A well loved casserole of broccoli, rice and cheese, uses canned cheddar cheese soup and cream of mushroom for the sauce and is topped with your favorite shredded cheese.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Cheese

Broccoli casseroles, whether alone with cheese, with chicken, or like here with rice and cheese, have been a favorite casserole for potlucks, church suppers, family gatherings and especially holidays for as long as I can remember. Many people like to include Cheez Whiz in their broccoli and rice casserole and certainly you can use that, or even our southern favorite Velveeta as well, but I like to use the canned cheddar cheese soup from Campbell's. It's a pantry staple in my house and is an easy addition. Feel free to sub either of those ingredients if you prefer, or simply increase the amount of shredded cheddar to 2 cups, dividing it as noted in the recipe.

Back when I posted my variation of Trisha Yearwood's layered Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole, I mentioned the more common versions of broccoli and rice recipes out in the world - cooked rice, cooked broccoli, cream of something soup and a few seasonings, all mixed together, turned out into a baking dish, sprinkled with cheese or a crumb topping and baked. While it's pretty standard to everybody else's versions, here's the way I do my basic broccoli and rice casserole - with cheese too, of course!

I love garlic with broccoli, and of course y'all know I'm gonna include some of my favorite Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, but if you don't adore either of those, feel free to omit them. Unless you are using the Healthy Request, lower sodium versions of Campbell's soups, you likely will not need any additional salt. As always, taste and adjust!

This casserole serves somewhere between 4 and 6 as a side dish, depending on appetites. If you're making this for the holidays, double and bake in an oblong 9 x 13 inch casserole or large baking dish. Broccoli and Rice Casserole is a gooey, creamy, cheesy, super yummy well loved casserole that has been a holiday favorite for years ... but remember, it's also a great side dish to grace your table any time of the year.

Here's how to make it.

Recipe: Broccoli and Rice Casserole

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 35 min |

Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) packages of frozen, chopped broccoli
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of minced onion
• 1/4 cup of minced celery
• 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, optional
• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar, Swiss cheese, Montery Jack cheese, or any combination, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Place broccoli in a microwave safe bowl, add about 1 tablespoon of water, cover and microwave about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and roughly chop, if needed. Can also parboil or steam broccoli just until barely fork tender but with a bit of bite, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet and saute the onion and celery over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the two cans of soup and mix until well blended; add the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, rice and chopped broccoli. Stir gently until combined, taste and adjust seasonings. Turn out into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to the oven uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Cook's Notes: Serves between 4 and 6 as a side dish, depending on appetites. Double for the holidays or for potlucks. If you prefer, omit the cheddar cheese soup and increase grated cheddar to 2 cups, dividing as noted in the recipe. May substitute a large jar of Cheez Whiz. Substitute 4 cups of frozen broccoli florets, cooked and chopped, or about 1 large bunch of raw broccoli, trimmed, chopped and pre-cooked.

Optional toppings: Sliced, hard boiled eggs, French fried onions, Ritz crackers mixed with melted butter, panko or regular bread crumbs, or sliced almonds. Can be used in a layer under the cheese, or in place of the cheese.

Tip: To make this a main dish meal, stir in 2-3 cups of chopped, cooked chicken with the broccoli.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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©Deep South Dish

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Posted by Mary on November 7, 2010

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