This cheesy broccoli rice casserole is made from fresh broccoli, three types of cheese and filling white rice. It can be served as a meatless meal, or alongside chicken, beef or pork.
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Do you have a hard time getting your kids to eat their vegetables? They will devour their broccoli when it’s served this way. With three different kinds of cheese and deliciously seasoned white rice, this casserole is incredibly easy to make. And the best thing is, you can have this recipe on the table in far less than an hour with only a few minutes of hands-on prep.
There is no meat in this recipe, helping to cut down on costs, making it the perfect recipe for meatless meal nights.
First, the broccoli is steamed, and then all the ingredients are mixed together and baked for an easy no-fuss dinner idea. We love easy recipes like this one!
Recipe Ingredients
- 32 oz broccoli florets
- 8 oz cream cheese – softened to room temperature, cut in cubes
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese – halved
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese – halved
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups Minute Rice – long grain white rice (uncooked).
How to Make Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
STEP TWO: Steam the 32 oz of broccoli florets with ½ cup of water in a pot until crisp tender. Drain and set aside.
STEP THREE: In a large bowl, mix together the softened 8 oz cubed cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup cheddar cheese, 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
STEP FOUR: Now add in cooked broccoli and 2 cups uncooked rice and stir everything together.
STEP FIVE: Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Press all ingredients down firmly using a spatula so that all rice is covered with the liquid. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese (1/2 cup cheddar, 2 Tbsp parmesan).
STEP SIX: Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and sauce is bubbling. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool, then scoop and serve while warm.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the broccoli into equal, bite-sized pieces so it all cooks evenly and is easier to eat. And, when possible, use fresh broccoli! Frozen vegetables can have too much moisture and be a bit soggy. However, they will still work!
- Use a quick cooking long grain white rice for this recipe like Minute Rice.
- Make sure to press all ingredients down into the liquid. As it bakes, the rice will absorb all the liquid and make it light and fluffy. Any rice that sits above the liquid while baking will not cook properly and will remain hard.
- Chop the cream cheese into small pieces and spread the sauce mixture evenly around the casserole dish. The chunks of cream cheese will melt but don’t blend evenly (this is how the recipe works). It tastes great!
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate – You can keep this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze – This is a great freezer meal idea! Put it all together, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or tin foil, and stick it in the freezer for later. You can also freeze baked leftovers the same way. It will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat – If reheating from frozen, make sure to thaw it completely first. Warm portions in the microwave for about 1 minute, or the entire casserole in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350˚F. Stir if any separation occurs.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) – Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Casserole Dish – This white ceramic 9×13 baking dish is perfect for all my casserole and lasagna recipes. It’s very similar to the one I used in the photos.
- Mixing Bowls – This set of 3 mixing bowls makes it easy to mix ingredients. They stack nicely with each other and are easy to clean.
- Magnetic Measuring Spoons – I love these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized together when storing them
- Cheese Grater – I never buy pre-shredded cheese and always grate it myself instead because it will melt way better! This professional cheese grater is good quality and comes with a handy storage container.
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Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 32 oz broccoli florets
- 8 oz cream cheese - softened to room temperature, cut in cubes
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - halved
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese - halved
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups Minute Rice - long grain white rice (uncooked)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Steam the 32 oz of broccoli florets with ½ cup of water in a pot until crisp tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the softened 8 oz cubed cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup cheddar cheese, 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Now add in cooked broccoli and 2 cups uncooked rice and stir everything together.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Press all ingredients down firmly using a spatula so that all rice is covered with the liquid. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese (1/2 cup cheddar, 2 Tbsp parmesan). Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and sauce is bubbling. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool, then scoop and serve while warm.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure to press all ingredients down into the liquid. As it bakes, the rice will absorb all the liquid and make it light and fluffy. Any rice that sits above the liquid while baking will not cook properly and will remain hard.
- Chop the cream cheese into small pieces and spread the sauce mixture evenly around the casserole dish. The chunks of cream cheese will melt but don’t blend evenly (this is how the recipe works). It tastes great!
- Cut the broccoli into equal, bite-sized pieces so it all cooks evenly and is easier to eat. And, when possible, use fresh broccoli! Frozen vegetables can have too much moisture and be a bit soggy. However, they will still work!
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.