Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole (Cheesy, Creamy & Perfect for Gatherings)

Growing up, it seems like the smell of broccoli rice casserole has always been with me. There wasn’t a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday that it wasn’t on the table and rated high, right up there with the turkey and dressing or ham and dressing. I was never sure if that stupendous smell was any one of those other dishes baking, as I sneaked a quick oven door opening while mama wasn’t looking. A waft of heaven floated out as I shut it fast, not wanting to risk getting caught. Us kids could never wait till dinnertime and took turns bugging mama, was it ready yet? 

It was usually cold outside but warm and toasty in our ranch style house that was always booming with sound and controlled chaos. Daddy had football playing in the den, which adjoined the kitchen, where cooking commenced in a beehive of activity. Someone was chopping onions or celery, checking on that simmering turkey stock for gravy, or making the cranberries. Mama was head chef, all the rest of us sous chefs, just glad to be there. All five of us were adopted at different ages and the learning curve steep. These two heroes, our parents were brave enough and kind enough to take us all in as we grew to adulthood and eventually blended, after a fashion. 

When I was adopted, my new family owned the original Alta Loma Café, but it was closed on these intensely important holidays that marked my life then, and even today. I had been in the Galveston’s Orphan’s Home, now the Bryan Museum. While I could never forget the gut wrenching starvation I faced as a young child, I studied my new surroundings and latched onto every morsel like it was my last. That faded over time, eventually leaving me all total.

As we cooked, I would close my eyes, imagining that bubbling cheese covered velvety-smooth and inviting broccoli folded into tender rice, all nestled beneath a top layer of succulent golden deliciousness. It wasn’t just your casual casserole, it was the essence of the holidays, a perfect dish to share with another family, offering them the same warmth and care that filled our home.

When outside cold crept through opened doors, it was overcome by drifts from the oven in waves-buttery, lovely, and unmistakably tied to the season. Steam-covered windows added to the aura, a nod to family gathering on those special days that chased winter away. In the spirit of the holidays, it was the kind of dish you could lovingly prepare and share with another family, offering them your joy.

The casserole, finally ready, became a holiday tradition, passed down for generations, as our family settled around the table into the glow of merriment and clinking silverware and the soft hum of holiday in the background. Most everyone reached eagerly for seconds, adults leaned back with the kind of satiety that home cooking brings, the room wrapped in togetherness. Eating broccoli rice casserole during the holidays become more than a meal, it became a ritual of comfort and gratitude. And when we passed along a dish to another household, wrapped carefully and given with love, we helped make their winter day a little brighter, completing the holiday season with a simple, heartfelt gesture. This is for you.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe.pdf

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Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe

Recipe By: Karen Hand Allen (www.karenhandallen.com) 

Chessy, creamy broccoli, rice and bits of onion fuse for a stupendous sauce that is filling, hearty and sure to please a couple or a crowd. Each spoonful feels like a promise of holiday goodness and delightfully makes the most of your festive gathering with candles, family, laughter and love. You’ll fight over leftovers, so get yours quick! Happy holidays, always.

Servings: 10-12

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cooking Time: 45 | Rest Time: - | Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients:  ½ stick of salted butter 1 medium sweet onion (finely diced) 2 tsp seasoned salt  16 oz Velveeta (cut into cubes) 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken condensed soup 1 cup half and half 2 heads fresh broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces) 2 cups cooked rice 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese Salt (to taste)

Instructions: 1. Cook the rice Prepare 1 cup uncooked rice according to package instructions to yield 2 cups cooked rice. Set aside. 2. Prepare the broccoli Cut broccoli into small florets. Do not steam—it will cook fully in the oven. 3. Make the cheese sauce (“the goo”) Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.Add diced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft and fragrant.Stir in seasoned salt.Add Velveeta cubes, cream of chicken soup, and half and half.Cook, stirring often, until smooth and fully melted.Taste and add salt and/or seasoned salt if desired. Stir broccoli and cooked rice into the cheese sauce. 4. Assemble the casserole Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour mixture into 9x13 greased casserole dish. Spread into an even layer in the dish and top with the shredded cheddar cheese. 5. Bake If baking immediately: Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 minutes, then continue baking 10–15 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. If baking later (from cold): Cover tightly with foil.Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until hot and lightly browned.

Note: 

• Rice doubles when cooked: Use 1 cup uncooked rice to make 2 cups cooked rice (matches ingredient list).

• Broccoli cooks fully in the oven—no par-cooking necessary.