This easy Crockpot broccoli rice casserole is made with frozen chopped broccoli, uncooked instant rice, sweet onion, Velveeta, and cheddar. Just dice the onion, cube the Velveeta, and stir everything together in the slow cooker. Add the shredded cheddar near the end for a melted cheese topping.
Frozen chopped broccoli comes in smaller pieces than broccoli florets or cuts, so it mixes evenly throughout the casserole. It’s a handy shortcut when you want broccoli in every bite without chopping it yourself. This helps the broccoli cook evenly and is great for kids (and adults!) and picky eaters who don't like to eat big chunks of broccoli.
Aside from being a perfect side dish for everyday cooking, it's also a holiday classic, a great recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. For more Thanksgiving sides, try green bean casserole or green chile corn casserole.
Shortcut Notes
- Easy recipe: This is a dump-and-go style Crockpot recipe with very little prep and a relatively quick cooking time (for a slow cooker!). The only chopping required is the onion and Velveeta.
- Feeds a crowd: This recipe easily makes 10 to 12 servings, perfect for a potluck, Sunday dinner, or holiday meal.
- Family dinner favorite: Cheesy broccoli casserole is a delicious comfort food the whole family will enjoy.
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Ingredients
- Frozen chopped broccoli - On the frozen food aisle at the grocery store you will find broccoli labeled "chopped broccoli" which is cut into much smaller pieces than broccoli cuts or broccoli florets.
- Instant rice - Instant rice, such as Minute Rice, cooks much faster than regular long grain white rice or brown rice, making it perfect for this quick side dish. Note: You do NOT need to cook the instant rice before adding it. Just add the uncooked rice and it will cook in the slow cooker.
- Sweet onion - Diced.
- Velveeta - Shelf-stable Velveeta cheese comes in blocks. Cube the loaf to help the cheese melt more evenly. Velveeta is a fantastic melting cheese, perfect for a nice and cheesy sauce.
- Condensed soup - Cream of mushroom soup and cream of celery soup.
- Low-sodium chicken broth - For additional flavor.
- Whole milk - Adds to the creaminess of the dish.
- Unsalted butter - Enhances the rice with a rich and buttery flavor.
- Sharp cheddar cheese - Shredded cheddar cheese to top the casserole for an extra-cheesy casserole. Freshly shredded cheese will melt better than pre-shredded.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients except the shredded cheddar cheese to the Crockpot.
Stir to combine. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir then top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Cover with the lid and set the slow cooker to WARM for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Substitutions
- Frozen chopped broccoli - You can buy frozen florets or broccoli cuts and chop them yourself. You can also use frozen broccoli florets without chopping them, but I recommend thawing the broccoli first if you do not plan to chop it. You can also use fresh broccoli chopped into small pieces. Be sure to check if the broccoli is fork-tender at the end of the cooking time. If not, add an additional 15-30 minutes to the timer before adding the cheese.
- Instant rice - Instant rice CANNOT be substituted with regular rice. You can use Minute Rice Brown Rice, but note that brown instant rice typically takes longer to cook.
- Sweet onion - You can omit the onion or add any variety of onion or even shallots.
- Velveeta - This recipe was developed using Velveeta original, but you can also use Velveeta Queso Blanco, 2%, or Mexican.
- Condensed soup - Use your favorite condensed soups based on what you already have on hand or the flavor profile you want to create. My top substitutions are cream of chicken soup and cream of onion soup. You could even use a can of condensed broccoli cheese soup.
Behind the Recipe
Broccoli rice casserole was one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes growing up, thanks to my aunt Alison. It’s still one of the first sides I think of when I’m planning a holiday meal.
This slow cooker version uses frozen chopped broccoli and instant rice to make it easier to fit into a busy cooking day. It also frees up the oven for the rest of Thanksgiving dinner.
FAQ
No. Add the instant rice uncooked. It cooks in the liquid with the other ingredients.
No. This recipe’s liquid amounts and cooking times are for instant rice. Regular long-grain rice won’t cook the same way here.
📖 Recipe
Crockpot Broccoli Rice Casserole
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounces frozen chopped broccoli about 6 cups
- 2 cups instant rice
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 16 ounces Velveeta cubed
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.5 ounces)
- 1 can cream of celery soup (10.5 ounces)
- 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth or water (14 ounces)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the cheddar cheese to the Crockpot and stir to combine.
- Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Stir then top with cheddar cheese and cover with the lid and set the slow cooker to WARM for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Holiday Recipes
If you like this slow cooker Velveeta broccoli rice casserole, bookmark these easy side dishes.
linda m nash says
What size can of broth did you use?
Kelsey Smith says
One 14-ounce can of broth.