Mom’s Broccoli, Rice, and Cheese Casserole

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This broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole dish is my mom’s recipe! Perfect as a main dish for easy dinners, this comfort meal is so easy to make and tastes delicious! Filled with tender broccoli accompanied by a jar of Cheese Whiz and cream of chicken mushroom soup. This casserole is always present at holidays where ham is served. They pair together so nicely.
 
Top view of broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole on top of dark plate

Mom’s Broccoli, Rice, and Cheese Casserole

Creamy, cheesy, and full of oh, so much flavor, this broccoli rice casserole is one of my favorite go-to meals for dinner or even the holidays. My mom makes this every year for Christmas dinner, and over the years, I’ve enjoyed reflecting on just how delicious this comfort meal truly is. 
 
When I’m looking for something simple, yet delicious to throw together as a main meal, I refer to this simple broccoli and rice recipe. If you’re looking for”home” in a casserole dish, then oh, is this recipe for you. 
 
If you like this recipe, then you’ll love my cauliflower casserole or chicken and spinach pasta. All of these meals are great by themselves as main dishes or side dishes to main proteins. 
 

Why should I make this recipe?

  • My broccoli casserole is great for holiday meals such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. It’s the perfect crowd pleaser! 
  • It’s effortless and so easy to make. Seriously, all you do is just dump all of the ingredients into one dish.
  • Perfect for leftovers and meal prep. Make a batch of it on your meal prepping day, then you’ve got lunch or dinner prepared for a few days. 

 

Top view of cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, Cheese Whiz, rice, milk, onion, and broccoli

Ingredients for Mom’s Broccoli Rice and Cheese

Broccoli- For this recipe, I used frozen broccoli cuts. Fresh broccoli would work well in this recipe, too. 

Onion- A yellow or white onion adds additional flavor to this recipe. You can never go wrong with onions!

Cheese Whiz- A cheesy delicacy that is a staple in this casserole. You’ll definitely want a jar of it. 

Cream of Mushroom Soup- Either you can use canned cream of mushroom soup or make your own.

Cream of Chicken Soup- Cream of chicken soup adds additional flavor and texture to this casserole. Definitely a key ingredient to this recipe!

Milk- Any kind of milk will work for this recipe, but I used dairy.

Rice- Uncooked minute rice was used in this recipe. If you don’t have minute rice, then simply substitute with cooked regular rice.

How to Make Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or simply grease with oil of choice.

 

A bowl of broccoli

Next, steam the frozen broccoli until it is no longer frozen. After that, roughly chop the broccoli florets so the pieces are more bite-sized.

 

Broccoli, onion, rice, cream of chicken and mushroom, and Cheese Whiz in a large pot

 

Next, place all of the ingredients in a large pot on the stove and heat through. 

Top view of uncooked broccoli and cheese casserole in white baking dish

 

Finally, pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 1/2 hours

Top view of cooked broccoli and cheese casserole in a baking dish topped with broccoli

Serve right from the warm casserole dish at the table or buffet style. 

 

Two plates with broccoli and cheese casserole

Can you put uncooked rice in a casserole?

Typically, it is not recommended to put uncooked rice in a casserole unless you have enough liquid covering the rice. Keep in mind that the casserole will require a lot more cooking time with uncooked rice, too! But I use Minute rice when I make it, and that is never a problem. 

How Long to Keep this Recipe in the Fridge

Cooked broccoli rice casserole will stay good in the refrigerator for three to four days. It’s the perfect solution to meal prep, and the leftovers are so delicious!

 

One serving of broccoli and cheese casserole on dark plate

Can you freeze this casserole? 

Of course! If you don’t think you’ll make it through all your leftovers in the refrigerator, then transfer them to a freezer-safe storage container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to six months. Be sure to label the broccoli casserole in your freezer, too.

How to Reheat Broccoli Rice Casserole

When ready to enjoy the broccoli casserole again, you can reheat a few different ways! You can reheat the casserole in the microwave for 1:30-2:00 minutes, place in a preheated 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes, or cook in a skillet on the stovetop. 

If frozen, then allow the casserole to thaw before reheating in the microwave. You will need a longer cook time if cooking the broccoli casserole straight from the freezer. 

Close up view of broccoli and cheese casserole in a spoon

Tips

  • I added fresh broccoli on top of this recipe just to make it look a little more delicious, but it isn’t necessary for the recipe! 
  • Make sure to use cooked rice or uncooked minute rice for optimal flavors, but most importantly, tender flavors.
  • If you want to make this casserole a little more hearty, then serve it with some ham or cooked chicken mixed in it.

 

Collage image of broccoli rice and cheese casserole

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Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your Pinterest board, to make it easy to find later!

Some More of my Favorite Recipes

 

Front view of broccoli and cheese casserole on dark plate with spoon
 
Let’s make Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole!  M.
 
Top view of broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole on top of dark plate
4.44 from 30 votes
Print Recipe

Broccoli, Rice and Cheese Casserole

This broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole dish is my mom’s recipe! Perfect as a main dish for easy dinners, this comfort meal is so easy to make and tastes delicious! Filled with tender broccoli accompanied by a jar of Cheese Whiz and cream of chicken mushroom soup.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Casserole
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Can you put uncooked rice in a casserole? How to reheat broccoli rice casserole?, easy, How to make Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole, Mom's Broccoli Rice and Cheese, Rice and Cheese Casserole, simple, with Cheese Whiz, with Cream of Mushroom soup
Servings: 15 (as a side dish)
Calories: 70kcal
Author: Michaela Kenkel

Ingredients

  • 2 10.8 ounce packages frozen broccoli cuts, steamed and then roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 8 ounce jar of cheese whiz
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 soup can of milk
  • 1 cup uncooked minute rice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Steam frozen broccoli until no longer frozen. Give it a rough chop so these pieces are more bite-sized.
  • Place all of the ingredients in a pot on the stove and heat through. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 359mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

 

This recipe was originally posted on December 26, 2013. It was updated to improve user experience and will be re-shared on March 24, 2021. 

Casserole in a red dish with text "broccoli rice and cheese casserole"

 

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21 Comments

  1. I love that you can just throw everything in there, and it turns into a delicious dish all on its own!

  2. I’m pretty sure my Mom used to make a version of this for us when we were kids too. Memories! Absolutely going to be cooking this up.

  3. Love the combination of ingredients and flavors in this casserole recipe. Great dinner idea. Thanks for sharing.

  4. Yummy! This looks amazing and so delicious! My family is going to love this recipe! So excited to give this a try!

  5. My mother used to make this for me as a child, and I have never had the recipe to try making it myself. Thank you for this recipe!

  6. This one definitely was part of my childhood in NE. What a great trip down memory lane for me. Next up is your Runza recipe!

  7. My boyfriend and I are going to love this recipe! So excited to make this tomorrow! Looks amazing and very tasty!

  8. This is my kind of side dish! Served this with dinner and my picky eaters gobbled this up! A great way to get kids to eat their veggies, indeed!

  9. This casserole is pure comfort food. I love that it uses staple pantry ingredients that you probably already have!

    1. Really? That is so weird – I just looked it up and they still make it. Maybe just a shortage in your area? Anyway – I googled it, and there are recipes for “copycat Cheese Whiz” and some say you can substitute American cheese? I have never tried that, so please let me know if you do, how it works for you? I hope it works out!

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