Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice

This Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice is so easy to make and is full of cheesy goodness. The Instant Pot locks in the flavors making this Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice a big hit with just about everyone who tries it. A popular weeknight side, potluck addition, or for holiday get-togethers, this dish is a sure winner.

Once in a while, there comes along a recipe that you just need to have in your back pocket for any occasion. This Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice is one of those tasty, can't-get-enough recipes that you will get to know really fast.

It's incredibly simple and easy to make, but it packs such a punch in terms of flavor that this comfort food is going to hold a special place in your meal rotation.

It's so good that whatever your family size (or however you expand the recipe to accommodate more eaters), you are unlikely to have any leftovers. Even if you manage to restrain yourselves, anything that remains will quickly be gone by the next mealtime.

It's that good.

Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice Tips

This cheesy broccoli rice is a simple Instant Pot dump and go recipe, but there are a few things that make this dish extra tasty. Read on more useful information about how to make this comfort food classic.

First Sauté the Onion and Garlic

The unseen element that binds and unifies this entire dish is the clear and nearly imperceptible mixture of sautéed onion and garlic. Without it, the Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice would still be good, it just wouldn't be great.

The combination of onion and garlic adds additional layers to the taste of the dish that gives it more body, more nuance. More importantly, it makes you want to keep going back for more.

In short sautéed onion and garlic take ordinary cheesy broccoli rice from drab to fab.

Since the intense flavors of onion and garlic are the foundation for Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice, you must start with them first. You also must treat them properly.

These ingredients are tasty, but they are also pungent and potentially offensive. Both can be overbearing and dominate a dish in their raw forms. That is why it's necessary to sauté them before moving on to the rest of the recipe.

Once the onions and garlic have become soft and translucent, they are ready for the rest of the ingredients. Then it's just a matter of dumping everything in to seal.

How to Make Seasoned Pepper

Part of what makes this Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice stand out is the unique seasoning. T

he recipe doesn't call for the standard table salt and black pepper. since the recipe only calls for small amounts of this seasoning, you may be tempted to go the easier route and use whatever you have on hand.

The good news is, that table salt and black pepper would season your food. However, it would lack the very special components that even in small doses truly impact the overall flavor of the dish.

The truth is, you probably have garlic salt on your spice rack. If you don't, it's worth adding to your arsenal. seasoned pepper is a little trickier.

There are different recipes for seasoned pepper, to begin with, so each flavor profile might be slightly different, but they tend to use other common household spices. If you have all of these, it's simply a matter of mixing them together to make a spice blend.

If you don't have them, buying each one for a small amount can be a pricy chore. Luckily, you can buy seasoned pepper premade at the store.

To make your own blend for this Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice, start with 1 part cayenne and 2 parts mace. Then incorporate 4 parts each of ground cloves and nutmeg.

For the pepper, you will need black and white in equal proportions. Double the amount of cloves and garlic for each. If you start with a teaspoon of cayenne, you will use 2 teaspoon for mace, 4 teaspoon each for cloves and nutmeg and 8 teaspoon each for the black and white pepper.

The end result will yield roughly ½ cup.

Making Rice with Chicken Broth

Another part of this recipe that makes the rice taste absolutely incredible is that you cook the rice in chicken broth. chicken broth is superior to water when it comes to cooking rice because it imparts so much awesome flavor. Even with the other ingredients to help it out, rice cooked in ordinary water will come out bland.

When you let the dry rice absorb the savory chicken broth as it hydrates and steams to perfection, it comes out bursting with deep robust flavor.

It's the first thing you taste and it's just as important to the rice as the cheese and the broccoli even though it acts as a silent partner. You can use low sodium chicken broth if you prefer to keep the salt content down.

It will still add flavor to the rice and make the dish last great.

Stir Things Up

One important step in making Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli rice is that you can't forget to stir. It's so vitally important to the balance of the dish because you want all elements of the dish to get distributed equally throughout the mixture.

Since this is such an easy recipe to make, it can be easy to just dump in all of the ingredients then seal them in to cook. make sure before you put the lid on that you give the contents a good stir so that it all cooks together evenly.

When it comes out is will be a uniform masterpiece that offers the same amazing combination of flavors with every single bite.

Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice Recipe

This Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice is absolutely delicious and so, so easy to make. It's full of cheese which is always a good thing, and it's such a fantastic side or base for a full meal. It really is one of those all purpose dishes that you can use for just about anything.

It's one of those dishes that always satisfies everyone. That's great because, with a recipe this easy, you'll want to make it again and again. It's one of the most straight-ahead dishes of its kind out there. So get ready to amaze the crowd with its flavor and amaze yourself with its ease.

Ingredients

You don't need much to make this amazing broccoli cheese rice. All the ingredients required are common household staples, so you probably won't even have to make a trip to the store. Heck, I'm sure most of you even have the frozen broccoli in your freezer right now. Here's what you need.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 cup of white rice
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 16oz. package of frozen broccoli florets
• 3 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese

Making the Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Rice

Making this delicious cheesy broccoli rice is as simple as the ingredient list. There's no stovetop cooking. You'll be doing all your sauteeing right in the Instant Pot. In fact, the most labor-intensive part of this entire recipe is simply dicing the onion. It's so simple, even a caveman can do it, as the old commercial says.

I'm listing the highlights below. You can find the full details in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Sautee the onions and garlic.
• Add in the remaining ingredients.
• Cook.

That's it, and that's all. You'll find that this recipe is exceedingly easy and FAST to make, which is why I find myself making it so often throughout the week.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice

This Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice is good enough to stand on its own as a bowl meal. However, if you want to incorporate a protein or use it as a side dish you can. Cheesy broccoli rice goes exceptionally well with white meat chicken or fried fish. Sole or tilapia are good choices. Serve the rice with a baked chicken breast on top, or even diced and mixed in with the rice mixture.

If the Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice is your entree, supplement it with a salad containing a protein such as chicken, boiled egg, or roasted pecans.

Many other mouthwatering sides can be found at What to Serve with Paella.

Add a side dish to this meal to make it perfect. For inspiration, go to What to Serve With Jambalaya.

Variations

I just mentioned serving this dish as a side with chicken or fish, but you can take that one step further and make variations of this dish that have the meat right in there. Of course, the first thing we think of is chicken, but you can do so much more. Some great meat variations to play with include:

• Baked Chicken
• Rotisserie Chicken
• Fried Chicken Cubed
• Popcorn Chicken
• Ground Beef
• Steak
• Steak Fries Cut Up
• Pork Chops Cut Up
• Shredded Pork
• Chopped Crisp Bacon

In addition to adding meat, you could also add other vegetables to this recipe, as well. Green peas would work well in this, as would mixed vegetables. The cheesy rice base really lends itself to adding in veggies and experimenting with meats.

Give anything that comes into your mind a try. You never know how it's going to turn out. Actually, you do. It will probably be delicious.

Storing Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice

This Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, you can freeze it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to a month.

The ability to freeze this recipe makes it perfect for meal prep or as a way to make a great side dish ahead of time for potlucks or holiday get-togethers.

Try This Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice

You absolutely need this Instant Pot broccoli cheese rice in your life, and that's not hyperbole. It's an absolutely delicious side or main meal that is ridiculously easy to make and always a real crowd-pleaser.

Whether you're cooking this delicious, cheesy recipe up for a potluck, a backyard bash, holiday get-together, or even just a weeknight meal, you'll always get rave reviews when you make this recipe.

All you need are a few kitchen staples and an Instant Pot, and you're good to go. It's sooooo easy to make. Give it a try. I'm certain you and your family will absolutely love it. With a recipe this easy and delicious, there's no reason not to give it a try.