This Broccoli Rice Casserole is such an easy and delicious side dish. With just 5 minutes of prep time it is perfect for a weeknight meal. Yet the delicious and rich flavor of this broccoli cheese rice casserole makes it the perfect side for ham or top round roast beef recipe at a holiday meal.
Hello and welcome to Wednesday and my weird little corner of the internet! Today I am busily trying to create a few recipes before I run off to the other side of town and sit in a room full of social workers who are listening to someone talk about ethics and trying to earn continuing education credits. There is a responsible woman in her mid 50’s inside of me who won’t let my social work credentials lapse in case the internet implodes on itself. She kind of sucks.
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Anyway! While I’m doing that, I’m going to leave you to munch on this amazing broccoli and rice casserole. Towards the middle of December I got this weird idea that I was going to post a recipe every.single.day until Christmas. I think I made it to the 20th and then I passed out from sheer exhaustion. So this is one of those recipes that got photographed but didn’t get posted. I’m pretty sure I ate a sugar cookie and took a nap instead.
This is another recipe, like the Baked Brussel Sprouts Casserole and the Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies, that I found in my grandmother’s church cookbook. It’s a classic. I’m sure your own grandmother made you cheese broccoli rice casserole at one point or another. I love that it is delicious enough for a holiday meal. The good news for you is this broccoli rice casserole recipe is great for a weeknight too!
How Do You Make Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole?
- Cook an onion in a little butter, then add some frozen broccoli.
- Mix all of your other ingredients in a large bowl.
- Combine the onion and broccoli with the other ingredients, pour them into a casserole dish.
- Top with fried onions and bake!
What are the Ingredients for Broccoli Casserole?
- butter
- onion
- frozen broccoli
- salt and pepper
- cream of chicken soup
- milk
- instant rice
- cheese
- fried onions
Can I Use Something Besides Fried Onions on Top?
Yes! The original recipe called for breadcrumbs. So you can have it with those, or you could skip a topping all together. I personally love fried onions and have been known to hide in my pantry and eat them . . . leaving none left for the best scalloped potatoes.
Do I Have to Use Instant Rice in this Broccoli Rice Casserole?
Yes! I am sure there is a version of this out there that does not use instant rice. If you are going to use this recipe with these amounts of liquids, you really need to stick to instant rice.
Great Recipes to Serve with Broccoli Rice Casserole
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 14 ounces frozen broccoli
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk (I used skim)
- 1 cup instant rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, and cook until no longer frozen, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and onion mixture with the seasoning, cream of chicken soup, milk, rice, and cheese. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the fried onions. Put into the oven uncovered for 30 minutes.
Katherine Ballesteros says
Wow! These recipes look great, seem easy, yet healthy! Cannot wait to try them! Thanks
I hope you love it!
Mary Walton says
This dish is a staple in our house and at family get togethers. However , instead of frozen broccoli we usually use fresh and we steam it. Besides, we also add 1 lb of boiled/cooked cubed chicken. After boiling the chicken until cooked, we then fry the cubes with a dash of lemon pepper seasoning and a dash of garlic powder. It’ s always so tasty .
Sheila Llanas says
Yum! Perfect snowy-day comfort food. Plus a creative use of French’s Onions–I have some leftover from Thanksgiving.
Ooooo, or you just be like me and eat the French’s Onions right from the can ????
Terri says
Would cream of mushroom soup be a good alternative to cream of chicken?
Pat says
yes! I use I can of each when I double the recipe for Thanksgiving.
Debra Walden says
Do you cook the rice first
Nope! But it is important that yours instant rice.
Ashley Stanley says
What if you accidentally used regular rice and didn’t cook it first?
I would imagine that it’s going to be a little tough. There isn’t enough liquid to cook regular rice, unfortunately.
Lynn S says
Hi. Can you make this ahead of time? Like noon and then bake later
Yes, that will be fine!
Marie says
I have leftover cooked brown rice. Can I sub that for the instant rice?
Because it is already cooked, it might end up a little mushy. Which is just a personal preference thing. It would work with the brown rice.