Broccoli rice casserole is a comfort food side dish that is packed with the nutrients of dark green veggies. The cheesy flavor will be an instant family favorite.
Course Side, Side Dish
Cuisine International
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 6people
Calories 276kcal
Ingredients
1large head of broccoli
1.5cupswhite Basmati or Jasmin rice
2crushed and sauteed cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
zest of 1 lemon
2.25cupsboiling hot brothchicken, vegetable, mushroom all work
1-3Tbspcrème fraîche
sea salt
pepper
100-150gmelty cheeseSwiss, Cheddar, Gruyere
fresh thymeoptional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Wash and chop broccoli into small bite-sized florets.
Add rice, garlic, and lemon zest to a baking dish and stir to combine.
Add broccoli florets on top of rice. Set aside.
In a bowl of jug whisk boiling hot broth with crème fraîche and season with sea salt and pepper until well combined.
Pour broth over rice and broccoli, then use a spatula to submerge broccoli as well as possible in the broth.
Sprinkle everything with cheese, then cover the baking dish with either a baking sheet of aluminum foil if your baking dish isn't flat on top. It's important that there is a tight seal and broth cannot evaporate.
Bake for 15 minutes covered, then remove the cover and broil for 5 minutes for the cheese to brown.
Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme is desired and serve.
Video
Notes
This recipe works with short grain brown rice as well. The broccoli will overcook a little though. For the brown rice version, add 1.5 cups short grain brown rice and 3 cups broth and bake for a total of 45 minutes + 5 minutes broil. Everything else, stays the same.