Cheesy broccoli rice a roni is almost as easy to make as the stuff you buy in a box. The only prep is to chop some broccoli and assemble the ingredients. After that, it’s on the table in about 30 minutes.
I totally get why people all over the world use convenience packs of prepared rice or noodles. I use them myself. There’s a wide variety of flavors and really, there’s nothing simpler than popping a pack into the microwave or dumping everything into a pot of water and letting it do its thing. But (there’s always a but…) there’s a price to pay for convenience. The portions are often too small for a growing family, so you have to have two packs instead of one for example. And then there’s the artificial flavorings and not so good for you trans fats that improve shelf life, but lower the quality of the end product. You won’t need to worry about any of that with this dish. You have control over the ingredients.
I don’t remember when I pinned this recipe from Cooking on A Budget but I’m making it as part of this month’s Pinterest Challenge where we take the time to actually make something from one of our Pinterest boards (more on that below). I only made a few changes to the original recipe.
Fresh broccoli is best for this, but a frozen pack of broccoli florets will also work. I break the florets into the smallest pieces practical and reserve the stems for a stir fry or other dish. You can use the stems, too, if you like, just chop them into small pieces that will cook quickly.
For the spaghetti, the easiest solution is to break the long pieces into smaller ones. Another option is to buy the short noodles or use another small pasta like orzo.
Any white rice you like will work to make cheesy broccoli rice a roni. You also have options with regard to the chicken broth. You can use your homemade broth or purchase ready made. A good quality bouillon is also an option. Make up a quart, some to cook the rice and noodles and the rest to replace liquid as it’s cooking and to help finish the cheesy sauce. I ended up using almost the entire quart of broth. The rice absorbed a lot of it and some of it evaporates during cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil or a combination
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/2 cup broken spaghetti noodles
- garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste (other dried herbs like an Italian blend are good, too. Add chopped fresh herbs before adding the cheese)
- 4 cups 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets Mine weighed about 8 ounces before cooking
- 1 cup shredded cheese I used cheddar
Instructions
- Heat the butter and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened and starting to change color.
- Stir in the rice and noodles, coating them with the butter. Cook briefly. The rice should turn translucent and the noodles will take on some color.
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth, reserving the rest. Season the mix with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 10 minutes or so.
- Stir in the broccoli florets and add some more broth if the mix looks dry or is sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Stir occasionally, adding more broth if necessary.
- Cook until the broccoli is crisp tender, according to your family's taste.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, adding more broth as needed to make a sauce that just clings to the rice and noodles.
Notes
This makes a lot of food. I ate it as a meal with about a cup and a half as the portion size and had plenty left over. It could easily be turned into something more substantial by adding a cup or more of leftover meat or even some garbanzo beans.
If you prefer a dairy free or vegetarian version, substitute the butter and cheese with your favorite alternatives.
Welcome to the August Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop, hosted by My Pinterventures. In the link up below you’ll find recipes, crafts and DIY projects inspired by pins we’ve saved for inspiration and are now making into reality. I hope you enjoy browsing through them and even clicking through to read more if something catches your fancy.
To join next month’s #pinterestchallenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ September Pinterest Challenge.
Now let’s see what other things Pinterest inspired! Head over and visit the other hosts to see what they crafted, cooked, built, or tried!
Erlene – My Pinterventures • Jenny – Cookies Coffee and Crafts
Alexandra – EyeLoveKnots • Joanne – Our Unschooling Journey
Chelc – Inside The Fox Den • Erin – The Usual Mayhem
Beverly – Across the Boulevard • Lynne – My Family Thyme
Laurie – My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies • Lydia – Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen
Gail – Purple Hues and Me • Leslie – Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Lauren – Mom Home Guide • Emily – Domestic Deadline
Debra – Shoppe No. 5 • Roseann – This Autoimmune Life
Terri – Our Good Life • Lisa – Blogghetti
Kelli – The Olympic Nest • Rebecca – Hello Central Avenue
Bri – Halfpint Design • Cherryl – Farm Girl Reformed
Julie – Sum of their Stories • Habiba – Craftify My Love
Shirley • Intelligent Domestications
Oooohhhhh, I will have to try this! We have given up on the convenience packs of rice since they are never enough and one of my girls has to be gluten-free so I always end up needing to make something different for her. But, I could sub a GF pasta in this!
Looks like something my husband will enjoy, will give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you all enjoy it 🙂
Boy, this looks so hearty and good. My hubs would love it. Pinning and will try very soon.
I hope your family enjoys it. Thanks for pinning!
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing — pinning!
Oh, I’m going to have to try this. My youngest can eat this for a meatless meal and everyone else can eat this as a side. Pinned.
It’s a great recipe to make for a family and easy enough to adjust the amounts you make. Thanks for pinning 🙂
This looks delicious! This looks like a recipe my family would enjoy. Pinned !
Thanks for pinning! I hope you all enjoy it.
Oohh, cheesy broccoli rice is my favorite! Pinned.
I like it, too. Thanks for pinning 🙂
I love the combination of cheese and broccoli. This sounds so good. I could make a meal of it.
The recipe makes plenty and it’s easy enough to scale up or down to suit your needs. Hope you give it a try 🙂
I’m a big fan of easy meals but a little wary of the ones that come in a box! This is a great alternative.
I like that you can make as much as you need for your family. The serving size was always a pet peeve of mine with the packaged stuff.
Looks delicious! It is amazing when you start reading food labels what they actually put in the products!
Isn’t it? I’m always on the lookout for sugars.
This dish sounds really yummy to me! I like the combination of the cheese, rice and broccoli! Pinned it and plan to make it. I have recipes I saved to Pinterest forever ago and they are still in the back of my mind to make. That’s one of the reasons I love this Pinterest Challenge.
I feel the same way about the Pinterest Challenge. It’s fun to break out the recipes and crafts that have caught my eye at some point.
I really love this challenge as I get to see great inspiration for crafts and DIY projects + new recipes to try. Besides travelling and sleeping, These are my favorite pastimes, lol.
You make some wonderful things, yourself!
This looks like such a good dish. Easy, too. Thanks!
It makes a fun change from plain rice and as you say, it’s easy enough to do. Thanks for stopping by!
That looks delicious and I do so enjoy trying to make our meals mostly from scratch instead of a box. Can’t wait to try it. Pinned.
Thanks for pinning! I like to cook from scratch, too. Sometimes it’s easy, like this recipe. Other times I try things to learn a new method or technique, which can be fun. Then there are those times when I feel like I’m stuck in the kitchen all day!
This is going to be on our dinner menu ASAP. Love that it’s not the processed packet. Thanks for sharing. Pinned :).
Thanks for pinning, Kelli. I’m not totally against convenience foods, they have their place, but when it’s this simple why not make it instead?
This looks really good. Cheesy broccoli rice is one of my favorites.
All great flavors that work well on their own or as a side. Thanks, Jenny!