This Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole with Velveeta is a classic recipe that is a long time family favorite. It is a creamy side dish that always makes an appearance on our table for all potlucks, holidays, and special occasions.
This easy casserole is made with fresh broccoli and cooked rice stirred into a Velveeta cheese sauce and baked until golden and bubbly.
I grew up with this recipe as a side dish staple during the holiday season, right along with my Momma's Crockpot Stuffing!
What to Know Before You Start
- A creamy broccoli rice casserole made with Velveeta, ready in about an hour from start to finish.
- Tips for keeping it from turning out watery or dry, plus what to do if it does.
- Swaps for the soup and cheese if you're cooking around a dietary restriction.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole with Velveeta
Easy Side Dish: enjoy this broccoli rice casserole recipe as an easy holiday side dish for family gatherings and during the holiday season.
Comfort Food: this nostalgic casserole is creamy, cheesy, and brings back memories of the holiday dinner dable.
✔️ It is a great way to use leftover rice!
Ingredients
- Long grain rice: instant rice, white or brown rice
- Broccoli florets: these can be frozen broccoli or fresh broccoli that has been steamed
- Butter
- Onion
- Celery
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Cream of celery soup
- Half and half
- Velveeta cheese: also known as processed American cheese, cut into cubes
How to Make Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
- Steam or thaw chopped broccoli and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just softened.
- Stir in the canned soups and half and half until combined.
- Add the processed cheese cubes and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Stir in the steamed or thawed broccoli and rice until combined.
- Transfer the broccoli mixture to a 2-quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake the casserole for 60 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and beginning to brown on the top. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
🙋 Recipe FAQ's
If using fresh broccoli, it should be steamed until fork tender, then chopped and added to the casserole. Frozen broccoli can just be thawed overnight in the fridge and drained before use.
Yes, this casserole can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight to bake the next day according to recipe instructions.
Yes. Swap in an equal amount of cream of chicken soup, or make a quick substitute with a butter and flour roux and chicken broth if you'd rather skip canned soup all together.
Leftover keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat covered in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Yes. Double all the ingredients and use a 9x13 baking dish instead of a 2-quart dish. It may need an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the oven since the dish is deeper.
Equipment
- 2 quart casserole dish
- Large skillet or pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Rubber spatula
Substitutions
Cheese swap: Use cheese whiz in place of Velveeta cheese.
Flavor boost: Sour cream or chicken stock can be used in place of the half and half for added flavor.
Soup swap: Chicken broth or cream of chicken soup can be used in place of the cream of celery soup.
Dairy-free: Swap in a dairy-free cheese shred and unsweetened plain oat milk for the half and half, and use a dairy-free cream soup base. The texture will be a little looser than the original.
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free condensed soup brand in place of the cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup.
Variations
- Sprinkle the top of the broccoli casserole with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, or crushed ritz crackers.
- Stir in 2 cups of cooked chicken, ham, or leftover beef roast to the casserole to add protein.
- Substitute cauliflower for the broccoli, or a combination of broccoli and cauliflower in place of the broccoli.
Tips for Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Turn this broccoli-rice casserole into a main dish by adding chopped ham, turkey, or chicken.
- If using fresh broccoli, steam until tender and chop it ahead of time. Frozen broccoli can be thawed ahead of time.
- Velveeta melts into the soup mixture without breaking or turning grainy, so you get a smooth sauce instead of a greasy one. A homemade roux and cheddar sauce works too, but it's more likely to separate once reheated.
- If your casserole turns out watery, drain thawed broccoli well before mixing it in. If it bakes up dry, check it at the 50-minute mark next time.
Serving Suggestions
Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole is a great side dish to serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. It goes great with ham, chicken, or turkey.
Round out the plate with a green salad, wheat dinner rolls, or Honey Glazed Carrots.
If you give this recipe a try, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below to let me know how you liked it. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your beautiful salad bowls!
📖 Recipe
Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole
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Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup onion , diced
- ¼ cup celery , diced
- 16 ounces steamed fresh broccoli , or frozen broccoli, thawed
- 10¾ ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup , undiluted
- 10¾ ounce condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted , undiluted
- ⅓ cup half and half
- 1¼ cup Velveeta cheese diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
- Steam or thaw chopped broccoli and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just softened.Stir in the canned soups and half and half until combined.
- Add the processed cheese cubes and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Stir in the steamed or thawed broccoli and rice until combined.
- Transfer the broccoli mixture to a 2-quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake the casserole for 60 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and beginning to brown on the top.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Otto says
That recipe would go good with any thing you would server.
Barb Hahn says
I would fix a cranberry glazed pork tenderloin to go with this. This already has my mouth watering just thinking about it. Bon Appétit! Happy New Year too!
Shelley says
This is the best broccoli casserole I have ever made! Was a huge hit on Easter. I added a little pepper but that’s all! A recipe for life!
Lynn says
I would serve this along with a nice cornish game hen.
Serena Tawil says
This is something my granny used to make for our family and she’d always add chicken. It was one of my favorites. As a kid I didn’t like broccoli so she’d make half with just chicken but now that I’m older I want extra broccoli! Also we have to use non dairy products but it still tastes just a good. Hope you and yours have had a healthy holiday season.
