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!
1 (16 ounce)package frozen chopped broccoli or broccoli florets*slightly thawed
1small onionfinely chopped (optional)
1(10.5 ounce)can cream of chicken soup
1/2cupmilk
4-6ouncesVelveeta
1teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonpepper
2cupsgrated 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 9x13" 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.