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    Home > Side Dishes > Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole

    Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole

    Published: Feb 28, 2015 · Modified: Nov 6, 2021 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Old Fashioned Broccoli cheez whiz casserole

     Let’s bring back that old Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole …. Rice, Broccoli, Cheez Whiz, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Onion and Celery make this Classic Old Fashioned Side Dish. A pot luck or holiday dinner wouldn’t be complete without it.

    Old fashioned broccoli cheez whiz rice casserole recipe

    Cheez Whiz, It’s As Old As Me!

    Did you know they still make Cheez Whiz? It may be one of those things you’ve not had since you were a kid. Can you believe it made it’s debut on grocery shelves in 1953???

    As part of the processed food revolution, it brought us a whole new level of convenience, along with a slew of  recipe developers who made sure we had hundreds of ways to use this unnatural wonder. When I was growing up it’s favorite targets were hot dogs, sandwiches and taco chips.

    And purchasing the pressurized can version, one was able to make pretty little orange squiggles on crackers… or shoot it right into your mouth.

    What is Cheez Whiz?

    I’ve spent some time reading about Cheez Whiz and the “weird science” involved in creating processed cheese. The articles read like science fiction.

    But with that said, in  my convenience aisle bliss, I bet I made this casserole at least once a week when I was first married in the 70’s.

    Made with Minute Rice, Cream of Mushroom Soup and Cheez Whiz, it was one of the darling recipes of the convenience food industry. And it was delicious. (Affiliate links have been added for your convenience)

    No Reason To Try and Fix Something That’s Not Broke

    I thought about taking the time to make it without processed food, but decided to take a walk down memory lane and prepare it in all of it’s original glory.

    It seemed a little sweeter than it used to. I’m afraid to look at the labels but I wonder if corn syrup is now involved?  And don’t get me started on corn syrup, that opens up a whole new glow in the dark can of worms.

    Who Invented Cheez Whiz?

    Interesting: Edwin Traisman, died at the age of 91. He was a food scientist who, as director of research at Kraft, led the invention of Cheez Whiz. He went on to own five McDonald’s franchises during the 1950s to 1960s.

    His wife said that he broke ground by being the first to hire women, even though it violated company rules at the time.

    He risked his franchises in order to give equal employment opportunities to women. He also helped to invent a process of freeze-drying which enabled McDonald’s  to serve fresh, crispy, high quality Idaho potatoes year-round.

    In the 1970s, he returned to his first passion, research, and became a manager at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Food Research Institute.

    When hemorrhagic E.coli foodborne illness became a serious health problem across this country, he initiated research to learn how to kill the pathogen and help keep food safe.

    He and his team were the first to discover that cooking meats to certain temperatures killed the bacteria. 

    In Conclusion

    This old fashioned minute rice broccoli cheese casserole recipe is just as delicious as I remember it.

    And I also remember adding cubes of chicken breast to this every once in a while to make it a meal. I remember one time my mom got a wild hair and added diced water chestnuts. A nice addition of crunch.

    This recipe is perfect for a comfort food side dish. A perfect combo of textures and cheesy flavor.

    Don’t forget to drag out your vintage Corning Casserole dish for this one.

    Recipe for Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole

    I hope you give this classic broccoli cheese casserole recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.

    And if you have a favorite holiday casserole recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

    More Old Fashioned Casserole Recipe Ideas:

    • Old Fashioned Green Beans
    • Old Fashioned Scalloped Potato Casserole

    And if you’re looking for more side dish recipe ideas, don’t miss my Side Dish Category. Lots of supporting actor ideas. Including this very popular recipe for Best Pasta Salad Ever, made with frozen cheese tortellini.

    Old fashioned broccoli casserole recipe

    Broccoli, Minute Rice, Cheez Whiz Casserole

    Rice, Broccoli, Cheez Whiz, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Onion and Celery make this Classic Old Fashioned Side Dish.
    4.92 from 68 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 297kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup onion chopped
    • 1/3 cup celery chopped
    • 1/4 cup oleo oleo is an old name for margarine. Butter will work for this recipe.
    • 1 cup minute rice uncooked
    • 10.5 ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup or Cream of Chicken, canned
    • 1 cup water or milk or chicken broth
    • 8 ounce Cheez Whiz
    • 10 ounce box frozen broccoli Use broccoli florets, or broccoli pieces. A 12 ounce bag of broccoli works fine for this recipe.
    • Pam non-stick spray
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Let the package of frozen broccoli partially thaw. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a fry pan, saute the onion and celery in the oleo (butter or margarine) until soft.
    • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together.
    • Turn into a 2-quart casserole pan which has been coated with Pam. Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    This recipe is very old and calls for a box of frozen broccoli, which is hard to find. I have used a 12 ounce bag of broccoli florets and it works just fine.
    This casserole can be assembled the day before. Just assemble the ingredients and add to your casserole pan. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
    If you can, choose a 2-quart casserole dish that is wider with low sides. As pictured in this article. Of course a deeper casserole dish will work fine, but the lower sides and wider base of a shallow baking dish helps the casserole cook quicker and more even.
    Fresh Broccoli? You can use fresh broccoli to make this recipe. Purchase broccoli heads and trim them into florets to equal about 10 – 12 ounces. Blanch the broccoli by placing it in a pan of rolling boiling water. Cook for about 1 – 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Proceed with the recipe.
    Brown Rice: Minute Rice, Brown rice can be substituted. Since brown rice takes longer to cook, cook the rice first before adding to the casserole.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 956mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 603IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Old Fashioned Broccoli Cheez Whiz Minute Rice Casserole …It’s what’s for Dinner

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cheryl says

      May 22, 2022 at 9:15 am

      Could you substitute cauliflower rice?

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        May 24, 2022 at 6:50 am

        Hi Cheryl and thanks for your question about cauliflower rice.

        I’m sorry to say I have to reply that I have no idea. I love cauliflower but have never once cooked with cauliflower rice.

        However, I’d love to try it. It should cook as quickly as Minute rice. You’ve inspired me to give it a try.

        Reply
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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad obsessed with South of The Border cuisine. Mexican, Southwestern and Wild West Recipes. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration for reliable, approachable recipes.

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