The Best Homemade Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
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This cheesy, creamy broccoli rice casserole needs to be on your table right now. The perfect blend of tender-crisp broccoli, fluffy rice, and melty cheddar cheese makes the taste just irresistible – it’s hard to believe that it’s made from scratch with simple, feel-good ingredients in just 45 minutes. Seriously, there’s no better way to get excited about broccoli!
I’m known for always bringing my well-loved cheesy chicken and asparagus bake at family gatherings, but at our last one, I brought broccoli rice casserole and even the kids had seconds! Everyone was talking about how tasty it is. We’ve got a true winner here, folks.
The roux – cheese sauce – reminds me of mac and cheese. It’s thick and creamy, coating all the ingredients thoroughly. If you’ve ever had mac and cheese with broccoli, it would be pretty close to this recipe.
A pan of hearty broccoli rice casserole is comfort food at its finest. It’s easy enough to make for busy weeknights and delicious enough to serve at birthdays, holiday parties, family reunions, Thanksgiving, and other special events. It is a no-fail side dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy and Delicious: The creamy, cheesy texture and the delicious blend of broccoli, rice, and spices make this dish filling and satisfying. No bland, boring, or dry casseroles allowed!
- Wholesome ingredients: This recipe comes together quickly with affordable, easy-to-find ingredients. No canned soup or soup mixes needed here.
- Kid-approved: The mild flavor and cheesy goodness of this casserole makes it family and kid-friendly. It’s a great way to introduce broccoli to picky eaters because they’re mixed with so many delicious and familiar ingredients.
- Goes with anything
- Holiday-ready: Broccoli rice casserole is the ultimate crowd pleaser – serve it at brunch, potlucks, or family gatherings.
How to Make Broccoli Rice Casserole
Cheesy broccoli rice casserole is one of the easiest casseroles to make. With only 5 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes of cook time, you can enjoy a hearty and satisfying dish with the whole family. If you’ve never made a casserole dish before, this is the perfect first recipe for you to try.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Broccoli
- White rice
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Mustard powder
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Step-By-Step Instructions
So here’s the big picture process – all you need to do is preheat your oven, blanch the broccoli, make the roux, mix in the cheeses, toss, and bake. Pretty simple, right? Just follow the detailed instructions below and you can’t go wrong!
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 2: Boil the broccoli
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and boil the broccoli for two minutes, then immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Cut any large florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Set it aside.
Step 3: Make the roux
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the milk and seasoning. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat while continuing to stir constantly. Cook for 4 minutes, until the roux starts to thicken.
Step 4: Toss
Remove the pot from heat and stir in a portion of cheddar cheese with the Parmesan and cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the broccoli and rice with the cheeses sauce in a large bowl. Then transfer it to the baking dish.
Step 5: Bake
Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot from the oven, directly from the baking dish.
Substitutions
Apart from the broccoli, the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples that you most likely already have. If you don’t, here are substitutions you can try.
- White rice: Substitute white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. You can also use long grain rice.
- Milk: Whole milk is best for creaminess, but you can substitute it with low-fat milk if preferred.
- Cheddar cheese: No sharp cheddar cheese available? Use Swiss, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Gruyere instead.
Variations
Broccoli rice casserole is already super tasty, but a few additions make it even more delicious. Try these yummy broccoli rice casserole variations:
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken And Rice Casserole: This is basically the same recipe but with precooked chicken added in with the broccoli and rice. I like to use cooked and shredded boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- More proteins: Adding protein to this dish means it pretty much covers all the food groups you need in a meal. In addition to cooked shredded chicken, you can also add sliced breakfast sausage, chopped ham, shredded turkey, or cooked ground beef for a heartier casserole.
- More veggies: Not a fan of broccoli? Replace it or add a bag of cooked frozen mixed veggies. Sautéed mushrooms, peppers, or cauliflower are great mix-ins, too.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh broccoli. Use fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen for better texture. If using frozen broccoli, make sure you pat it dry first to remove excess moisture.
- Make that topping crunchy! Top the casserole with Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, crushed cornflakes, or crushed Ritz crackers (or any type of buttery crackers) before baking for a delicious crunch.
- Make a family-sized serving. This recipe in a 9×13-inch baking dish is best for a crowd and/or holiday meal. If you’re making this for a regular family night dinner, you can half the recipe in an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Bake until golden. Keep an eye on the casserole while baking. You want the top to be golden brown and bubbly, which means that it’s done and ready to serve. Avoid overbaking as it can dry out your casserole.
- Use leftovers. Turn leftover broccoli rice casserole into another delicious meal. Turn it into a soup – use chicken broth to thin it out then heat through in a large pot on the stove. You can also use it as filling for some stuffed bell peppers.
How to Store This Recipe
Broccoli rice casserole is best served fresh out of the oven. However, if you made ahead or have leftovers, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight, freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag for up to a month.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, bake the broccoli rice casserole in the oven at 350 F until heated through.
What to Serve with Broccoli Rice Casserole
Pair this cheesy casserole with your favorite protein mains. We love it with any grilled meat and herb-crusted Texas Roadhouse chicken. I highly recommend serving air fryer zucchini fries as an appetizer.
More Easy Side Dishes Recipes To Try
If you make this Broccoli Rice Casserole, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Cheesy Broccoli And Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli cut into small florets
- 3 cups white rice cooked
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and boil the broccoli for two minutes, then immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set it aside.
- Heat butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the milk and seasoning. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat while continuing to stir constantly. Cook for 4 minutes, until the roux starts to thicken.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese with the parmesan and cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the broccoli and rice with the cheeses sauce in a large bowl. Then transfer it to the baking dish.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve hot from the oven, directly from the baking dish.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen for better texture. If using frozen broccoli, make sure you pat it dry first to remove excess moisture.
- Top the casserole with Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes, or crushed buttery crackers before baking for a delicious crunch.
- This recipe in a 9×13-inch baking dish is best for a crowd and/or holiday meal. If you’re making this for a regular family night dinner, you can half the recipe in an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Bake until golden: Keep an eye on the casserole while baking. The top should be golden brown and bubbly. Overbaking can dry out your casserole.
- Turn leftover broccoli rice casserole into another delicious meal. Use it as filling for stuffed bell peppers or thin it out with chicken broth to make soup.
