Broccoli Casserole With Crackers
This Cheesy Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers is an easy side dish that tastes great because it’s full of flavor.
Broccoli, rice and cheese are enhanced with a buttery Ritz cracker topping to add a crunchy and salty flair that transforms the common combination into something enjoyable!
Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers Recipe
This recipe is made with simple ingredients like a bag of frozen broccoli, rice, cream of mushroom soup and cheese are topped with buttery Ritz crackers crumbs. The casserole is easy enough for a weeknight meal, but delicious enough to share with friends and family at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Our family loves this side dish as well as Baked Vegetable Medley and Broccoli Mushroom Casserole for easy meals at home!
The cheese is creamy and delicious fresh out of the oven and again the next day for lunch so this is a winning recipe in our book!
Buttery Ritz crackers generously coat cheesy broccoli resting in a cream of mushroom soup and rice mixture make a delicious casserole.
This vegetable casserole recipe came from a cookbook that the local homemakers’ group put together well before I was born. My late grandma was an active part of the group. Another recipe I love from this cookbook is the Chinese Chicken Salad. I adapted it to work in my electric pressure cooker!
Why This Recipe Works
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers is the perfect side dish for meals and it makes great leftovers.
- Cream of mushroom soup helps blend all of the other ingredients together. Can easily substitute for cream of celery, cream of onion, bacon or chicken soup.
- Great recipe to use leftover rice or extra cooked broccoli.
- Only takes 15 minutes to toss together and is versatile enough to pair with most meals.
- Ingredients are pantry staples and easy to keep on hand to mix up at a moment’s notice.
- Can easily be made with a combination of broccoli and cauliflower or a bag of California blend veggies.
Another one of our favorite cheesy casseroles to take to potlucks or carry-ins is our Farmhouse Baked Mac & Cheese. Crumbled Ritz crackers taste great on this dish too!
Ingredients Needed to Make Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Cooked broccoli – We use a 16 ounce bag which makes about 2 cups of cooked broccoli.
- Cooked rice – white rice is most popular, but flavored rice like yellow rice or Mexican rice would aslo work well.
- Butter
- Can of cream of mushroom soup
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Ritz cracker crumbs – 1 sleeve of crackers makes about 1 cup of crumbs.
How to Make Broccoli & Cheese Casserole
- Cook rice. Cook broccoli, but be careful not to overcook. Drain broccoli well.
- Mix together rice and broccoli with 1/2 stick of softened or melted butter. Add mushroom soup, pepper and cheese and mix well.
- Pour in a greased 2 or 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
- Mix cracker crumbs and 1/2 stick melted butter. Sprinkle over top of casserole and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes until crackers are browned and casserole is heated through.
Step By Step Instructions
Start broccoli cooking.
Add cooked rice to warm butter in a large mixing bowl.
I typically cut the cooked broccoli into much smaller pieces so that they mix into the other ingredients much more easily.
Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
Use a small silicone spatula to clean out the can of cream of mushroom soup into the mixing bowl.
Stir everything together well.
Press into a 2 1/2 quart or square 8 x 8″ baking dish that is lightly greased.
In a small bag or bowl thoroughly crush crackers.
Melt remaining half stick of butter and stir into the crackers.
Sprinkled evenly over top of the casserole dish.
Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 30 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Tips for Making Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Cook broccoli before adding to the casserole – we prefer the microwave steamable bags.
- Prepare rice before adding to the casserole – do NOT add uncooked rice.
- Can easily add one or two cups of bite sized cubed chicken to turn this recipe from a side dish to a main dish.
- If broccoli pieces are large, the dish may be easier to eat if the broccoli is cut up to a smaller bite size.
- Some people like to substitute some of the cheddar cheese for cheese whiz and the soup for mayonnaise.
- Crush crackers into evenly sized pieces.
- Rice can be substituted for cooked Orzo for a different flavor.
- Mixing melted butter and cracker crumbs together and sprinkling over the dish works better for me than spreading cracker crumbs and drizzling with butter, but do what works best for you.
What to Eat With Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Farmhouse Ham, Swiss and Ranch Party Sliders
- Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Crescents
- Cube Steak with Gravy
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Printable Broccoli and Cheese Casserole with Rice Recipe
Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers
Ingredients
- 16 ounce bag frozen broccoli about 2 cups
- 1/2 cup dry rice cooked
- 1 stick butter divided
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Cook broccoli, but do not overcook. Drain well.
- Add cooked rice to broccoli with 1/2 stick of softened or melted butter.
- Add mushroom soup, salt, pepper and cheese; stir well.
- Mix well and put in a greased 2 or 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
- Mix cracker crumbs and 1/2 stick melted butter. Sprinkle over top of casserole and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Cook broccoli before adding to the casserole – we prefer the microwave steamable bags
- Prepare rice before adding to the casserole – do NOT add uncooked rice
- If broccoli pieces are large, the dish may be easier to eat if the broccoli is cut up to a smaller bite size
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Rate This Recipe Pin This RecipeOriginally shared on April 29, 2019 with updates made on September 15, 2023.
Mix in leftover chicken breast pieces (or the frozen diced chicken), and it easily goes from a side dish to a main dish!
This was delicious. My kids loved it!
Can I substitute saltine crackers or cornflakes for Ritz crackers?
Yes! Hope you enjoy 🙂