This Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole is a hearty favorite for family gatherings. It has tender broccoli and mushrooms, a creamy cheese sauce, and is topped with a crunchy cheddar and pretzel mixture.
You will find that this is a recipe that you will want to make over and over. It is the ultimate comfort food that will warm you up from the inside.
Make this cheesy broccoli rice casserole as a side dish to go with your holiday meal or serve as a main course during those cooler weather months.
I love making this dish for Thanksgiving along with Glazed Shallots, Easy Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board, Cranberry Orange Sauce, Old Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes and Traditional Bread Stuffing. It's all about the sides and desserts at Thanksgiving!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The topping- After preparing the casserole, it is topped with a mixture of crushed pretzels, cheddar cheese and butter. This creates the most delicious flavor and the perfect crunch!
- It serves many- This Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole makes enough to serve healthy sized portions to 12 people, making it perfect to serve for holiday family gatherings. There is plenty for the entire family!
- It’s cheesy- You will make a creamy cheese sauce to mix with the broccoli, rice and mushroom mixture. It is full of flavor and pairs so well with the other ingredients. Similar to this Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
You can buy the ingredients you need for this recipe at your local grocery store or from an online retailer.
- Chicken stock- I love Knorr liquid concentrate chicken stock. This is used to cook the rice as well as in the sauce.
- Pretzels- Pretzels of any size or shape are used for the crunchy topping.
- Butter- Butter is used to sauté the mushrooms and onions. It is also used in the crunchy pretzel topping.
- Evaporated milk- This is used in the cheese sauce.
- Salt & pepper- I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, if you're using Morton's Kosher salt then use about ¾ of the amount called for.
- Nutmeg- This is used to season the cheese sauce.
- Bay leaf- This is used in the cheese sauce for flavor.
- Cheddar cheese- I like to use Hoffman's Extra Sharp Cheddar for this Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole. You could use your favorite extra sharp or sharp cheddar cheese brand.
- Rice- This recipe calls for using Minute Rice which is convenient and saves time.
- Cremini mushrooms- These are baby Portobello mushrooms.
- Onion- You could use yellow or white onion to cook with the butter and mushrooms.
- Garlic- Fresh garlic cloves are going to be best.
- Flour- Flour is used to make a roux which will help thicken the vegetable and cheese mixture.
- Sour cream- This helps make the sauce extra creamy, the same as it does in my old fashioned pimento cheese recipe.
- Broccoli- I like to use fresh broccoli for this recipe.
Equipment Needed
- Sauce pots- You will need 1 small sauce pot for cooking the rice and 1 large sauce pot for the cheese sauce.
- Skillet- You will use a large skillet to cook the mushrooms and onions.
- Whisk- Use a whisk to combine the chicken stock concentrate with hot water and when you add it to the mushroom mixture.
- Food processor or hand grater- You can use either a food processor or a hand grater to grate the cheese.
- Knife- You will need a sharp knife to cut the mushrooms and onion.
- Cutting board- Use a cutting board when cutting your mushrooms and onion. I use either a Boos Block or large plastic board with grips.
- Baking dish- A 9x13-inch ceramic baking dish is used to bake the casserole in the oven.
Expert Tips
- Use a food processor to shred cheese to save time and effort.
- To blanch your broccoli just add it to boiling water for 30 seconds then shock it in ice water. It softens it just a bit and gives a nice bright green color.
- Place whole pretzels in a zip top bag and use a rolling pin or a glass to crush the pretzels to your desired size.
- You can make Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole a few hours ahead of time then keep it warm in the oven, wrapped with plastic wrap and aluminum foil at 160°F until serving.
How to Make Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
This recipe has several steps, so prepare your ingredients and gather your supplies before you begin to help make the process as smooth as possible.
The first thing you will want to do is preheat the oven to 400°F.
Make the Chicken Stock
Mix the hot water with the chicken stock concentrate. Stir this with a whisk and set this aside.
Prepare the Topping
Combine the pretzels, cheese and butter. Stir this well and set it aside.
Prepare the Cheese Sauce
Combine the evaporated milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and bay leaf in your medium sauce pot. Heat this over medium low heat until it is simmering. Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf.
Add the cheese and stir until it is nice and smooth. Set this aside.
Cook the Rice
Cook rice according to the package instructions but use the prepared chicken stock in place of the water and add a pinch of salt. Once it is done cooking, fluff it up with a fork.
Prepare the Casserole
Melt butter in your large skillet over medium heat and then add the mushrooms. Let them sauté, without touching them for about 2-3 minutes. Then give them a stir and allow the other sides to brown.
Next, stir in the onion and allow it to cook for about a minute. Then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until it is fragrant.
