This one pan broccoli cheese rice is creamy, cheesy and packed with tender broccoli and fluffy rice in every comforting bite.
Just like my coconut lime rice, this easy side dish is made entirely in one skillet, and combines toasted long-grain rice, chicken stock, fresh broccoli and melty cheese into a simple family-friendly recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights. It's rich, satisfying and comes together with minimal cleanup.
There are some recipes that instantly feel like comfort food (like my French onion soup chicken), and this broccoli cheese rice is definitely one of them. The rice absorbs all the flavor from the chicken stock while the cheese creates a creamy, irresistible finish that makes it hard to stop at just one serving.
I recently tried making potato Aligot as a side, and everyone absolutely devoured it. I wanted to try recreating those same cheesy, garlicky flavors in a rice base, and this cheesy rice dish seemed like a great idea.
Quick Look: Broccoli Cheese Rice
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook time: 25 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 4-6
- 📋 Main ingredients: Long grain rice, broccoli, cheese, onion, garlic and chicken stock.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Sauté aromatics → toast rice → simmer → add broccoli and cheese.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Serve alongside grilled chicken, steak or use as a base for chicken Fajita rice bowls.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Broccoli Cheese Rice
- What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
- 💭Top Tip
- Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- How to Serve One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
- Troubleshooting and FAQs
- More Easy Side Dishes
- One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Everything cooks in one pan which makes cleanup super easy- just like with my garlic turmeric rice recipe.
- It is great as both a side dish and vegetarian main meal. Team it up with some stir fried firm tofu or Cajun pickled eggs to make it more filling.
- It is family-friendly and kid-approved- the flavors are so good, everyone's going to love it.
Recipe Ingredients
Rice: Use Jasmine or Basmati rice or any other long grain rice. This creates a fluffy texture and absorbs all the delicious flavors.
Broccoli: To add freshness, color and nutrition.
Aromatics: Onion and garlic, to add that savory depth.
Chicken stock: Infuses the rice with flavor as it cooks. If you're vegetarian, use low sodium vegetable stock.
Cheese: Melts into the rice and creates a creamy, cheesy finish. You can use almost any shredded cheese of your choice.
Oil: Any cooking oil works well.
Seasonings: I kept it simple and just used some salt and pepper. You can add some jalapeno flakes for extra heat. You can also use a seasoned salt like jalapeno infused salt or garlic and herb salt if you want to.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don't have veggie or chicken broth, you can stick to using just plain water too. I like to dissolve one of my homemade vegetable bouillon cubes in water and then pour it into the pan.
- Bulk up the rice by stirring in peas, diced carrots, corn or any other veggies of your choice. I love adding my Air Fryer dehydrated bell peppers sometimes.
- Experiment with different seasonings of your choice. Red pepper flakes add a nice kick of heat, and garlic powder amplifies the garlicky depth. I love using my homemade rice seasoning sometimes.
How to Make One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion and garlic for a couple of minutes.
Step 2: Add in the soaked rice and cook over medium heat, stirring a few times.
Step 3: Once the rice look a little toasty, pour in the chicken stock and add the seasonings. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Step 4: Uncover the pan and add in the chopped broccoli and shredded cheese. Stir gently, put the lid back on and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Take off heat, cool down slightly and stir.
Step 6: Gently fluff the rice and serve.
💭Top Tip
Add the broccoli during the final few minutes of cooking to keep it bright green and slightly crisp instead of overcooking it.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure you wash the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch. I always do this when I make my cumin rice and almost any other rice. This helps make the rice fluffy instead of getting all clumped up together once cooked.
- Toasting the rice before adding the liquid adds extra flavor- it takes just a couple of minutes, so don't skip this step.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the smoothest melt. You can use Monterey Jack, cheddar or Colby Jack cheese.
- Keep the pan covered while the rice cooks for the best texture. I realized this when I made my lemon dill rice.
- Stir gently after adding the cheese to prevent the rice from becoming mushy.
- You can also add some air fried shredded chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken into the rice towards the end to make it a filling, wholesome meal.
How to Serve One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
This broccoli cheese rice makes an excellent side dish for grilled chicken, baked chicken thighs, shrimp (like my garlic lemon butter shrimp), steak or meatloaf.
It can also be served as a simple vegetarian main course with a side salad or vegetables like air fried squash and zucchini. For protein, I like to pair it with some Cajun egg boil or grilled lemon pepper chicken legs.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! Frozen broccoli works well. Add it directly to the pan during the final few minutes of cooking.
More Easy Side Dishes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this one pan broccoli cheese rice or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
One Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice
Ingredients
- ½ cup rice long grained
- 1.5 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- 1 cup cheese shredded
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the soaked rice and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
- Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is almost fully cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add the chopped broccoli and shredded cheese.
- Stir gently until the cheese melts and the broccoli becomes tender.
- Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Notes
- Freshly shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken stock.
- Frozen broccoli works well if fresh broccoli isn't available.
- Add cooked chicken for a complete one-pan meal.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
