Want the perfect side dish that everyone in the family will love? Try Velveeta broccoli rice casserole, especially if you have little ones. Who doesn’t like cheesy meals? Kids, as well as adults, love them because they are delicious.
This is a wonderful dish to bake for picky eaters. Cheese makes all dishes appealing to the pickiest eaters, and if you are having trouble making your kids eat veggies, this is surely the way to coax them into loving them.
Cheesy broccoli rice casserole quickly became a favorite in my house. I serve it immediately out of the oven, so the cheese is hot and melted. Velveeta is the best cheese for this casserole. It melts perfectly and has a flavor the whole family loves.
This casserole is the perfect side dish for any chicken or meat main dish. If you are looking for more delicious and cheesy side dishes, Paula Deen’s Green Bean Casserole is another favorite, Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese is cheesy heaven (and the alcohol in the beer cooks away). Cheesy Zucchini Casserole is also great for picky eaters!
Ingredients For Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Broccoli is the star veggie in this dish. I like to buy the frozen one that comes in the steamable bag because it is so easy to pop it in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, and it’s done.
- Cooked rice. We all have leftover rice in the fridge at some time, and this is the perfect way to transform it into a delicious side dish.
- Onion and garlic are always present in my savory dishes.
- Red bell pepper. As you know, I love colorful food that is appealing to the eye and the taste buds. Red bell pepper makes this dish pop with color.
- Cream of chicken and herbs soup is already so full of flavor. It has all the seasonings this dish needs.
- Velveeta cheese comes in brick or slice forms. You can use whichever you have on hand. If you use the whole brick, chop it into little cubes, and if you have the slices, tear them into small pieces.
How To Make Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Steam the broccoli in the microwave according to package instructions, or boil it in water until cooked but not too soft. Using a medium-sized skillet, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper until the onions are translucent.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the sauteed veggies, steamed broccoli, and cooked rice.
- Add the cream of chicken and herbs soup and the chopped Velveeta cheese.
- Pour the mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
What To Serve with Broccoli Rice Casserole
This casserole is the perfect side dish for any chicken, meat, fish, or seafood main dish. Everyone in the family has a favorite main dish. Mine is Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi. I love seafood.
My husband is a meat lover, so his favorite dish is The Best Sirloin Tip Roast or Slow Cooker Melt in your mouth Pot Roast.
The kids, well, they love their chicken, so I make them Sweet Baby Ray’s Crockpot Chicken when they are in the mood for something saucy, or Popeye’s Spicy Chicken Recipe, which is their all-time favorite!
Variations on Broccoli Rice Casserole
Add more veggies: like cooked chopped carrots, corn, or Green beans.
Use cheddar cheese and crumbled-cooked bacon for a smoky-flavored casserole.
For adults only: use Pepper Jack cheese and chopped jalapenos if you like spicy food.
Can You Freeze Broccoli Rice Casserole
Yes. You can freeze the leftovers or the unbaked casserole for up to 4 months.
If you are freezing leftovers, put them in an airtight container. If you are freezing the unbaked casserole, cover the dish with two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil before storing it in the freezer.
Recipe tips
- When chopping the onions, garlic, and bell peppers, chop them finely. They taste better and cook quicker.
- If all you have on hand is condensed cream of chicken soup, or any condensed cream soup, add a cup of milk to the mixture.
- Make sure everything is well combined, so you get a little bit of everything in every bite.
For other amazing-tasting rice recipes, take a look at these:
- Homemade Rice Pilaf
- Old-fashioned Rice Pudding
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Easy Mexican Rice
Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 - 12oz bag frozen broccoli (in the steamable bag)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 - 10.75oz can cream of chicken and herbs soup
- ½ lb Velveeta cheese, chopped
- 4 cups cooked rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Pop the bag of frozen broccoli into the microwave and steam according to package directions. Do not open the bag immediately. It will be very hot. Let it stand for a couple of minutes
- Using a medium-sized skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic, and chopped red bell pepper until the onions are translucent. This may take a couple of minutes.
- Add the cooked rice, sauteed veggies, and steamed broccoli into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the condensed cream of chicken and herbs soup and the Velveeta cheese. Use a rubber spatula to mix all ingredients until they are well combined. add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch casserole dish, and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make Broccoli and Rice Casserole Ahead Of Time
Definitely. Steam the broccoli, saute the veggies, mix them with the cooked rice, the cream of chicken soup, and cheese, pour the mixture into the casserole dish, and cover it with plastic wrap. You can refrigerate it for up to 3 days before baking it, or you can add a second layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil and freeze it for up to 4 months.
How to store Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole?
You can either transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 4 months.
How to reheat Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole?
I have found the best way to do it is in the microwave. This way, the rice doesn’t dry out when reheated. If you don’t have access to a microwave, you can reheat it in a preheated 350F oven. Add a sprinkling of water on top of the rice mixture before putting it in the oven. You can always reheat it in a skillet on the stovetop. Add a bit of water to the mixture (about a teaspoon) when reheating in a skillet.
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