Broccoli and rice casserole with Cheese Whiz is an old-fashioned comfort food classic casserole made with Minute Rice, frozen broccoli, condensed cream soup, and creamy Cheez Whiz cheese sauce. This easy, oven-baked side dish has been a favorite at family dinners and holiday gatherings for generations. My version keeps the original convenience-food ingredients and familiar flavor that made this casserole a classic.
Quick Look: Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole
- 🧁 Serves: 6
- ⭐ Features: Nostalgic ✓ Creamy ✓ Comforting ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? Creamy, cheesy goodness, original recipe, tried-and-true classic made with simple convenience ingredients and the familiar flavor that never goes out of style.
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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?
Cheez Whiz is a smooth, processed cheese sauce known for its salty, savory cheese flavor and creamy texture. In this old-fashioned broccoli and rice casserole, it melts into the condensed soup and liquid, creating the rich, cheesy sauce that coats the rice and broccoli. It’s a key ingredient that gives this classic casserole its familiar flavor and nostalgic appeal.
Cheez Whiz was invented by Edwin Traisman, who 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.
No Reason To Fix Something That’s Not Broken
I considered updating this recipe with less processed ingredients and a healthier, more modern twist, but that would have missed the point. This is one of those old-fashioned comfort food recipes that deserves to be made just the way it was meant to be. The familiar flavor, the nostalgia, and the memories attached to that original version are what make it special. Sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent a classic; you just need to bring it back to the table in all its original glory.
I will say, though, it tasted a little sweeter than I remembered. I’m almost afraid to read the labels, but I have to wonder if corn syrup has found its way into the Cheez Whiz mix. And don’t get me started on corn syrup. That’s a whole new glow-in-the-dark can of worms!
Chef Lea Ann’s Tips For Success
- Minute Rice: Minute rice is a pre-cooked dried rice product which works well in this recipe and quickly becomes soft with the amount of liquid specified. Do Not use any other rice product such as uncooked long-grain, short-grain rice.
- Broccoli: This old recipe calls for a 10 ounce box of frozen broccoli. Back then, frozen vegetables were routinely packed in boxes. Modern options are now packaged in plastic bags with a 12 ounce weight. I use the 12 ounce pacakges all the time for this recipe, and the increased 2 ounces works very well without any further alterations in other ingredients.
- Adding Chicken: This broccoli cheese rice casserole was a Thanksgiving tradition in our home, but when making this year round, my mom would add a pound of cubed cooked chicken breast to the casserole to make it a main course. Delicious.
Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole FAQ’s
Absolutely! Which comes in so handy during the holiday food rush. Make a day ahead, cover and refrigerate until time to bake. Let is set at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it will cook through in the 30 – 40 minute time frame.
Yes. And I’ve done so many time. Use equal parts of fresh broccoli. Cut into small florets and chop some of the stems into bite sized chunks. Blanch broccoli in a pot of boiling water for two minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
An equal amount of cubed Velveeta works very well for this recipe.
Recipe for Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole
This old fashioned minute rice broccoli cheese casserole recipe is just as delicious as I remember it. 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.
Explore More Classic Comfort Food Recipes
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.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Broccoli, Minute Rice, Cheez Whiz Casserole
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup onion chopped
- ⅓ cup celery chopped
- ¼ cup oleo oleo is an old name for margarine. Butter will work for this recipe.
- 1 cup Minute Rice Uncooked. Do not use regular rice. Minute Rice is a brand name freeze dried product that quick cooks.
- 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
Instructions
- Let the package of frozen broccoli partially thaw. About 30 minutes at room temperature. 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 non stick spray (Pam). Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is very old and calls for a 10 ounce box of frozen broccoli, which is now hard to find. I have used a 12 ounce bag of broccoli florets, it works just fine without any alterations to other ingredients.
- This casserole can be assembled the day before. Cover the casserole dish tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature before baking to insure it will be cooked through in the 30 – 40 minute time.
