I absolutely love red rice and I will even be so bold as to say that I actually like it a tiny bit more than brown rice. It's nutty and complex, but not overpowering and pairs wonderfully with a variety of flavor profiles. In this recipe, we're keeping it super simple with a warm and hearty bowl that will allow you to rummage through your fridge and use up some of those aging root veggies hanging out in your crisper.
Why I love this recipe: Fennel is one of my favorite root vegetables, especially when it's roasted, but most recipes tell you to use the bulb but you're left with all these fennel fronds and stalks, like..."Okay, what do I do with these?" This recipe lets you use up all those delicious end bits, and by the end of it, you'll have a new BFF garnish (best fronds forever). If you're vegetarian or vegan, this recipe will absolutely fill you up for a full dinner, or you can serve it with your favorite meat or fish. We had our rice bowl with a few chicken meatballs.
Ingredients
1 cup Himalayan red rice
1 fennel bulb with stalks and fronds
1 small red onion
2 parsnips (or turnips or carrots)
1 beet
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Fresh Parsley (Optional)
Instructions
Prep Your Ingredients: Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare rice according to package instructions. While the rice cooks, begin prepping your vegetables. Peel the parsnips and slice into 1/4 inch slices on an angle. Cut the stalks off the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half and remove the woody core from each half. Thinly slice the bulb halves. Slice the onion. Peel the beet and cut into rounds. Remove the fronds from the stalks and set aside. Thinly slice the stalks into small rounds.
1. On a rimmed pan, combine the fennel, onion, and parsnips. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the vegetables, and add the beet rounds. Roast for an additional 15 minute or until the beets are tender.
Once the rice and vegetables have all finished cooking, combine everything in a large bowl. Simple, right? I wasn't kidding when I said this recipe was insanely easy.
Plate it up: Add a few scoops of the rice mixture to a bowl. Top with sliced fennel stalks and fronds and a few parsley leaves. Eat up!