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Looking for a cozy, crowd-pleasing side dish? This baked cheesy rice is creamy, cheesy, and baked to perfection!
The Best Rice Side Dish
This baked cheesy rice is one of my go-to side dishes because it truly goes well with everything. It’s also one of those rare dishes that every single one of my kids loves—and they even ask for seconds! One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility. I often use whatever cheeses I have on hand, making it perfect for cleaning out those random half-used bags of cheese in the fridge. Fresh Parmesan is my favorite for its bold, tangy flavor. Sharp cheddar is another top pick for adding richness. If you’re using milder cheeses, just add a little extra salt and pepper to enhance the taste. What I love most is how foolproof this dish is—you can’t go wrong! Feel free to experiment and make it your own
Cheesy Rice Ingredients
- Jasmine rice – or any white extra long-grain rice
- Cheese – I like to do a mixture of fresh Parmesan and sharp cheddar but use whatever you have on hand!
- Salt & pepper – to taste
- Chicken broth – you can also try beef broth, vegetable broth, or just water with some salt added
- Butter
How to Make Baked Cheesy Rice
I love the oven method, I think it’s so easy! Follow these few steps for flavorful, cheesy rice:
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to start, 350℉, and spray or grease a 9×13 baking dish. Next, pour the rice and cheeses into the baking dish and mix together, add salt& pepper. Set this to the side.
- Step 2: Add chicken broth and butter to a pot and bring to a rolling boil.
- Step 3: Pour the boiling broth over the rice and cheese and gently mix.
- Step 4: Cover the baking dish in foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Step 5: Fluff before serving.
Stove Top Method
This can also be made on the stove top. I prefer the oven method because I like the overall texture better, but the stove top method is a great alternative if you want to save yourself a few minutes. Rinse and drain rice until water runs clear (I have found that the rice will get gummy using the stove top method if the rice isn’t rinsed). Place the rinsed rice and the rest of the ingredients in a stockpot or large saucepan and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to as low as you can. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for another 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Using Brown Rice Instead of White
I’m not going to lie, white rice really tastes better with this recipe. The texture is great and I think it’s perfect just the way it is. However, I realize that many people out there prefer brown rice, which is fine, but the results won’t be exactly the same. That being said, it can be done. Simply increase the broth by ½ cup and increase the cooking time to 1 hour, removing the foil the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Cheesy Rice with Vegetables
My kids love this dish and because it’s so cheesy, it doesn’t really matter what I add to it, they still love it. When my kids were younger, I would mix in steamed carrots and peas and they would gobble it up, not even realizing they were getting a few extra veggies. Now that they are older, it isn’t so much ‘sneaking’ as it is ‘incorporating’ vegetables in like zucchini, mushrooms, and broccoli, but they still love it just as much. Get creative and add your favorite veggies to make it your own. The sky’s the limit!
More Additions and Variations
Experiment with the cheeses – I like to use sharper, more flavorful cheeses like sharp cheddar and Parmesan, but you can use all cheddar cheese or any combination of cheeses for different flavor profiles. Love spice? Try pepper Jack? Looking for something more mild? Use mozzarella.
Switch up the broth – For different a different flavor profile, try using beef broth. For a vegetarian option, use vegetable broth. You can even use water if you don’t have any broth on hand, it will just need to be seasoned more with salt.
Add chicken – After the rice is cooking, add hot, shredded rotisserie chicken. Adding this protein will round it out into more of a meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rinsing the rice can help with mushiness, but because this recipe is baked, it will naturally help prevent the mushy texture whether or not the rice is rinsed.
Yes, you can easily half this recipe and make it in an 8×8 baking dish or you can use the stovetop method.
Honestly, the easiest way to reheat this rice is to add a splash of broth and re-heat it the microwave. Microwave for 1 minute, fluff with a fork, then re-heat for 30 seconds at a time until heated through.
More Easy Rice Dishes
Spam Fried Rice
Jollof Rice
Saffron Rice
Indian Coconut Rice
Pineapple Fried Rice
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Crockpot Red Beans and Rice
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
Cheesy Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Jasmine rice (or extra long grain white rice)
- 2/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese (shredded)
- sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by spraying with baking spray. Place rice in baking dish with shredded cheeses and gently mix together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Heat chicken broth and butter together in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Gently pour the boiling broth over the rice and gently stir to combine.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes covered with foil and then another 10-15 minutes uncovered or until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove from oven and fluff with a fork before serving.
Notes
Stove Top Method
- Rinse and drain rice until water runs clear (I have found that the rice will get gummy using the stove top method if the rice isn’t rinsed).
- Place the rinsed rice and the rest of the ingredients in a stockpot or large saucepan and stir well to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to as low as you can.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and keep covered for another 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
