Rice & Broccoli Casserole

This is pure retro casserole comfort. Cooked rice and broccoli mixed with two cans of cream soup, sautéed onion and celery, and half a pound of processed cheese, then baked until bubbling and golden around the edges.

The double cream soup base, one mushroom and one chicken, gives this casserole a richer, more complex flavor than using either soup alone. The mushroom brings earthy depth while the chicken adds savory body. Together they create a creamy sauce that binds the rice and broccoli without needing a from-scratch bechamel.

Processed cheese melts into the casserole completely, creating a smooth, gooey texture throughout rather than the stringy pockets you’d get from natural cheese. It’s not trying to be gourmet, and that’s entirely the point.

This is a great make-ahead dish. Assemble everything in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Add an extra 10 minutes of oven time if going straight from the fridge.

Pro Tips

• Don’t overcook the broccoli before assembling. It should be barely tender since it gets another 30-40 minutes in the oven. Overcooked broccoli turns to mush in the finished casserole.
• Cook the rice just to done, not soft. It absorbs moisture from the soup during baking and continues to soften.
• Sauté the onion and celery until fully soft. Crunchy raw bits in a cream casserole are not pleasant.
• Let it rest 5 minutes after baking so the filling firms up slightly and doesn’t run when you scoop.

Variations

• Chicken broccoli rice casserole: Add 2 cups of diced cooked chicken to turn this from a side dish into a full one-dish dinner.
• Cheddar upgrade: Replace processed cheese with sharp cheddar for a tangier, more pronounced cheese flavor.