I’m bringing you some major comfort food in the form of Broccoli Rice Casserole! It’s creamy, flavorful, and SO delicious! This side dish is an easy mix of broccoli and rice that gets tossed in a creamy Velveeta cheese sauce and topped with cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions. Bake to perfection for an absolutely irresistible side that everyone’s sure to love!

Serving of broccoli rice casserole on a small white plate with a fork.

I know there are a variety of different broccoli rice casserole recipes out there, but believe me when I say, this is truly the BEST you will ever taste. I’ve always loved my mom’s recipe, but I wanted to change things up a bit. Typical food blogger, always having to experiment with recipes!

This past Thanksgiving, I brought home an entirely different broccoli cheese casserole with ingredients like Velveeta, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup and French’s fried onions. No, this dish is not healthy, but it’s SO incredibly delicious! Trust me, it’s worth it!

Perfect for any occasion, whether it be after a hectic day at work, or a festive dinner like Easter, Christmas or Thanksgiving! With an easy make ahead option, you guys will love this broccoli cheese casserole just as much as we do!

It was awesome! I added celery, mushrooms, peppers and chicken. 10/10

— Kina
Broccoli cheese rice casserole on a small white plate.

Ingredients needed

The combination of creamy cheese sauce with hearty rice and tender bite-sized pieces of broccoli is so incredibly delicious and major comfort food! And the best part, this broccoli rice casserole recipe is easy to make, and uses common ingredients that are easy to find. Here’s the lineup:

  • Cooked rice. We use instant rice to save on cooking time, but feel free to use any variety of rice that you have available.
  • Broccoli florets. For convenience, buy a 16-ounce package of frozen chopped broccoli. The broccoli does not need to be cooked before adding it to the casserole dish but it should be slightly thawed.
  • Onion. Totally optional, but we really love the savory flavor it adds.
  • Cream of chicken soup. This will add to the creaminess of the dish. You could use cream of mushroom soup, if preferred.
  • Milk. Any type of milk will work, but for maximum richness, use whole milk.
  • Velveeta. This type of cheese is a must. It melts wonderfully to make the most creamy sauce.
  • Salt + pepper. A bit of each to bring all of the flavors together.
  • Grated cheddar cheese. We like sharp cheddar cheese for topping the dish.
  • Fried onions. French’s brand brand is our go-to, and they add the perfect crispiness to this casserole.

Grocery shopping tip

Velveeta cheese is not located with other cheese products in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, instead it’s near shelf stable dips and spreads.

How to make this recipe

I know there are tons of broccoli cheese rice casserole recipes, but this one’s the BEST! It’s also super easy! You’ll just want to make sure you cook your rice getting started. Here’s the rundown of how to make this casserole:

For full, printable instructions, see the recipe card.

  1. Make the cheese sauce. This recipe starts with making the most delicious, creamy cheese sauce. Mix onions, soup, milk, Velveeta, salt and pepper together in a large pot over medium heat to medium-high heat. Whisk frequently until smooth and creamy.
  2. Add broccoli and rice. When the cheese sauce is creamy, stir in the cooked rice and broccoli.
  3. Transfer to baking dish. Pour the broccoli and cheese mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Stirring rice and broccoli with cheese sauce.
Broccoli, rice and cheese mixture in a casserole dish.
  1. Add topping. Top with cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of fried onions.
Topping rice mixture with grated cheese.
Topping casserole with shredded cheese and fried onions.
  1. Cook casserole. Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes and until it is hot and bubbly and broccoli is nice and tender.
  2. Cool and serve. Allow casserole to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Baked casserole topped with cheese and crispy fried onions.
Servings of broccoli rice casserole topped with cheese on white plates.

Expert tips

This broccoli rice casserole recipe is extremely easy, but here are a few tips to make sure your dish bakes up perfect every time!

  • For the cheese topping, I recommend using freshly grated cheese for this recipe. The pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag is often coated with anti-caking agents and does not melt as smoothly as freshly grated cheese.
  • Make ahead option! This can be assembled up to about 12 hours before baking it. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Add the fried onions just before the dish goes into the oven.
  • If you prefer the broccoli pieces to be small (like I do), buy chopped broccoli or if you have the florets, chop them into smaller bite-sized pieces before adding it into the cheese sauce.
  • If you notice the fried onions getting too brown while the casserole is baking, you can loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil, but you DO want them to get crispy.
  • You can use instant rice, long-grain rice or regular brown rice or white rice in the recipe, just be aware the cooking time and amount of liquid needed will differ for the cooked rice.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in broccoli rice casserole?

