The Gay Globetrotter

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

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Cheesy broccoli and rice is the perfect, dump and bake side dish. White rice and chicken broth are added to a baking dish with broccoli, then topped with cheddar cheese and baked into the perfect dish.

Serve cheddar broccoli rice casserole next to ribs, pork chops, or air fryer chicken breast for the perfect meal!

A spoon serving cheesy broccoli and rice casserole.

Why We Love It

After a busy weekday, you just want to get dinner ready quickly.

This cheesy broccoli and rice casserole is perfect for that – you just add everything to a baking dish and throw it in the oven.

This dish is simple, and doesn’t need a homemade cheese sauce, or contain condensed soup. With just 4 ingredients, it’s the perfect thing to add to your weeknight meal rotation.

The chicken broth adds so much flavor to the rice, and the broccoli steams while the rice bakes. Add some cheese, and you have the perfect side dish!

How To Make Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

To make this easy dump and bake casserole:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Pour the rice into a 9×9″ baking dish. Top with broccoli florets. Pour chicken broth over the rice and broccoli.
  3. Cover, and bake for 27-30 minutes or until rice is fork tender.
  4. Remove foil, top with cheese, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chicken broth being poured over rice and broccoli.

Tips and Substitutions For Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

  • For a complete meal, add some rotisserie chicken, or whip up some chicken breasts or thighs to add into the dish.
  • Brown rice is a great way to make this even healthier. If you use something other than white rice, you will need to adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • If the rice takes a little longer to cook, don’t worry! I’ve had the casserole be ready in 25 minutes, and take up to 5o before the rice is fully cooked. Just cover it, and return it to the oven.
  • As the rice cooks, it will fill the dish you use quickly. Make sure you have a big enough dish, and portion the rice correctly (1 ½ cups should serve 4 people well).

Broccoli and cheese being added to a casserole dish.

Storing and Reheating The Leftovers

Leftovers? No problem! Cheesy rice with broccoli is great to add to lunches, enjoy as a snack, or serve with another meal.

Once the casserole has cooled to room temperature, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Chicken broth can’t be enjoyed after longer than that, so make sure you reheat before then!

To reheat cheddar broccoli and rice:

  • Oven: Bake, covered, for 10 minutes at 350°F or until heated through and cheese is melted.
  • Microwave: Microwave on 30 second intervals or until heated through.

Cheesy broccoli and rice fresh from the oven.

More Simple Side Dishes

A spoon serving broccoli and rice with cheese.
Rate this Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Bailey
This 4 ingredient casserole is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight.
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Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear what you think. Leave a comment and rating below!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
  • 2 ¼ cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Add uncooked rice to a 9x9" baking dish. Top with broccoli florets. Pour chicken broth over broccoli.
  • Cover with foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
  • Remove foil. Top with cheddar cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Rice should be fully cooked before adding cheese. If it isn't cooked through, return it to the oven in 5 minute intervals to finish cooking completely.
If using brown rice, the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 569IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 252mg | Iron: 1mg

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Cheesy broccoli and rice with text overlay.

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