Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe

This Broccoli Cheese and Rice Casserole for an easy side dish. This casserole is made completely from scratch and no cream of chicken soup is needed. This comfort food casserole is a must with our Christmas dinner.

We love that this broccoli cheese casserole is made from scratch. It is always a family favorite and easy to make. This Christmas casserole recipe is easy to prepare ahead of time to save time with all your holiday cooking.

Why We Love This Recipe

This casserole is the perfect recipe for family gatherings. This casserole taste amazing and is the perfect casserole to make ahead of time. We love to serve it for the holidays but is a great side dish recipe for any occasion.

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and recipe, scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe card.

Substitutions and Additions

• Broccoli – We used fresh broccoli in this recipe, but you can easily use frozen broccoli. We just recommend not overcooking the broccoli before adding it to the casserole.
• Cheese – Feel free to use different types of cheese. We have even used low fat cheese and had great results. Mix different types of cheese together such as adding in Monterrey Jack Cheese.
• Milk – We used whole milk in this recipe, but if you prefer you can use a low fat option. Nut milk is another option if you unable to have regular milk. Chicken broth can also be used as a substitute to the milk.
• Rice – You can use brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice if you prefer. We used white rice, but these option are a great healthy alternative. You can even use minute rice for an easy option.
• Add Meat – If you would like to make this dish hearty, add in cooked shredded chicken breast, ham or turkey. This casserole would be great to use leftover meat after the holidays. You can also use rotisserie chicken.
• Other Vegetables – In addition to the broccoli sneak in some other vegetables. Chop up some cauliflower or peppers for added flavor and texture.
• Toppings – For a crunchy topping, add some French fried onions. This is one of my favorite toppings.

How to Make Broccoli and Rice Casserole:

• Step 1 – Heat Oven and Prepare baking dish – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
• Step 2 – Cook Broccoli – Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.  Put the broccoli florets in the boiling water and cook it for 2 minutes.

Step 3 – Immediately place the broccoli in a bowl with ice cold water. This keeps the broccoli from over cooking. Then set broccoli aside to rest.

Step 4 – Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the diced onions and sauté the onions until they are translucent and soft. Then whisk in the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Whisk and cook for an additional 2 minutes. 

Step 5 – Next, slowly whisk in the milk until all the milk is combined.  Continue whisking over medium heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Then remove the mixture from heat and stir in the ingredients. This includes the dry mustard powder, paprika, cream cheese and 1 ½ cup of the cheddar cheese. 

Step 6 – Continue to stir until the mixture is combined and the cheese is fully melted. Then gently stir the cooked rice and broccoli into the cheese sauce in the skillet. Spread the mixture into the 9X13 baking pan. 

• Step 10 – Bake – Top the mixture with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes to 35 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly. Bake until the top of the casserole is slightly golden browned.

Recipe Tips

• Cooking the Broccoli – After cooking the broccoli, make sure to place in a bowl of ice cold water. This prevents the broccoli from overcooking.
• Shredding the Cheese – We recommend shredding the cheese yourself instead of using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-Shredded cheese contains other ingredients and doesn’t melt as well as shredded cheese from hunk cheese.
• Save time – To save time, you can prepare the broccoli and rice ahead of time. Add in the rice and broccoli to the creamy sauce on cooking day.
• Casserole Dish – Bake the casserole in a casserole dish. If you wanting leftovers, you can place in two different dish and refrigerate the other one.

Can you Make Broccoli Rice Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make easy broccoli rice casserole ahead of time. The holidays are so busy preparing all the recipes. I like to be able to prepare what I can ahead of time.

This casserole is the perfect recipe to prepare in advance. Simple combine the ingredients as indicated in the recipe and then place in the fridge. Then when you are ready to serve, let the casserole come to room temperature.

Then bake the casserole in the oven. You may need to allow the casserole to bake a little longer since it has been in the fridge.

How to Store

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When we prepare this dish for the holidays, we always have so much leftover.

We like to serve with turkey and ham leftovers, that we eat on it for several days.

How to Freeze Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole

We recommend freezing the broccoli rice casserole unbaked. Prepare the casserole as indicated in the recipe and then pour in the casserole dish.

Make sure to store in a freezer safe container and it will last about 3 months. If doubling the recipe, freeze in individual serving containers.

Then when ready to bake, allow casserole to thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake.