Description
A creamy, cheesy one-pan dinner featuring tender rice, fresh broccoli, and loads of melted cheddar cheese. This easy vegetarian skillet meal is ready in 30 minutes and requires minimal cleanup, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients: Dice your onion, mince the garlic, cut broccoli into small florets, shred your cheese (if using block cheese), and cube the cream cheese. Having everything ready makes cooking smooth and stress-free.
- Sauté the aromatics: Melt the butter in your large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic burn!
- Toast the rice: Add the uncooked rice to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir to coat the rice in the butter and toast for about 2 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the rice becomes slightly translucent around the edges and smells nutty. This step adds amazing flavor and helps prevent mushy rice.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika (if using). Stir everything together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the broccoli: Once boiling, nestle the broccoli florets into the rice mixture, distributing them evenly. Don’t stir them in completely—just press them down gently into the liquid.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with your lid, and let it simmer for 15-17 minutes. Don’t peek! Lifting the lid releases steam and affects cooking time. The rice should absorb the liquid and become tender. If you’re using brown rice, this will take 40-45 minutes instead.
- Check for doneness: After 15-17 minutes, remove the lid and check that the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. If there’s still liquid and the rice is undercooked, cover and cook for 2-3 more minutes. If the rice is done but there’s excess liquid, cook uncovered for a minute or two.
- Make it creamy: Remove from heat. Add the cubed cream cheese and milk. Stir gently until the cream cheese melts and creates a creamy sauce throughout the rice. This takes about 1-2 minutes of stirring.
- Add the cheese: Stir in 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, reserving ½ cup for topping. Keep stirring until the cheese melts completely and everything is wonderfully creamy and combined.
- Top and melt: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top. Cover the skillet for 2-3 minutes to let the cheese melt into a gorgeous, gooey layer.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the lid, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately while hot and cheesy!
Notes
- For brown rice: Use 3 cups of broth instead of 2 ½ cups and increase cooking time to 40-45 minutes in step 6.
- Rice texture: If your rice is undercooked after the initial cooking time, add ¼ cup more broth, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Broccoli firmness: If you prefer very tender broccoli, add it 5 minutes into the rice cooking time. For crunchier broccoli, add it after 10 minutes.
- Cheese melting: Make sure to remove from heat before adding the cream cheese and cheddar. Cheese added to boiling liquid can become grainy.
- Thinning: If your skillet seems too thick, stir in a splash of milk or broth until you reach desired consistency.
- Dairy-free option: Use dairy-free butter, cream cheese (like Kite Hill), non-dairy milk, and dairy-free cheddar shreds.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 60mg