Theresa Krier says
Oooooo, this sounds perfect for dinner tonight with some leftover dinner rolls. Thank you ! kpkrier@kci.net
Judy Armstrong says
I plan to make this today to serve with leftover ham from Christmas. It would also go well with chicken, and in our family this would last more than one meal as a side Thanks for all the great recipes throughout the year! Happy New Year to all!
Susan says
Broccoli casserole is my son’s favorite so it’s served with just about everything in my house. Chicken, ham, steak, you name it, it’s probably been served with it!
Irene in cold central Texas says
One of mine and my daughter's favorites. I think some smothered pork
chops would be great with the dish.
IRENE
Patty J Shay says
I love this recipe!! I made it. I would serve this recipe with a honey and mustard glazed ham.
Judi Eells says
This is a family favorite. Serve it with anything, especially Special K roast. Perfect for potlucks.
A says
Can American cheese slices be used instead of Velveeta or Cheez whiz?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Yes, American cheese can be substituted for the Veleeta or cheese whiz as well as any other cheese that melts easily. Thank you! Shelby
Lauren says
We love this recipe! Have you ever put it together a day ahead of time and baked it the next day?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lauren, Thank you! and yes, you could put this together a day ahead and bake it the next day. I would take it out of the fridge at least 20 minutes before baking to bring the dish closer to room temperature. Shebly
Rhonda says
Made this casserole yesterday, and LOVE IT !! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Rhonda, so glad you loved the recipe, thank you for stopping by to share!
JK says
I would serve this with thick pork chops or pork loin that was cooked sous vide then finished by searing. But I would also sub in cauliflower for the rice and try with a different melty cheese blend.
Sue Strauch says
I have a recipe that is very similar and it’s delicious. A great side for a turkey dinner. I always make it during the holidays. Great with an Easter ham as well.
Life Tastes Good says
What great memories! What a great idea to take pics of the recipe!! This sounds wonderful!
Mary Ellen says
This is one of my favorite rice casserole recipes, so good and creamy...
Jen Sattley says
I am such a sucker for broccoli casseroles and this one looks delicious!
Shelby says
I'm sorry, I don't have it right off hand but I can figure it out using my SparkPeople guide. I will get back to you! Glad you love the recipe!
It'sALifeStyleBaby!! says
I love this recipe, do you happen to have the nutritional information?
Fat
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Thanks so much!
Katy ~ says
I love the comforts and flavors of home. This is a winner!
Laura says
In the last few years of my grandma's life, when the Alztheimer's was bad but not terrible, I had her write out some recipes for. the handwriting is shaky and I am not even sure she was completely cognizant of the recipes (she was copying them from my mom's copies--also in her writing), but I wanted them in her writing. Your pics remind me of that.
This casserole looks wonderful--the kind of food I rarely make but always enjoy when it is served to me.
JennyMac says
YUMMMMMMM! My broccoli casserole recipe I got from my supervising teacher when I was student teaching. (over 20 years ago, yikes!) It's very similar except for it has ritz crackers and butter on top. So good!
Jamie says
This does look the best broccoli casserole ever! Your grandmother's handwritten recipes look just like my grandmother's and mom's handwritten ones (which I treasure). The handwriting even looks the same...isn't that weird? I want to make this for Thanksgiving....you'll be passing on your family recipe...thank you!
Robin Sue says
I love broccoli casserole and this recipe looks so good. A funny story, my Ma used to made a broccoli and rice casserole that my brother hated. On night while at dinner he was not eating it and it made Ma mad, plus he was really fussing and sassing her about it. So she scooped up a handful of the casserole and smashed it in his face. He never fussed over her broccoli casserole again!
Mrs. L says
This casserole looks great. I've got to get myself in gear and participate in Family Recipes again!
teresa says
oh my gosh, this looks soooo creamy and delicious! i love broccoli when it's prepared this way!
Kathleen says
I think it is beyond awesome that you are putting together a family recipe cook book. I loved your Nanny's hand written recipe! This casserole sounds like a winner!
Mags says
That's so neat that you're putting together a family cookbook. I love recipes like this that have a memory attached to them.
Barbara Bakes says
I love that you have hand written recipes to pass down!
Katie says
So easy. So delicious.
alskamom says
Oh, Yum! I love broccoli, and this sounds absolutely delicious!
CookiePie says
I love recipes like that -- handwritten recipes that mom made (or grandma, auntie, etc.), for dishes you grew up on! They're the best -- you can taste the love in them! Thanks for sharing! I bet this casserole is sooo delicious.
Patsyk says
I did something similar when I was visiting my mom last year... she had typed up copies of favorite recipes and I swiped a whole bunch of them to bring home!
pigpigscorner says
I've never had broccoli like this. Looks like it's time to stop roasting broccoli!
Donna-FFW says
Handwritten recipes have such charm, I love them. This casserole dish sounds just perfect, PERFECT, for the holiday table.
I am going to try and remember to join in on your event this month.