This Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole is made completely from scratch with tender broccoli, fluffy rice and a rich, creamy cheddar cheese sauce. There’s no cream of mushroom soup or canned soup needed. Everything comes together easily in an oven-safe skillet, then gets topped with buttery panko and baked until hot and bubbly.
Using frozen broccoli keeps this broccoli rice casserole simple enough for a weeknight side dish, while the homemade cheese sauce gives it so much more flavor than the traditional canned-soup version. Serve it alongside chicken, pork, steak or your favorite holiday main dish.
This Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole is an easy, creamy side dish made with cooked rice, broccoli and a homemade cheddar cheese sauce. Everything is topped with buttery panko and baked until bubbly and golden brown. With no canned soup needed, it’s a simple from-scratch casserole that pairs well with chicken, beef, pork or your favorite holiday main dish.
Why You Will Love This Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
- No Canned Soup: A simple homemade cheese sauce made with whole milk, heavy cream, cheddar and Parmesan replaces condensed cream soup.
- Easy Frozen Broccoli: There’s no need to cook fresh broccoli. A bag of frozen broccoli florets goes into the microwave for just a few minutes before chopping.
- One-Pan Option: Prepare the entire cheesy broccoli rice casserole in an oven-safe skillet and transfer it directly to the oven. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, simply transfer everything to a casserole dish before baking.
- Creamy with a Crispy Topping: The rice and broccoli are coated in a creamy cheddar sauce, while buttery panko adds a little crunch on top.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Rice: Long-grain white rice, jasmine rice or basmati rice will all work. Brown rice can also be used, although it will give the casserole a slightly different texture.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli can be substituted for frozen. Blanch or steam it briefly before adding it to the casserole.
- Cheddar: Sharp cheddar gives the casserole plenty of flavor, but mild cheddar, white cheddar or a combination of cheeses can be used.
- Heavy Cream: For a slightly lighter sauce, replace some of the heavy cream with additional whole milk.
- Shallot: A small amount of finely minced yellow or sweet onion can be substituted.
- Panko: Regular breadcrumbs or crushed buttery crackers can be used for the topping.
How to Prepare Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
1. Prepare the Broccoli
- Microwave the frozen broccoli florets for 3 minutes. Chop the partially cooked broccoli into smaller, bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Start the Sauce
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.
3. Make the Roux
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter, shallots and garlic. Stir continuously for about 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
4. Make the Cream Sauce
- Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking. Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until smooth.
- Season with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
- Allow the sauce to gently simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to thicken.
5. Add the Cheese
- Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add in the shredded cheddar along with the Parmesan cheese.
- Stir until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
6. Add the Broccoli and Rice
- Fold the chopped broccoli and cooked rice into the cheese sauce until everything is evenly coated.
- If using an oven-safe skillet, spread the mixture into an even layer right in the pan.
- If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the broccoli rice mixture to a casserole dish.
7. Add the Topping
- Combine the panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
8. Bake
- Cover the casserole and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil and broil for just a few minutes, watching closely, until the panko topping is golden brown.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole with grilled or roasted chicken, pork chops, steak, ham or turkey. It would also be an easy addition to a Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter dinner.
- Add cooked chicken to the casserole before baking if you want to serve it as a main dish.
- Store leftover broccoli rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover and warm in a 325°F (165°C) oven until heated through.
- Freeze: The casserole can be frozen, although the cream sauce may change slightly in texture once thawed. Store tightly covered for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cut fresh broccoli into small florets and blanch or steam it briefly before adding it to the casserole.
No. This broccoli rice casserole is made without cream of mushroom soup or any condensed soup. The creamy base is made from butter, flour, whole milk, heavy cream and cheese.
A long-grain white rice works particularly well because the grains remain separate rather than becoming overly soft. Leftover cooked rice is perfect for this casserole.
Absolutely. Fold cooked, chopped or shredded chicken into the rice and broccoli mixture before baking to turn this side dish into a complete meal.
Frozen broccoli can release extra moisture as it cooks. Microwaving it first and draining away any excess liquid helps prevent a watery casserole. Also, allow the cream sauce to thicken slightly before adding the rice and broccoli.
Yes. Assemble the casserole without adding the panko topping, cover and refrigerate. Add the panko just before baking. Since the casserole will be cold, it may need a few additional minutes in the oven.
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole made from scratch with tender broccoli, creamy cheddar cheese sauce and a crispy panko topping. No canned soup needed!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 bag frozen broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Microwave the frozen broccoli florets for 3 minutes. Chop into smaller pieces and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-safe skillet or skillet over medium heat.
- Add the shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the whole milk, followed by the heavy cream.
- Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5-6 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cheddar in batches, then stir in the Parmesan until melted and smooth.
- Fold in the cooked rice and chopped broccoli.
- If not using an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
- Combine the panko with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole.
- Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Broil for a few minutes, watching closely, until the top is golden brown.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Use cooked rice for this recipe. Uncooked rice will not cook properly in the casserole.
- Microwave the frozen broccoli for only 3 minutes before chopping. It will finish cooking in the oven.
- Drain off any excess moisture from the broccoli before adding it to the cheese sauce.
- Freshly shredded cheddar will melt more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese.
- Keep the heat low when adding the cheese to prevent the sauce from becoming grainy. Add the cheese in batches.
- If using an oven-safe skillet, the casserole can go directly from the stovetop to the oven.
- If using a casserole dish, there is no need to butter or grease the dish before adding the broccoli rice mixture.
- Keep a close eye on the casserole while broiling. The panko only needs a few minutes to turn golden brown.
- Leftover cooked rice works especially well and makes preparation even quicker.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Dinner
- Method: Moderate
- Cuisine: American
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