Okay, you asked for my cheesy rice recipe. It took me forever to get this right. My first attempts were either a solid brick of cheese-glue or a watery, oily mess. The secret wasn’t some fancy ingredient; it was just grating your own block of cheese instead of using that bagged stuff. That coating on pre-shredded cheese is a recipe killer. Do that one thing and you’re already halfway there.
The Stuff You Need for This Amazing Cheesy Rice Recipe
- Cooked Rice: About 6 cups. Whatever white rice you have is fine.
- Unsalted Butter: 3 tablespoons.
- All-Purpose Flour: 3 tablespoons.
- Whole Milk: 2 cups. Please don’t use skim milk for this, it’ll just be sad.
- Cream Cheese: 4 oz block, chopped up.
- Sharp Cheddar: Around 1 ½ cups, shredded by you.
- Low-Moisture Mozzarella: 1 cup, also shredded by you. Gets you that cheese pull.
- The Spices: 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder.
- Basics: Salt and pepper.
- Garnish: Chopped parsley if you have it. If not, don’t worry about it.
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Step-by-Step Guide to Creamy, Cheesy Rice
Step 1: Oven and Dish
First, get your oven going to 375∘F (190∘C). Grease a baking dish. A 9×9 is what I usually use.
Step 2: The Rice
Just make sure your rice is cooked. If it’s cold from the fridge, even better. It separates more easily.
Step 3: Making the Sauce
Here’s the only part that requires your attention. Melt the butter in a pan. Dump in the flour and stir it for like a minute. It’ll look like wet sand. Now, start pouring in the milk a little at a time, while whisking. Keep doing that until all the milk is in there and it starts to feel thick. Take it off the heat. Throw in the cream cheese and stir until it disappears. Then add most of the cheddar and all of the mozzarella. Keep a bit of cheddar for the top. Stir until it’s a smooth sauce and then put in the spices.
Step 4: Combine It
Get a big bowl. Dump in the rice and pour the sauce over it. Mix it all up so no rice is left behind. Now, scrape it all into your baking dish.
Step 5: Bake It
Sprinkle that last bit of cheddar on top. Bake it for 20-25 minutes. You’re just looking for it to be hot and bubbly, with the cheese on top getting browned and crusty. Let it cool for a minute or two before you serve it so you don’t burn your mouth.
Why This Recipe Will Become Your Favorite!
So yeah, that’s the whole thing. It’s not fancy, but this is the cheesy rice recipe everyone in my house actually eats until the dish is empty. It’s just a solid, comforting side that goes with pretty much anything. It’s my go-to creamy cheddar rice side dish. Let me know if you make it and how it turns out.
cheesy rice recipe
The ultimate comfort food side dish. This baked cheesy rice is incredibly creamy, gooey, and easy to make. The perfect recipe for a family dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked white rice
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese, chopped up
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
get your oven going to 375F. grease a 9x9 dish.
Step 2
make sure your rice is already cooked. cold leftover rice works best if you have it.
Step 3
melt the butter in a pan. stir in the flour for a minute. slowly pour in the milk while you whisk so its not lumpy. when it gets thick take it off the heat. toss in the cheeses and spices and stir till its all melted.
Step 4
in a big bowl mix the rice and the cheese sauce together. scrape it all into your dish.
Step 5
put the last bit of cheese on top. bake for like 20-25 minutes. you want it bubbly and brown on top. let it sit for a few minutes before you eat.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 547Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 80mgSodium 429mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 1gSugar 5gProtein 18g