Broccoli Rice Casserole

White rice, soft broccoli, and more melted cheese are the ingredients of this creamy broccoli rice casserole! This recipe also doesn’t call for canned soup! This rice and broccoli casserole makes a fantastic side dish or may be eaten as a full course on its own. Ideal for a supper with loved ones or over the holidays. Additionally, youngsters will enjoy it while eating their greens! Broccoli Rice Casserole

Do you enjoy simple casserole recipes? Then you should make my Sweet Potato Casserole and Green Bean Casserole! Broccoli Rice Casserole Do you enjoy simple casserole recipes? Then you should make my Sweet Potato Casserole and Green Bean Casserole!

Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole

This Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole dish has swiftly become one of my all-time favorite casseroles, so I’m excited to share it with you today! It’s the epitome of comfort cuisine, full of delicate rice, fresh broccoli, and three types of cheese: Parmesan, cream, and strong cheddar. Broccoli Rice Casserole

What’s the best part? Because it contains so many tasty and well-known ingredients, this recipe is a terrific way to convince your kids to eat their green veggies. Serve it as a simple side dish or as a vegetarian main course, and it will look great on your holiday table. It’s a fantastic addition to potlucks as well! You’ll love it either way you eat it! Broccoli Rice Casserole

Broccoli Rice Casserole Ingredients

The fact that this recipe doesn’t call for canned or condensed soup is possibly its best feature! No cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of chicken, or any other kind of cream. Only healthy, dry, and fresh ingredients that let you adjust the dish’s salt content. Broccoli Rice Casserole

• Broccoli: Slice into small pieces. The best broccoli is fresh, but you may also use frozen broccoli that has been thawed and drained.
• Rice: Brown rice can be used instead of cooked long-grain white rice, although cooked white rice works best. The rice is prepared in advance. This is a fantastic way to use up leftover rice!
• Unsalted butter: Additionally, flour creates the roux, the foundation of our cheese sauce. The sauce becomes thicker and more creamy as a result.
• Milk: Use whatever you have on hand; I used whole milk.
• Seasonings: We add mustard powder, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to the cheese sauce to give it flavor.
• Cheese: For added taste, I use a variety of cheeses in my cheesy broccoli rice casserole. Add the extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and grated parmesan.

How To Make Broccoli Rice Casserole

• Blanch the Broccoli: Pour water into a big pot and heat to a boil. After adding the broccoli and cooking it for two minutes, quickly move it to a bowl with cool ice water and set it aside.
• Make a Roux: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter. Stir continuously for one to two minutes after adding the flour.

• Add in the milk and dry spices: over medium heat, bring this mixture to a simmer while stirring continuously. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 4–5 minutes.
• Stir in the Cheese: Remove from the heat and mix in the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. To taste, add salt and pepper to the cheese sauce.

• Combine Ingredients for the Casserole:In a large bowl or the saucepan in which the broccoli was cooked, combine the blanched broccoli, cooked rice, and cheese sauce. Layer in the bottom of the baking dish after tossing to mix.

• Bake: Add the remaining half cup of cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and golden brown. Broccoli Rice Casserole
• Serve Enjoy it right away!

How To Blanch Broccoli

• Blanching your broccoli is the key to keeping it from becoming mushy when cooking, especially if you intend to bake it.
• Blanching is a cooking method where vegetables, particularly green ones like asparagus or broccoli, are flash-boiled for a few minutes and then immersed in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Like browning meat, this makes sure it’s cooked enough to break down the molecular structure of the vegetable’s cell walls without being overdone.
• Blanching is frequently done before freezing vegetables to prevent freezer burn or spoiling, but it also works well in this recipe for Broccoli Rice Casserole because it cooks the broccoli just enough to bite into without melting into the rest of the casserole.

Kelley’s Tips:

Add more vegetables: This would be fantastic with diced mushrooms, peas, or carrots. Another option is to use cauliflower florets instead of broccoli.

Add some crunch: You may garnish the dish with toasted panko or crumbled-up Ritz crackers!

Use your favorite type of cheese:Use whichever sharp cheddar cheese you have on hand, however I love using it in this recipe. Gouda, Colby Swiss, or Monetary Jack cheese would all taste excellent.

To make this low carb Instead of using quinoa or cauliflower, use cooked rice!

Substitute frozen broccoli: I suggest making this simple broccoli rice dish with fresh broccoli. Otherwise, just thaw the broccoli before adding it to the rice and cheese sauce if you want to use frozen broccoli. In order to prevent the casserole from becoming too wet, I also like to drain the broccoli once it has thawed.

Chicken broccoli and rice casserole: Add your preferred protein and turn this into a meal. You may use my quick pot shredded chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Remaining broccoli cheese rice casserole can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container.
• The cooked and cooled casserole can be stored for up to three months in an airtight plastic bag or freezer-safe container. While the oven preheats, let the defrosted food come to room temperature and reheat it overnight in the refrigerator. Follow the baking instructions.
• Reheat this casserole in the oven until it’s bubbling around the edges and heated through, or in the microwave for three to five minutes with some water or chicken broth.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Remaining broccoli cheese rice casserole can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container.
The cooked and cooled casserole can be stored for up to three months in an airtight plastic bag or freezer-safe container. While the oven preheats, let the defrosted food come to room temperature and reheat it overnight in the refrigerator. Follow the baking instructions.
Reheat this casserole in the oven until it’s bubbling around the edges and heated through, or in the microwave for three to five minutes with some water or chicken broth.

Ingredients

• Four cups of broccoli, chopped into small bits
• Three cups of cooked white rice
• One-fourth cup unsalted butter
• Two quarter cups of all-purpose flour 1/4 cup of whole milk
• Half a teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered onion
• A half-tsp of garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Grated Parmesan cheese, half a cup
• Half a cup of sharp cheddar cheese,
• three ounces of melted cream cheese,
• cubed cheddar cheese,
• shredded salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Apply nonstick cooking spray to a 9 x 13 pan.
• Blanch the broccoli: Pour water into a big pot and heat to a boil. After adding the broccoli and cooking it for two minutes, quickly move it to a bowl with cool ice water and set it aside.
• Make a roux: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter. Stir continuously for one to two minutes after adding the flour.
• Add in milk and spices, and then let it simmer over medium heat, stirring all the time. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 4–5 minutes.
• Stir in cheese: Remove from the heat and mix in the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. To taste, add salt and pepper to the cheese sauce.
• Toss everything together: In a large bowl or the saucepan in which the broccoli was cooked, combine the blanched broccoli, cooked rice, and cheese sauce. Layer in the bottom of the baking dish after tossing to mix.
• Bake: Add the remaining half cup of cheddar cheese on top. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Serve: Enjoy right away!