have you ever tried Orzo pasta? Barilla sells it in a small box. Its shaped like a large piece of rice, but its pasta. I have a recipe which is similar to rice-a-roni that has rice and orzo. Its so good! If you check Allrecipes.com you can probably find the basic recipe. I like to use low sodium chicken broth and then add mushrooms, peas, or any other veggie I might have on hand. HTH!