Vegan Arroz con Cebolla (French Onion Rice)

Arroz con Cebolla is a recipe that reflects the spectacular variety of Puerto Rican cuisine. This vegan version contains a mix of flavors that will make you savor every bite.

Vegan | Soy-free | Gluten-free

Arroz con Cebolla, or French Onion Rice Pilaf, is a savory dish full of flavor! It’s a side dish that’s fairly simple to make, with only a little bit of work at the beginning but then you let your stove do the rest!

This is a very popular dish in Puerto Rico, and almost everyone who prepares it has a different recipe for it. For years, arroz con cebolla has been prepared with beef broth or storebought “French Onion” canned soup. Needless to say, we ain’t about that life here. 

Perfecting this recipe didn’t come without posing challenges, but I promise you it’ll be all worth it. Let’s talk about it!

Veganizing Arroz con Cebolla 

Arroz con Cebolla is a recipe that reflects the spectacular diversity in Puerto Rican cuisine. It contains a combination of flavors that will make you savor every bite. But, the original recipe is nowhere near vegan-friendly. So we have to get creative! 

First off, the base. This recipe traditionally uses storebought french onion canned soup as a base, which usually contains beef stock, beef tallow, milk (for some reason), a bunch of unnecessary “filler” ingredients, and almost 800mg worth of sodium… YIKES! Of course, there are people who prefer the “from scratch” method, which is always a healthier option depending on the ingredients that you choose to use. 

So for this recipe, we’re making our own base. It’s fairly simple, essentially making french onion soup. Luckily, I already have a homemade vegan french onion soup recipe, and we can use it for this recipe. 

Next, the bacon. Usually, bacon can be replaced by mushrooms, coconut flakes, tofu, or tempeh. But those options don’t really work for this specific recipe; if the bacon gets traded for mushrooms then it becomes a mushroom pilaf, and every other option won’t hold the shape or the flavor well. Taking that into consideration, the best replacement in this vegan Arroz con Cebolla is seitan bacon which you can get at any vegan-friendly store.

Aside from the broth and the bacon, everything else is vegan.

The Dish

Like I mentioned before, Arroz con Cebolla is ideal as a side dish, paired with dishes that resemble chicken or pork (jackfruit or seitan). Although you can give it your personal touch by adding or removing ingredients, this recipe definitely brings on the authenticity with the french onion flavor. 

Expand your palate to new experiences and savor this typical Puerto Rican dish with an explosion of flavors!

Notes:

• For the vegan bacon, my preferred brand is Uptons Naturals for their seitan bacon (not gluten-free) which works best for this recipe.
• To keep this recipe gluten-free and soy-free, check for the ingredients of the vegan bacon that you choose to use. 
• If alcohol-free, know that the pale ale is not absolutely necessary. Just make sure to compensate the amount of pale ale with more veggie stock or water. 
• For cooking rice use a medium-size caldero, dutch oven, or any other non-stick pot.

Recipe: Vegan Arroz con Cebolla (French Onion Rice)

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Vegan Arroz con Cebolla (French Onion Rice)

Rating: 3.5/5

( 2 voted )

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes 1 Hour 10 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

For the bacon: 

• 3oz. vegan bacon, chopped
• ½ tbsp vegan butter
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 tsp maple syrup

For the rice:

• 1-2 tbsps vegan butter
• 2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• 2 cups of medium grain rice, rinced
• 2 cups of  vegetable stock (or 2 ½ cups of water + 2 veggie bouillon cubes)
• ½ cup pale lager
• 2 bay leaves 
• Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. For this recipe, you’ll be using a medium-size caldero, dutch oven, or any other non-stick pot. Heat it over medium heat, add ½ tbsp vegan butter, the chopped vegan bacon, followed by the liquid aminos, liquid smoke, and maple syrup. Cook bacon for about 5 minutes or until crispy.
2. When ready, remove the vegan bacon, and set it aside.
3. To the same caldero, add the onions, the remaining vegan butter, and balsamic glaze. Toss the onions and allow them to cook to medium-low heat until they become very soft and caramelized. About 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. After the onions are done, add minced garlic to the pot and sauté to medium heat.
5. Then proceed to add in the thyme, rice, and cooked vegan bacon. Stir together until well combined.
6. Add the veggie broth, pale ale, and bay leaves. Mix together, raise the heat to high-medium and bring everything to a boil. 
7. Once boiling, cover the rice and reduce heat to a low simmer. Allow it to cook for 20 minutes.
8. When the rice is finished, give it a quick mix and check for doneness. Leave the rice covered for an additional 15 minutes before serving.
9. Serve with your desired sides, and ENJOY!

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