Southern Baked Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole is a hearty dish perfect for serving as a side at any dinner party, holiday, or weeknight night at home! Made with a creamy roux sauce, you can use fresh or frozen broccoli - whatever you prefer! Baked for 30 minutes with a delicious cheesy top!
Heather's Notes
What makes a Southern casserole stand out from the rest? It's all about a deep-rooted southern cooking tradition of comfort, warmth, and rich flavors melded together. This broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole epitomizes this concept, offering a warming blend that's distinctly different from your run-of-the-mill casserole with the use of a homemade roux and no-processed cheeses like Velveeta.
While there is one time and place for Velveeta - my family's FAVORITE Thanksgiving side dish, Easy Broccoli Casserole, that is the only time I use it. For any other casserole or cooking, I don't like to use any processed cheese or condensed can of soup anything.
While those things can make things "easier", the added ingredients and processed chemicals are not worth it IMO. So we are taking a couple extra minutes to make a homemade roux and the results are SO WORTH IT!
Crafting this southern broccoli cheese rice casserole is straightforward and easy to do. Start with a savory homemade roux, blend in cheddar cheese, then toss in some broccoli and rice. Mix, bake, and in just a few steps, you've got a dish that sings comfort and Southern charm!
Whether you're looking to wow at a potluck, serve up a Sunday family dinner, or just need a satisfying meal after a long day, this dish delivers. It can be made with fresh or frozen broccoli too! Plus, with its easy make-ahead and freeze options, it's ready to grace your table for countless occasions!
And if you love this casserole, you’ll love making Southern Cheesy Corn Casserole, and Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole to add comfort to your dinner rotation!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter & Flour - this is the base of the roux (aka sauce for the casserole).
- Whole Milk - I recommended using whole milk for the best flavor. Low fat can be used but won't result in as "flavorful" of a result. I do not recommend using any plant-based milk as it will significantly change the taste and results.
- Spices - salt, pepper, white pepper, and ground mustard.
- Shredded Cheddar - I always like to grate a block of cheese myself instead of using pre-shredded cheese.
- Broccoli - you can use fresh or frozen in this recipe (directions below for both). I prefer fresh usually but frozen can be a quick alternative if needed.
- Rice - I just use long-grain white rice that I always have stocked in my pantry.
What is a Roux? Roux is the base of a thick sauce that is equal parts fat and flour. The fat can vary depending on the recipe. Milk, broth, or some sort of liquid is then added to the fat and flour that has been cooked for a couple of minutes - to remove the raw flour taste - and it will start to thicken as it is whisked and cooked. Spices and cheese can be added to flavor based on what recipe it is needed for. Recipes like mac and cheese, gumbo, fettuccine alfredo, sausage gravy, and other casseroles like chicken pot pie casserole or Oven Baked Cheesy Potato and Hamburger Casserole will use a roux as a base for the sauce.
How To Make
Make the cheese sauce: Preheat the oven to 350F to start. Make the rough by adding butter and flour to a large pot over medium heat. Whisk together until the raw flour taste is cooked out. Then add the milk ½ cup at a time, continuing to whisk until a smooth sauce is formed. Add in ½ of the cheese and stir until melted. Add spices and mix to combine.
Cook the rice: cook the rice according to the package instructions. Set aside once finished. This can be done at the same time as making the roux to utilize your time well.
Prepare the broccoli: Chop the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces, then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Place in ice water to stop the cooking process, then strain off as much water as possible before mixing into the cheese mixture.
Assemble and bake: Add both the broccoli to the cheese mixture in the pot and stir to combine fully. Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of a greased 9x9" baking dish. Pour the broccoli mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot. Enjoy!
To keep any leftovers: Once the casserole has cooled down to room temperature, transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. Store this in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to eat, reheat gently in a microwave or the oven until it's warmed through, ensuring it retains its creamy consistency.
Recipe
Southern Baked Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Southern Baked Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole is a hearty dish perfect for serving as a side at any dinner party, holiday, or weeknight night at home! Made with a creamy roux sauce, you can use fresh or frozen broccoli - whatever you prefer! Baked for 30 minutes with a delicious cheesy top!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 ½ Cups Whole Milk
- 8 Ounces Cheddar Cheese - divided for half in the sauce and half on top
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
- 4 ½ Cups Broccoli Florets (fresh or frozen) - 2-3 stalks fresh
- 1 ½ Cups White Rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9" baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make the rice according to the package directions.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add butter and flour. Cook and whisk until the butter is melted and the flour taste is cooked out - about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in milk ½ cup at a time and whisk thoroughly. Continue to whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture becomes thick. Add in milk ½ cup at a time until gone continuing with this method. Reduce the heat to low.
- Once all the milk is added and starts to become thick, add cheese and spices. Stir until melted continually. Remove from the heat once smooth and creamy.
For Filling with Fresh Broccoli
- Chop broccoli florets into small bite-size pieces. Add to a pot of boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes.
- Once the broccoli is bright green, remove from boiling water with a strainer into a large bowl filled with ice water. This will help the broccoli stop cooking.
- Remove from ice water to a large strainer after 2-5 minutes and let sit to remove as much water as possible then add to cheese mixture and stir together.
For Filling with Frozen Broccoli
- Steam the broccoli according to package directions.
- Once cooked, drain water from the bag and add to the cheese mixture, stirring to incorporate everything.
To Assemble
- Spread the cooked rice even;y over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
- Pour the broccoli cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Once the casserole has cooled down to room temperature, transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. Store this in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to eat, reheat gently in a microwave or in the oven until it's warmed through, ensuring it retains its creamy consistency.
Freezing: To freeze the casserole for later use, assemble everything up until the point of baking. Wrap the dish tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil to seal in freshness and prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you're ready to enjoy it, you can bake from frozen (covered with foil initially and removed for the last 15 minutes to brown the top) or thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before baking as per the original instructions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side - Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 239
- Sugar: 3.3 g
- Sodium: 367.5 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 10.5 g
- Cholesterol: 40.3 mg
