It’s so easy to make broccoli rice casserole from scratch and it makes for a hearty and comforting family meal or a tasty side dish. All cooked in one pot and ready to serve in 45 minutes.
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When it comes to comfort food, you can’t beat a rice casserole. Hearty and warming and I love that it’s a one pot meal to cut down on the clean up time!
Cheesy and full of flavor, this broccoli rice casserole is super easy to make and tastes oh so good! It’s also great to serve up as a side during the holidays!
If you are in the mood for more comfort food, be sure to check out my Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta and Turkey Chili Recipe.
Ingredients
- Broccoli
- Butter
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Evaporated milk
- Mustard powder
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Cheddar cheese
- Cooked rice
How to make Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Blanch broccoli – bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, place broccoli in the water and boil for about 4 minutes. Remove broccoli from water and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large ovenproof skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, making sure to get up all the brown bits in the bottom of the skillet.
- Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened, stirring often.
- Remove skillet from heat and slowly stir in 2 cups of the grated cheese, until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the broccoli and rice.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the mixture.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese on top has melted. Remove and enjoy 🙂
Can you make a rice casserole ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great make ahead dish. You can prep it all the day before and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Any leftovers can be kept for three to four days and reheated in the oven.
Can you freeze it?
This casserole freezes really well and you can cook it right from frozen. Let it cool and then transfer it to freezer safe containers and it will keep well for up to 3 months.
Place the frozen mixture into a casserole dish and bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Give it a good stir and cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
What’s the best rice to use?
I like to use a long grain white rice like basmati or jasmine. You can use brown rice if you prefer, just make sure it’s fully cooked before adding it to the casserole.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- If subbing frozen broccoli for fresh, make sure to defrost the broccoli and drain it before adding it to the casserole.
- You can use a casserole dish if you don’t have an ovenproof skillet. Just transfer cheese mixture to a bowl, add broccoli and cheese, and transfer mixture to a 2qt casserole dish.
More Easy Rice Recipes
- Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Rice Pudding
- Steak Kimchi Fried Rice
- Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans
- Instant Pot Cajun Dirty Rice
- Homemade Rice a Roni
- Kale Rice
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets chopped
- 3 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- 2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms
- 3 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese separated
- 2 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Blanch broccoli – bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, place broccoli in the water and boil for about 4 minutes. Remove broccoli from water and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large ovenproof skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, making sure to get up all the brown bits in the bottom of the skillet. Slowly stir in the evaporated milk, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove skillet from heat and slowly whisk in 2 cups of the grated cheese, until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the broccoli and rice. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the mixture.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese on top has melted. Remove and enjoy 🙂
Notes
- If subbing frozen broccoli for fresh, make sure to defrost the broccoli and drain it before adding it to the casserole.
- You can use a casserole dish if you don’t have an ovenproof skillet. Just transfer cheese mixture to a bowl, add broccoli and cheese, and transfer mixture to a 2qt casserole dish.
Shelley n
Monday 4th of March 2024
this sounds just amazing, and i would love to try it soon. the only problem is the mushrooms... I can eat raw mushrooms by the bushel, but once they're cooked, it's a no go. the texture is all rubbery, just awful. suggestions for subs, please? or perhaps just drop them altogether??
Tanya
Monday 4th of March 2024
Hey Shelley n, to avoid rubbery mushrooms, you could chop them smaller in this dish. And you could avoid them, but that would alter the flavor.
Tt
Sunday 11th of October 2020
This sounds delicious any recommendations for subbing the evaporated milk
Tanya
Sunday 11th of October 2020
Thanks. You could sub milk, I've used it before but preferred evaporated milk. Half and half would work as well.