The nutrition of the recipe will depend on specific ingredients, but for this particular recipe it has 250 calories, 24 grams of carbs, and 13 grams of protein per serving. More nutritional information can be found in the recipe card.

Does rice need to be cooked before adding to casserole?

All broccoli rice casserole recipes are different, but for this specific recipe, you will need to cook the instant rice before adding it to the cheese sauce mixture.

Do you put eggs in broccoli casserole?

This recipe does not include eggs. Some recipes do call for eggs, typically to bind ingredients and add moisture. Because we are using Velveeta cheese, which is very saucy, there is no need for eggs.

Can you use fresh broccoli instead of frozen in casserole?

We typically use frozen broccoli for convenience, but fresh broccoli will definitely work in this easy broccoli rice casserole.

Customize this recipe 

We love this broccoli rice casserole as written, but feel free to experiment and switch up some of the ingredients, depending on what you have on hand. Recipe variations:

  • Protein. To add a little protein to this side and make it a main entree, you could try adding some cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken.
  • Vegetables. Instead of broccoli try another favorite veggie, such as zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower or green beans.
  • Cheese. While this is typically topped with shredded cheddar cheese, other options include Colby, American or Monterey Jack cheese. But I DO NOT recommend changing up the Velveeta to another type of cheese.
  • Topping. Instead of French’s fried onions for the topping, you could use crushed Ritz crackers or cheese crackers, or even Panko bread crumbs.

Serving suggestions

For the holidays, we serve this cheesy broccoli dish along with our feast of dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey and pumpkin pie! But broccoli cheese rice casserole is honestly great served anytime of the year. Here are some entrée pairing suggestions:

Storing and freezing

  • Storing leftovers. Place any leftover broccoli rice casserole in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to about 4 to 5 days.
  • To reheat. Pop individual servings in the microwave and cook for 30 second intervals until it’s warm. You can also place the entire dish in the oven at 350ºF. If using the oven, loosely cover with foil and place the dish on the center rack for 15 to 25 minutes, until warmed through (the larger the serving, the longer the cook time).
  • Freezing. Place leftovers in a freezer-safe airtight container or a freezer-safe baggie in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving broccoli rice casserole out of a baking dish.

This broccoli and rice casserole recipe is great to have in your repertoire for when you need a comforting side dish to feed a crowd. It works great for holiday feasting or for any normal dinnertime side. I love the familiar, cozy flavors and that it is so simple to make!

More great side dish recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Serving of broccoli rice casserole on a small white plate with a fork.
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5 from 7 votes
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Broccoli Rice Casserole

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Broccoli Rice Casserole is creamy, flavorful, and oh so delicious! This dish is an easy mix of broccoli and rice that gets tossed in a creamy Velveeta cheese sauce and topped with cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions. Bake to perfection for an absolutely irresistible side that everyone's sure to love!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli or broccoli florets*, slightly thawed
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4-6 ounces Velveeta
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • French's fried onions for topping

Instructions 

  • In a large pot over medium to medium-high heat, cook and stir together the onions (if using), soup, milk, Velveeta, salt and pepper till warm and creamy.
  • Add the rice and broccoli to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
  • Pour the broccoli cheese mixture into a greased 9×13″ glass baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and French’s fried onions.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes and until it’s hot and bubbly. If you notice the fried onions getting too brown, you can cover the dish lightly with foil. But you do want the onions to get crispy.
  • Once cooked, allow casserole to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*I like the chopped broccoli best because it is smaller pieces. If you have broccoli florets, I recommend chopping them up smaller before adding them to the cheese sauce.
  • Storing leftovers. Place any leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to about 4 to 5 days.
  • To reheat. Pop individual servings in the microwave and cook for 30 second intervals until it’s warm. You can also place the entire dish in the oven at 350ºF. If using the oven, loosely cover with foil and place the dish on the center rack for 15 to 25 minutes, until warmed through (the larger the serving, the longer the cook time).
  • Freezing. Place leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or a freezer-safe baggie in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
photos from molly at yes to yolks
Author: Kim
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 250kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 722mg, Potassium: 308mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 798IU, Vitamin C: 55mg, Calcium: 322mg, Iron: 1mg

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