Description
A creamy and comforting Broccoli Cheese Casserole featuring tender broccoli florets, cooked rice, and a rich cheddar cheese sauce baked to golden perfection. This hearty dish is perfect as a main course or side dish, offering a flavorful blend of textures and spices.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb. frozen broccoli florets
- 4 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
Cheese Sauce
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Broccoli and Rice: Thaw the frozen broccoli florets and chop them into smaller pieces. In a large bowl, combine the chopped broccoli, cooked rice, and 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, mixing everything together evenly.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Aromatics: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Finely dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic cloves, setting them aside for cooking.
- Cook Onion and Garlic: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Create Roux: Stir in the all-purpose flour, cooking and stirring continuously until a paste forms and turns a light golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.
- Make Cheese Sauce: Gradually whisk in the whole milk, continuing to whisk as the mixture heats until it reaches a simmer and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Remove from heat.
- Season Sauce: Stir the salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and freshly cracked black pepper into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired to ensure a flavorful sauce since the rice and broccoli are unseasoned.
- Combine and Assemble: Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli, rice, and cheese mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat evenly. Transfer the mixture into a 9×9 inch casserole dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake Casserole: Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the cheese topping is melted and slightly browned around the edges.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, let it cool slightly, then divide the casserole into 6 portions and serve warm.
Notes
- Frozen broccoli florets save time and are partially cooked; if using fresh broccoli, boil for about 2 minutes before adding to the casserole.
- Use pre-cooked and chilled rice for better texture and flavor absorption. If using freshly cooked rice, cool it quickly by spreading on a baking sheet before use.
- Choose medium or sharp cheddar cheese for more robust flavor; mild cheddar will result in a less flavorful dish.
- Whole milk provides richness to the cheese sauce; substituting with lower-fat milk may reduce creaminess and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
