Cheesy Broccoli Rice
One pot of rice and broccoli bound in cheddar — the casserole flavor without the casserole.
Ingredients
- 250 g Rice
- 1 head Broccoli
- 120 g Cheddar cheese
- 20 g Butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- 100 ml Milk (optional)
- ½ tsp Garlic powder (optional)
- ½ tsp Black pepper (optional)
Method
- Cut the broccoli into small, even florets.
- Grate the cheddar cheese on the coarse holes.
- Combine the rice, salt, and plenty of water in a lidded pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and drop to low.
- Simmer the rice covered for 7 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Lay the broccoli florets on top of the rice, re-cover, and steam for the final 5 minutes until the rice is tender and the broccoli bright and just-tender.
- Off the heat, stir the butter, milk, garlic powder, and grated cheese into the pot until everything slumps into a sauce.
- Season the pot with the black pepper and serve in bowls while the cheese still stretches.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Cheesy Broccoli Rice
Cheesy broccoli rice is an American comfort-food staple that captures everything appealing about the classic broccoli-cheese casserole — tender rice, bright florets, a blanket of melted cheddar — without the baking dish or the oven time. It is a one-pot dish, which means the rice steams, the broccoli cooks, and the cheese sauce comes together all in the same pot. Garlic powder and black pepper keep the seasoning simple and familiar, letting the cheddar and the vegetable do the talking. It is the kind of quick, family-friendly supper that turns pantry staples into something genuinely satisfying in about half an hour.
The clever part of this version is timing everything to a single pot: the rice simmers covered and undisturbed, then the broccoli is laid on top to steam in the trapped heat for the final few minutes, so it stays bright and just-tender rather than grey and mushy. Off the heat, butter, a splash of milk, and grated cheddar are stirred straight in, where the retained warmth melts them into a loose, glossy sauce that slumps around every grain and floret. The result is creamy and mellow, with the mild sweetness of broccoli against savoury cheese. Serve it as a hearty vegetarian main on its own, or as a substantial side alongside roast or grilled chicken.
Cheesy Broccoli Rice: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Cheesy Broccoli Rice?
A serving has about 603 calories — 21.8g protein, 83g carbs, 21.4g fat, 6.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Cheesy Broccoli Rice gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Cheesy Broccoli Rice has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Cheesy Broccoli Rice dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Cheddar cheese, Butter, Milk. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Cheesy Broccoli Rice take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 13 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Cheesy Broccoli Rice?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out milk, garlic powder, black pepper — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Cheesy Broccoli Rice make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.