30 Minute, Main, Recipes

Vegan Skillet Cheesy Rice

This stove-top skillet meal is quick, easy and packed with delicious flavours. Vegan Skillet Cheesy Rice is the weeknight meal you need. 

Some of our favourite recipes to share are childhood recipes that we’re able to recreate in a vegan way. Today’s recipe is one of Kat’s childhood favourites – Vegan Skillet Cheesy Rice with TVP (what Kat just called Chicken and Rice growing up).

The original recipe is a combination of rice, chicken, cheese and other ingredients. With some simple swaps this recipe still tastes like childhood just with a vegan twist.  The most difficult swap in this recipe was chicken. After a couple tests we landed on TVP chunks as the most ideal substitute and can confirm that Kat’s parents enjoyed it and approved.

cheesy chicken and rice casserole

What are TVP chunks? 

TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. It’s a meat substitute made from soybeans, manufactured by separating the soy protein in whole soybeans. It typically needs to be re-hydrated for use in recipes.  The texture and ability to take on flavour make them the perfect choice for this recipe.

When re-hydrating these, we simply pack in all the flavours we want them to take on. In this case it was was a vegan chicken seasoning.

Skillet Cheesy Chick'n and Rice

Top tips for making Vegan Skillet Cheesy Rice with TVP:

  • Add flavour to your TVP chunks. TVP make a great meat substitute, but they definitely need some added flavour. Be sure not to skip that step in the recipe.
  • Be patient and let it do it’s thing. This recipe is fairly hands-off (which we love) so try not to fiddle with it too much or you could get a different result.
  • Cover with a lid to melt the cheese properly. You need some steam to to allow the cheese to melt. Remeber you’ll have to be patient here because vegan cheese tends to melt slower than non-vegan would.
  • Reheat in the microwave with a little shot glass of water. The glass of water allows it to steam a little bit and avoids a dry lunch.

Skillet Cheesy Chick'n and Rice

What makes this recipe so good?

Now that it’s been veganized, this will without a doubt be one of Kat’s go-to dinners. Why?

  • One skillet, not problem. Dinner comes together in just on pan or skillet making clean up a breeze.
  • A balanced meal that everyone will love! This dinner includes everything you need in a single skillet; protein, grains, fresh veggies and cheese of course!
  • The leftovers are just as good as the freshly made meal. One of the reasons Kat loves this meal so much is that the leftovers taste just as great as the freshly made so it makes great lunch meal prep.
  • Simple, inexpensive ingredients. Because this meals includes readily available, and mostly inexpensive ingredients it makes a great weeknight dinner.

Vegan Skillet Cheesy Chick'n and Rice

This stove-top skillet meal is quick, easy and packed with delicious flavours. Vegan Skillet Cheesy Rice is the weeknight meal you need. 
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Course: Main Course
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 400 g (2 cups) long grain rice, uncooked
  • 90 g (1½ cups) tvp chunks
  • 40 g (3 tbsp) vegan mayo
  • 18 g (1 tbsp) vegetable bouillon paste
  • 8 g (1 tbsp) chili powder
  • 6 g (2 tsp) garlic powder
  • 3 g (1 tsp) onion powder
  • 3 g (1 tsp) cumin
  • 3 g (1 tsp) smoked paprika
  • 4 g (1 tsp) vegan chicken-less seasoning*
  • 1200 mL (5 cups) water
  • 150 g (1¼ cup) vegan cheddar, shredded
  • 100 g (¾ cup) black olives, sliced
  • 200 g (1-2) vine tomatoes, diced

Instructions

  • Using a kettle, bring water to a boil.
  • To a deep pan add long grain rice, tvp chunks, vegetable bouillion paste, vegan mayo, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and vegan chicken-less seasoning. When the kettle is boiled, add 5 cups of boiling water to the pan and stir until everything is combined.
  • Turn on heat to medium and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then remove lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water is almost all absorbed.
  • When the rice looks thick, but a little soup-y still, top with cheddar shreds, diced tomatoes and black olives - cover with lid until cheese is melted the the water is full absorbed by the rice.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

*or sage

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