Cheesy Broccoli Rice Recipe (4 Ingredients, 30 Minutes)

I first cooked this tacky broccoli rice in school after I needed one thing quick, simple, and comforting. Putting this meal collectively in my dorm kitchen was no downside in any respect, and within the time it might’ve taken for a plain pot of rice to prepare dinner via, I made myself an entire meal—fluffy rice, tender broccoli, and sharp, melty cheese mixed in a easy, hearty-yet-healthy bowl.

One Pot, Fewer Dishes

I used to steam the broccoli and boil the rice individually, however nowadays, I take advantage of a one-pot method for much less fuss and fewer dishes to clean. A couple of minutes earlier than the rice is completed, I sprinkle in bite-sized items of broccoli. They steam to an ideal tender-crisp doneness on prime of the grains.

You can get artistic with the seasonings if you’d like, however I nonetheless follow my dorm staples for this dish—a spoonful of garlic salt flavors the rice because it cooks, after which I add just a few grinds of black pepper on the desk. Some Frank’s RedHot or Cholula scorching sauce would possibly discover its manner into the bowl often too, if I’m within the temper for a little bit kick of spice.

Prepping the Broccoli

For the broccoli, I pick one decently-sized crown with a head of tightly packed florets that measures round 5 inches in diameter. Unlike a full head of broccoli, the crown already has the more durable backside a part of the stem eliminated. I take advantage of nearly all the factor, trimming off any browned space on the base, then chopping the remainder of the stem into 1/2-inch items and separating the florets into about one-inch, or bite-sized florets. You need all the pieces good and small so it’ll prepare dinner rapidly.

Choosing Your Cheese

As an Oregonian, I’m a fan of our unbelievable Tillamook sharp cheddar. It has a fantastic taste, melts fantastically, and it’s good and wealthy, with much less water content material than store-brand varieties I’ve tried. Cabot sharp cheddar, Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar, and even an aged gouda are actually good too. Just choose a flavorful melty cheese and also you’re good to go.

I nonetheless get pleasure from this as a meal all by itself, but it surely’s additionally good as a facet dish alongside roast (or rotisserie) rooster, baked salmon, or another protein. Leftovers maintain properly within the fridge for as much as three days. Reheat a portion within the microwave and the cheese melts proper again into the rice, making it simply as cozy the following day.

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