Savory Vegan Fried Rice Dish

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance®)
• 1 green bell pepper, minced (Optional)
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• ½ small tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce, or to taste (Optional)
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Combin the water, rice, oregano, basil, sage, cayenne pepper, Creole seasoning, a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and the lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring it all to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, which should take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 2

While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil and vegan margarine together in a large pan over medium-low heat. Once the mixture is warm and melted, add the cooked rice along with the chopped green bell pepper, carrot, celery, and tomato. Pour in the soy sauce and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Step 3

Stir everything together well and let it cook for about 5 minutes, just until the veggies soften slightly and the flavors meld. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve it up warm.