- 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 an equal amount of fresh broccoli to make this recipe. Purchase broccoli heads and trim them into florets and chop stems in bite sized pieces. Blanch fresh broccoli 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
Old Fashioned Broccoli Cheez Whiz Minute Rice Casserole …It’s what’s for Dinner
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
I’m 48 years old, and I grew up on this casserole. My paternal grandma would serve this at holidays, and my mom, who wasn’t really a cook, would too. I’ve been an experienced home chef for over 20 years, and haven’t eaten this dish in at least that many years. But my wife and I decided on a whim to include this dish in this year’s Christmas menu. Kind of on a lark, or as a joke. Really, just a throw-back, remembering my mom and grandma, both of whom passed away many years ago. I don’t cook like this at all, but the memory of taste is powerful, and we really enjoyed this. And I appreciate that you have this recipe available, as we moved recently and I couldn’t find the box of hand-written recipes I inherited. I’m pretty confident this is spot-on.
Hi Robert and thanks so much for your note.
I think I could have written this note myself. I posted the recipe on my site years ago, on a whim, because I found the recipe in my mom’s recipe box.
I made it to see if it was as good as I remembered and it was!. So decided to include it on my site to see what happened.
Much to my surprise I’ve received so many emails like yours sharing memories. I love that.
It’s now the most popular recipe on my site and I’ve started making it every year for Thanksgiving to celebrate its success.
Even my food snob kids rave over it. 🙂
I love this recipe but am nervous to making it the night before and cooking it the next day. Never tried it that way before. Will be a Christmas dish, traveling 1 hour and cooking it there. Please need feedback if you have made it the day before and cooked next day.
Hi Marsha
I personally have not made it the night before to cook the day of. However, I would feel very comfortable doing so.
I have had readers tell me that they have made this the night before and baked the next day, with good results.
It’s so thick that I think it’s a great “travel well” casserole. Let me know how it turns out.
I made this the night before and the next day I let it warm up about 30 minutes before baking it, and it was perfect! I did have it covered for about 20 min at the end of cooking because the rice wasn’t as cooked through. I think I had it on the oven closer to 50 min. It traveled well too! Great recipe!
Well, I made it early morning and it sat in the fridge for about 4 hrs before baking! Came out perfect! Cooked about 1.5 hours total in oven. Thank you Lea for responding so quickly to my question. Everyone loved it!
Fabulous, thanks for letting me and my readers know. Good info.
Is this something that can be frozen for meal prep as well?
Can you freeze this after it’s baked?
Yes, all ingredients included in this recipe will freeze well.
Yes, it can be frozen before or after cooking.
This is the recipe that my mother in law used and handed down to me She is gone but thanks to your recipe her memory lives on Thank you erinn
Wonderful. Thank you for your note.
Do you know how to convert this to be cooked in a crockpot?
Just follow directions and place the casserole ingredients in a crockpot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook on low 4 hours.
I have eaten this dish for the last 50 years . It is one of my favorite side dishes and sometimes lunch 😀. My mother used to make it and she would have me dice the celery and onion when I could do it without chopping off my fingertips so she wouldn’t be crying 😂. Anyways I have always loved the dish just as it is in original except we do just buy bags of florets and not boxes.
Hi Robert and thanks for your note. Love the memory you shared. I don’t even think they make those odd boxes of frozen broccoli anymore. Happy Thanksgiving.
Does the rice get cooked well?? I’ve seen so many where they’ve precooked the rice. ?
I’ve never precooked the rice. Minute rice is a freeze-dried rice product that is already cooked. The only reason to pre-cook rice is if you’re using uncooked rice. Which I’ve never done.
I searched everywhere for this recipe after my recipe from my grandma got misplaced. This is the exact recipe minus the celery. Thank you so much for this! Also, I’ve tried veleveta cheese and it just doesn’t have the same flavor as cheese whiz. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wonderful! so glad you found my site and the recipe.
Instead of Minute rice, I’ve always used Rice-a-roni in either the Herb and butter flavor or the broccoli cheese recipe. I also throw in a packet of onion soup mix. Lovely!
So creative. I’ll have to try this!
Since all I ever find is the 15oz jar and since there is only 2 of us making a double batch is kinda crazy, do u have any tips on what to do with the leftover cheese whiz? Or do u recommend maybe making a second one to freeze for another time?? Not sure how well it would do unless I don’t u thaw the broccoli for the 2nd one? Thank you!!