Turn the heat down to low-medium and add the flour, stirring well. Cook this for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Whisk 1 cup of chicken stock into the mushroom mixture and increase the heat back up to medium. Then add the cheese sauce and cook until simmering before adding the sour cream.
Bring the mixture back to a simmer and then add the broccoli and rice.
Stir this well until everything is evenly coated. Pour mixture into your ceramic casserole dish and sprinkle with the pretzel topping.
Bake in your prepared oven for about 8 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and serve it hot.
Storage
Refrigerate- Store cooked Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole, tightly covered in an airtight container or with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can reheat it in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap.
Freeze- To freeze, after transferring casserole mixture to the ceramic dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil or a tight fitting lid. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Heat the rice mixture in the microwave covered in plastic wrap until warm all the way through before adding the pretzel topping and baking until browned on top.
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FAQ
Yes you can! If you don't like mushrooms then just leave them out. The recipe will still be delicious! Just skip that step and add the onions to the melted butter in your skillet.
Yes, brown minute rice can easily be used in this casserole and it will taste just as delicious!
You sure can! Since you're just browning the topping and not heating it through then it will be the same baking time. Just keep an eye on the topping and remove them from the oven when the top is beginning to brown.
Yes. Prepare the casserole without the topping and store it in the refrigerator tightly covered. When you are ready to serve it you can reheat it in the microwave covered in plastic or in the oven covered in foil before adding the topping,
After adding the topping then bake an additional 8 minutes to brown the top.
Substitutions
- Chicken Stock- If you can't find Knorr liquid concentrate stock then use your favorite chicken stock.
- Bread crumbs- Use bread crumbs instead of pretzels, if desired.
- Rice- Use regular white rice if you don't have minute rice. Just cook it according to package directions, using chicken stock instead of water.
- Broccoli- You could use frozen broccoli florets instead of blanching your own. Make sure to thaw and drain before using.
Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
Equipment
- 2 sauce pots 1 small, 1 medium
- 1 whisk
- 1 food processor or hand grater
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 9x13 ceramic baking dish
Ingredients
Chicken Stock Blend
- 3 cups hot water
- 2 tablespoon Knorr liquid concentrated base find this at grocery stores or Amazon
Topping
- 1 cup pretzels crushed
- 1 cup extra sharp cheddar shredded
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Cheese Sauce
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 oz sharp cheddar
Rice
- 2 cups chicken stock use mix from first step
- 2 cups minute rice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Casserole
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup yellow onion small dice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup chicken stock use mix from first step
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 cups broccoli florets blanched
Instructions
Making Chicken Stock
- Whisk hot water and chicken stock concentrate together. Set aside
Making the Topping
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Toss the pretzels, melted butter and sharp cheddar in a medium mixing bowl then set aside until needed
Making the Cheese Sauce
- Heat the evaporated milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf over medium low heat until simmering. Turn the heat off and remove the bay leaf
- Stir in sharp cheddar until melted and smooth then set aside
Making the Rice
- Cook rice according to box directions, using chicken stock instead of water and add a pinch of salt. Fluff and set aside
Making the Casserole
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add cremini mushrooms and let them sauté undisturbed until they brown, 2-3 minutes. Give them a stir and brown the other sides
- Stir in diced onion and cook for 1 minute
- Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds
- Season with salt, turn temperature down to low-medium heat then add the flour. Stir well and let the flour cook for 3 minutes. Stir frequently
- Whisk in 1 cup of chicken stock and turn the heat to medium
- Whisk in the cheese sauce until simmering then stir in the sour cream
- Bring it back to a simmer then stir in the broccoli and rice until fully coated
- Pour the rice mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish, top with pretzel mix then bake for 8 minutes until slightly browned on top. Serve while hot
Notes
- Use a food processor to shred cheese to save time and effort.
- To blanch your broccoli just add it to boiling water for 30 seconds then shock it in ice water. It softens it just a bit and gives a nice bright green color.
- Place whole pretzels in a zip top bag and use a rolling pin or a glass to crush the pretzels to your desired size.
- You can make Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole a few hours ahead of time then keep it warm in the oven, wrapped with plastic wrap and aluminum foil at 160°F until serving.
Sandy
Does this freeze well or become mushy when thawed?, I'd love to make it but I live alone.
Krista Stechman
Hi Sandy! You can freeze it, I would recommend doing so without the pretzels on top. There's a section in the blog post under storing in reference to freezing and reheating.
Ashlyn
So, so good! The topping is my favorite part and will definitely be making this for the holidays!
admin
So happy to hear it!!
Tammy Cruse
This looks like the ultimate comfort food. My mouth is watering! This looks delicious!
admin
Thank you!!