8-Ingredient Broccoli Rice Casserole

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/28/21
Tested by
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Tested by Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This simple broccoli and rice casserole is a great recipe to have on hand when you need a delicious dish. It makes a nice side for any meal and can serve as an entrée when you want a lighter, vegetarian dinner.

The casserole can be adapted in a variety of ways and become as cheesy as you like. Inside, use either shredded cheddar, Cheez Whiz, or Velveeta. You can also top the casserole with as much cheese as you like and add breadcrumbs, pimentos, or garlic to make it even more interesting.

8-Ingredient Broccoli Rice Casserole

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

  • 2/3 cup Cheez Whiz, or 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1 cup cooked rice

  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli, cooked and drained

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping, optional

  • 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs, optional

  • 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas Mark 4.

    Ingredients for making a broccoli and rice casserole

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Butter a 1- to 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

    A buttered baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the onion until it becomes translucent.

    Sautéed onion in butter in the skillet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the cream of mushroom soup and the Cheez Whiz or cheddar. Continue cooking, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has melted.

    Mixing in the cream of mushroom soup into the garlic in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. In a large bowl, combine the hot cooked rice and cooked broccoli with the cheese sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir to combine. 

    Combining the rice and cooked broccoli with the cheese sauce

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Spoon the broccoli mixture into the prepared baking dish.

    Spoon the broccoli mixture to the buttered baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Bake the casserole for about 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and bubbly around the edges.

    bake the broccoli rice casserole

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. If using, top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese followed by half of the breadcrumbs, the red bell pepper slices, and the remaining breadcrumbs. Continue baking for a few minutes, just until the cheese has melted.

    add shredded cheese to the top of the casserole

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Glass Bakeware Warning

For premade casseroles or leftovers that are refrigerated in a glass baking dish, do not place directly into a hot oven as the glass can shatter. Instead, put any cold glass bakeware into a cold oven to warm up while it preheats. Or allow the bakeware to rest outside of the fridge for 30 minutes to reach room temperature while the oven preheats.

Tips

  • If you don't have Cheez Whiz but want a similarly creamy and flavorful result, you can make a substitute with Velveeta or cheddar cheese. Combine 4 ounces of Velveeta or cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, 1 tablespoon of butter, a dash of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard. Add a dash of cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce, if desired. Stir over low heat until the mixture has melted. 
  • To thaw frozen broccoli, place it in a colander under cool running water. If you prefer fresh broccoli, use about 10 to 12 ounces of florets. To cook either, put the broccoli in a saucepan with 1 inch of water or in a steaming basket over 1 inch of water. Steam for about 5 minutes, or until just tender.
  • This casserole can be frozen for later. Wrap the unbaked casserole very well and freeze. Before baking, defrost in the fridge and add a few minutes to the baking time.

Recipe Variations

  • Add a buttered breadcrumb topping to the casserole. Toss 1 cup of fresh soft breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs over the casserole just before it goes into the oven. Grated Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds are other ideal toppings.
  • Add a few tablespoons of drained, chopped pimentos to the broccoli mixture for some extra color and flavor.
  • Rub the cut side of half a garlic clove over the inside of the casserole dish or add 1 finely minced clove of garlic to the butter along with the chopped onion.
  • Make the casserole with half cauliflower and half broccoli.
  • Cooked white rice or brown rice will work for this recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
335 Calories
18g Fat
31g Carbs
13g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 335
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 1296mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 30mg 151%
Calcium 303mg 23%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 439mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)