Place the leftover cheese in a microwave safe bowl, add a little salsa and have a small chips and dip appetizer.
I was wondering if you could use velvetta cheese instead of cheese whiz? I couldn’t find it at the store I went to at last minute. And if so how much? I bought a 16oz. Package.
Good Morning Carol and thanks for your note.
Velveeta will work very well for this recipe. Just use equal amounts. 8 ounces.
Cheez Whiz and Velveeta both are always an adventure to find at the store. At my grocer they’re usually together. On some remote end cap that makes no sense for “similar product” placement.
I have also seen Cheez Whiz on the snack cracker aisle along with those small jars of non-refrigerated pub cheese products. Remember those?
Like I said, always a treasure hunt.
Just FYI if you ever make it again, you can use the “cheese dip” in a jar usually found on the aisle with chips. At least in my local stores, that cheese dip is less expensive and just as good in the recipe.
Can’t believe I found this recipe!! You listed water, milk or chicken broth. Which is part of the original recipe … which do you use?
Thank you so much. My MIL used to make this for Thanksgiving and has been gone for several years. I am so excited to bring this back to our holiday table.
Good Morning Rae. Good to hear from you.
Milk was used for the original recipe and that’s what I use.
Let me know if you have any other questions and make it a delicious day.
I love this one! I want to make it for a family gathering, but I don’t have cheese whiz. Can I use Velvetta instead?
Absolutely. Velveeta will work well here.
This is the exact recipe I got when I was a newlywed over 50 years ago and it has remained in my holiday recipe menus over the years, I have tried other similar ones through the years, but none us as good as this one. My recipe card is barely readable by now so thanks for sharing this again. And yes, Cheeze Whiz is always hard to find these days!
Good Morning Diane
And thanks so much for taking the time to leave a note about this casserole. I’m so glad you found this recipe.
I’ve never tried other versions of this recipe, so good to know this one is superior. This recipe is the one my mom made over and over in the 60’s , so I’m confident it’s the original.
Make it a delicious day.
My wife had been making this for me for 31 years and recently passed away last May. This is one of the only recipes that she never wrote down. It was one of her special recipes and she always kept it in her head. I’m so happy I found what appears to be the exact recipe and I’m making it right now.
Good Morning Mark and thanks so much for your note.
So glad you were able to find this recipe. My mom kept so many recipes in her head and there are several that I wish I had.
So many memories revolve around sharing food with loved ones. I hope the recipe turned out to be just aw you remembered.
Thank you for this recipe! I use to make this recipe 50 years ago! Made it last night and it was absolutely delicious! Homemade from scratch is the best.
Thank you very much for reviving this recipe. I used to make it years ago when my kids were small. I’ve found and tried similar recipes but none so good. I will be searching the grocery aisle for Cheez Whiz this week!
Hi Betty Jane and thanks so much for your note.
Cheez Whiz and Velveeta can be hard to find. They’re usually on an end cap and not necessarily near the cheese. It’s always a treasure hunt.
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving.
Add rotisserie chicken to casserole for a complete meal.
This is exactly the recipe ive been looking for. I grew up on this and have been looking for the same recipe. Only difference is we used cream chicken soup. Will definately be saving this and making tomarrow. Thank u for sharing.
Could you substitute cauliflower rice?
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.
I have made this recipe since the 70’s. It has always been a family favorite. I just made this for a church choir celebration and everyone loved it. I have the recipe but couldn’t find it so I decided to check Pinterest and I had to be specific about the recipe containing cheez whiz. It did. So I was very happy. On the liquid I changed it a little, I used half Better than Bouillon chicken broth and half milk, and used butter. I made 1 1/2 the recipe and changed the ingredients accordingly. Thank you for sharing this very good recipe.
This is the exact same recipe my Nana always made but she called it “Green Rice” and included a jar of rinsed, diced pimentos. And if she made it after a big meal, she added chopped meat (turkey or ham or chicken) and a second can of condensed soup (usually cream of chicken).
Hi Julie and thanks for taking the time to write a review. I love the idea of adding chopped turkey. What a great way to use up left overs. I’m going to do that this year.