Copycat Cheddar Broccoli Rice-a-Roni is almost as easy to make as the stuff in a box but tastes so much better. This homemade rice a roni version pairs perfectly as a side dish accompaniment to chicken, fish, steak, or shrimp. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to the boxed version!
This homemade rice dish is a simple blend of rice and orzo pasta cooked in broth and butter until light and fluffy, then just mix in some cheddar cheese. It’s a nice & easy side dish that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes with no weird unpronounceable processed ingredients and no artificial ingredients.
I first made and shared this recipe in 2013; I’ve updated it here for you with new photos, information, and recipe cards. Originally, I had two recipe cards on the same page, which I understand is confusing for so many.
So, I’ve taken the recipe for Mixed Veggie Rice-a-Roni and moved it to a spot of its own. I don’t think it ever had the popularity that the Cheddar Broccoli version had, and I wanted to make it easy to find the super popular recipe. If you’re looking for ways to add more vegetables to your side dish, hop over there and look for some inspiration.
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The boxed stuff
When I became vegetarian, I didn’t necessarily have the best eating habits. I was young and still in school. I was busy and ate convenience foods (like so many people!). One of my go-to meals was a box of Rice-A-Roni Broccoli Au Gratin. I’d come home from school and make a box for dinner. Sometimes I’d add in tofu or extra broccoli.
I made the boxed stuff, that is, until I learned that it has trans fats in it. Now, I haven’t had it in years.
So, as part of remaking my childhood favorites, I thought I’d take on the Rice-a-Roni broccoli cheddar copycat challenge. I also have an Instant Pot Rice a Roni recipe if you love the cooking in the IP.
I’d say that my cheesy rice a roni cheddar broccoli recipe is really close to the original. Maybe mine is not as salty, but that’s ALL good with me! Mine is not quite as fake-cheesy, but you can always add a little extra shredded cheddar in if you want. And mine definitely has more broccoli in it than the boxed stuff!
Childhood favorites
This is the second recipe in my remaking our childhood foods series.
A while ago I decided that I wanted to remake some of the foods from our childhood.
I wanted the new versions to reflect our current eating styles: healthier, less fat, no trans-fats, fewer processed items, more veggies, maybe even just tastier.
Some of those childhood recipes include ice cream drumsticks, Little meat patties and rice, Italian Apricot Chicken and the vegetarian Italian Apricot Stew, and Spaghetti-os.
Easy to make
This homemade cheesy rice a roni or broccoli au gratin rice is quick and easy to make.
Be sure to scroll down for the printable recipe card with full instructions and ingredient amounts.
Start by chopping the broccoli into really fine little pieces by slicing or shaving off the dark green florets into tiny bits.
Fresh broccoli is best for this, it cooks up tender and delicious.
But frozen broccoli is full of nutrients, is often a really budget friendly vegetable, and lasts a long time in the freezer. So, go ahead and use frozen here as well.
The frozen broccoli will just be a little softer. And I have noticed that frozen broccoli tends to have a lot more stems in a package, so be sure to chop those up nice and fine.
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the rice and orzo, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the orzo turns golden brown, and the rice turns translucent.
Traditional Rice-A-Roni uses a long grain white rice. Long grain rice comes in different varieties, with each variety tasting a little differently. Look for bags of rice labeled as long grain or basmati rice.
But in reality, any white rice you like will work.
I often make this dish with a medium grain rice called Calrose rice because that’s what we usually have in the house.
Continue cooking
Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and simmer covered for 10 – 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Add the broccoli and cook for an additional 3 minutes. If you prefer your broccoli to be softer, you can absolutely add it earlier with the broth. I prefer my broccoli more tender crisp, and I find that it cooks up nicely because the pieces are so small.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar, salt, and pepper. Feel free to experiment with the cheese here too. I’ve had many readers tell me they will use sharp cheddar one day, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and medium cheddar another day.
Stir until well incorporated. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
That’s it! Your side dish is ready. Serve it with some nice air fryer cedar plank salmon, roasted chicken, coconut shrimp, air fryer salmon, or grilled steak.
This homemade version is vegetarian if you use vegetable broth.
I love using homemade vegetable broth in this; it adds a rich flavor without too much sodium.
Broth
I’m a big believer in using the broth that tastes good to your family.
If you have a homemade chicken stock that just knocks it out of the park, and nothing else tastes as good, by all means use that instead of vegetable broth. Just know that that the dish is no longer vegetarian.
If I’m not using homemade broth or my Instant Vegetarian Broth Mix, most of my cooking is done with {affiliate link} Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base. It’s delicious and inexpensive for how much you get out of a small jar.
You can follow the instructions on the package for how much to use, or if you want even lower sodium cut the broth paste amount in half, and it still has great flavor.
Is Rice a Roni cheddar broccoli gluten-free?
No, this dish is not naturally gluten-free, because it uses orzo pasta, which is typically made from wheat flour.
You may be able to find a gluten-free orzo at your store. Or, you could break a larger gluten-free spaghetti pasta into smaller pieces and use that instead.
Everything else in the dish is gluten-free.
Is Rice-A-Roni healthy?
If you make it at home, yes, it’s a wholesome dish that you can feel good about serving to your family.
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homemade rice a roni Recipe
Cheddar Broccoli Homemade Rice a Roni
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and orzo, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the orzo turns golden brown, and the rice turns translucent.
- Pour the broth in, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and cover. Cook, covered, for 10 – 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the broccoli and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter, cheddar, salt, and pepper. Stir until well incorporated. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Used the 10 min jasmine rice. I used butter instead of oil. Broccoli needs to be put in when there is still broth to help it cook more. Very tasty!!
I tried it! It came out great and really tasty! was easy and for two people wasn’t too large an amount.
Amazing! My kids love it! It is a staple side dish at our house.
Ridiculously good. Added a spoonful of chicken base, some chopped garlic, and used arborio rice instead of white rice to give it more of a risotto feel. So good!
Awesome results. We will definitely be doing this again!
This tastes even BETTER than the box stuff and I know everything that’s going in it! And just as easy to make!
The reviews are true – this was definitely better than the boxed stuff! Never buying the boxed ones again! Thanks for an awesome recipe.