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Broccoli Rice Casserole – a quick and easy stovetop version of the classic! Made from scratch with no cream soups, the perfect easy side dish.
Broccoli and Rice Casserole is a classic that has been around for ever! It is traditionally made with condensed soup, baked, and takes about an hour to make. Well, not anymore!
This is a quick and easy stovetop version that is ready in about 20 minutes, with no canned soup! Still creamy, cheesy, and delicious. Now you just get to make it more often.
I call this a casserole because it is a few things that are mixed together and all cooked in one pan. It is not a traditional casserole in the sense that it isn’t put in a casserole dish and baked in the oven. But it has all the elements, it just cooks faster!
There is a little ranch dressing seasoning mixed in to give it just a little extra flavor. Whenever you try to get kids to eat veggies, you always give them ranch to dip it, so it works perfectly here. And I absolutely love that I can make it any night of the week.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Chicken Broth – you can use low sodium if you want to cut down on salt
- Milk – any type of milk will work for this
- Ranch Seasoning Mix – a store bought packet or Homemade Ranch Mix works great
- Long Grain White Rice
- Broccoli Florets – frozen are called for in this recipe, but you could use fresh and just add them later in the cooking process.
- Cheddar Cheese – shredding your own gives the best results
How To Make Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Cook Rice. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and everything, but the cheese to the pan. Stir until everything is well combined and bring it to a boil Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat to low and cover with a lid.
- Simmer. Let cook for 18-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and cooked.
- Add Cheese. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until it is melted. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and put the lid back on to let it melt.
Variations on Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Protein – You can add in cooked chicken to make it a whole meal. It is a great way to use up leftover chicken, turkey or even ham!
- Mix Up The Cheese – the recipe calls for cheddar, but you can use whatever you enjoy. A lot of recipes call for Velvetta to make it super creamy, but you could use Pepper Jack for some spice, Monterey Jack etc.
- Use Minute Rice – You can speed up the cooking time by using minute rice, just reduce the liquid to 2 cups if you do.
- Add More Veggies – You can mix in cauliflower, carrots or whatever other veggies you have to bulk it up even more.
Storage
The leftovers can be store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven until everything is warm.
To Freeze Broccoli Rice Casserole let it cool completely and place in an air tight container. It will last in the fridge for 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This can make a great main dish if you are going trying to go meat free or if you are feeding vegetarians. Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in the recipe.
It makes a great side dish with just about anything! It is ready in about 20 minutes, so it is great for busy weeknights too.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and everything, but the cheese to the pan.4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup milk, 2 Tablespoons dry ranch seasoning, 2 cups long grain white rice, 2 cups frozen broccoli florets
- Stir until everything is well combined and bring it to a boil
- Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat to low and cover with a lid.
- Let cook for 18-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and cooked.
- Take the pan off of the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until it is melted.2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and put the lid back on to let it melt.
- Serve
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This looks and sounds incredibly delicious!! YUM!
This is such a perfect dinner!
Broccoli, rice and a lot of cheese! This is my type of dinner!
My kids love this broccoli rice casserole! It’s the only way my 10 year old will eat broccoli.
1. Can I sub fresh broccoli?
2. If I use frozen, do you thaw first?
Yes you can use fresh, it will just cook faster, so I would add it further in the cooking process. No if you use frozen you do not thaw it first.