How do you make a casserole not soggy?

Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

How many calories in a serving of broccoli and cheese casserole?

1 serving of broccoli cheese casserole contains 281 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 14% carbs, 71% fat, and 15% protein. This is a good source of protein (19% of your Daily Value), potassium (8% of your Daily Value), and calcium (24% of your Daily Value).

What is the key to making a good casserole?

Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ... Undercook your pasta. ... Drain your meat. ... Beware of mushy vegetables. ... Know your cheeses. ... Master the art of casserole assembly. ... Don't skip the topping. ... Make it now, but bake it later. More items... Nov 1, 2021

Do I bake my casserole covered or uncovered?

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

How many calories are in 1 cup of broccoli and cheese?

Broccoli With Cheese Sauce (1 cup) contains 16g total carbs, 11.2g net carbs, 15.4g fat, 12.2g protein, and 242 calories.

How many carbs are in broccoli cheese casserole from cheddar?

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Sides Broccoli Cheese Casserole (1 serving) contains 14g total carbs, 7g net carbs, 13g fat, 8g protein, and 200 calories.

Does broccoli casserole have carbs?

Broccoli Casserole (broccoli, Rice, Cheese, And Mushroom Sauce) (1 cup) contains 32.2g total carbs, 29.4g net carbs, 13.2g fat, 10.9g protein, and 287 calories.

How do you keep a casserole moist?

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole. The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

Why is my casserole soggy?

You might not realise it, but those perfectly ripe, bursting-with-moisture-veggies that you're tossing into your casserole are most likely the culprits when it comes to a watery bake, which is why it's important to heed the recipe when it comes to prepping your vegetables and cooling your finished product.

Should a casserole be covered in liquid?

A tight-fitting lid on your casserole dish ensures the dish doesn't lose moisture during the long cooking process. Size matters. If your dish is too small, the liquid can overflow.

How long should a casserole be in the oven?

The time a casserole takes to cook will vary from 2-2½ hours for chuck, blade and thick flank, up to 4 hours for shin, leg and neck. Pork cuts for braising and casseroling normally take 1½ hours, and lamb much the same.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch)

Budget Bytes » Recipes » » Rice Recipes » Broccoli Cheese Casserole

$6.56 recipe / $1.09 serving

by Beth - Budget Bytes

published Mar 7, 2015updated Nov 11, 2023

4.74 from 76 votes

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Who doesn’t love Broccoli Cheese Casserole?? This cozy homemade version doesn’t contain any canned “cream of” soup and still comes together super fast and easy. Broccoli cheese casserole is a comfort food classic that is great as a Thanksgiving side, or just a tasty addition to dinner any night of the week. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover rice from the night before!

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (2)

If you didn’t grow up on broccoli cheese casserole, you’re missing out! this super rich and cream casserole combines tender broccoli with cooked rice, a super cheesy sauce, and plenty of seasoning so that every bite is packed with flavor. But this isn’t just any broccoli cheese casserole, we’ve skipped the condensed canned soup and made our sauce 100% from scratch. But don’t worry, I promise it’s still easy!

Ingredients for Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own homemade broccoli cheese casserole:

Broccoli: We used frozen broccoli florets because it’s super convenient. Not only is it already chopped (yay!), but it’s also partially cooked, which makes the whole casserole come together so much faster.
Cooked Rice: Like fried rice, pre-cooked and chilled rice works best for this recipe because it absorbs more of the flavor from the sauce and prevents it doesn’t get mushy. If you don’t have rice on hand that is already cooked, allow time to cook some rice and allow it to cool before making this recipe. To cool your cooked rice faster, spread it out onto a baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator. The large surface area will help it cool quickly.
Cheddar Cheese: This is the “cheese” in the “cheese casserole”! Avoid using mild cheddar as it won’t give as much flavor to your casserole. Aim for medium or sharp cheddar instead.
Garlic & Onion: Sautéed fresh garlic and onion give the casserole a deep savory base flavor.
Butter & Flour: Butter and flour combine to create a roux that thickens the cheese sauce.
Milk: Whole milk is the base for the creamy cheese sauce in the casserole. While you can use a lower fat milk, it will definitely affect the flavor and richness of the casserole.
Seasoning: The casserole is seasoned simply with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper so the flavor of the broccoli and cheese can take the main stage.

Can I Use Brown Rice?

Yes! I’ve made this broccoli cheese casserole recipe using both brown and white rice and it’s delightful either way. Since you’re measuring the rice after it has been cooked, no adjustments need to be made to the recipe below if you plan to use brown rice. Brown rice gives this broccoli casserole a slightly nutty flavor and a little bit more texture.

Can Broccoli Cheese Casserole Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can assemble this broccoli cheese casserole up to one day ahead of time, keeping it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Because the casserole will be chilled when going into the oven, you may need to add an extra 20-30 minutes to the cooking time to make sure the casserole is heated through.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

4.74 from 76 votes

This Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe is a classic side dish made with a creamy homemade cheese sauce, rice, and broccoli florets.

Author: Beth – Budget Bytes

Servings 6

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 40 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

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Ingredients

1 lb. frozen broccoli florets ($1.99)
4 cups cooked rice (white or brown) ($0.67)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ($1.69)
1 yellow onion ($0.32)
2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
3 Tbsp butter ($0.42)
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.03)
2 cups whole milk ($0.75)
1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.02)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.01)
1/8 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.01)

Instructions

Thaw the frozen broccoli, then chop it into smaller pieces. Add the chopped broccoli to a large bowl along with the cooked rice and about 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese (save the last ½ cup for topping the casserole).
Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Add the butter, onion, and garlic to a small saucepot and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (2-3 minutes). Add the flour and stir until a paste forms. Continue to stir and cook the paste for about two minutes, or just until it turns a light golden brown.
Whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk the mixture as it heats, allowing it to reach a simmer, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream. Remove the sauce from the heat.
Season the sauce with the salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, and pepper. Taste the sauce and add more seasoning if desired. The sauce should be heavily seasoned because it will be spread out over the broccoli and rice, which contain no seasoning of their own.
Pour the sauce over the rice, broccoli, and cheese, and stir until everything is evenly coated in sauce. Spread the casserole mixture evenly into a 9×9 inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar.
Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and is slightly browned around the edges. Divide into six portions and serve.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSodium: 543mgFiber: 3g

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Looking for a low-carb alternative? Check out my Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole.

How to Make Broccoli Cheese Casserole – Step by Step Photos

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (7)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Thaw one pound of frozen broccoli florets, then chop them into smaller pieces.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (8)

Add the chopped broccoli to a large bowl along with four cups cooked and cooled rice, and 6 oz. (1.5 cups) shredded cheddar cheese. Save the remaining ½ cup cheddar to top the casserole.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (9)

Stir the broccoli, rice, and cheese together until evenly combined, then set them aside.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (10)

Next, begin the white sauce. Finely dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a saucepot with 2 Tbsp butter. Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (11)

Add 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the cooked onions and garlic. Continue to stir and cook for about a minute more. The flour will form a paste with the butter.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (12)

Pour two cups of whole milk into the saucepot and whisk until all the flour is dissolved into the milk. Continue to stir and cook until the milk begins to gently simmer, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (From Scratch) - Budget Bytes (13)

Season the white sauce with ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, and ⅛ tsp black pepper. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning if you prefer (it should be heavily seasoned).