Gluten-Free Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Creamy rice and tender broccoli baked under a layer of melted cheddar, made with gluten-free flour.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- The rice cooks in the sauce, so there is no separate pot to boil first.
- It reheats well, which makes it a genuinely useful thing to make on a Sunday.
- A gluten-free flour blend thickens the sauce exactly the way wheat flour would.
Rice, broccoli and a cheddar sauce that thickens with gluten-free flour instead of wheat. Everything bakes in one dish, and the rice cooks in the sauce rather than in a separate pot.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
Creamy rice and tender broccoli baked under a layer of melted cheddar, made with gluten-free flour.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Grease a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Step 2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Step 3. Whisk in the gluten-free flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and broth, then cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 4. Remove from the heat and stir in 150 g of the cheddar and the salt.
- Step 5. Add the rice and broccoli to the baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over and stir gently.
- Step 6. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 7. Uncover, stir, top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 10–15 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the top is golden.
- Step 8. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Naturally gluten-free foods can still pick up gluten through shared equipment or packaged ingredients. If you are cooking for celiac disease or another medically necessary gluten-free diet, use certified or clearly labelled gluten-free products and avoid cross-contact in your kitchen.
- Broth is a common hidden source of gluten. Use one labelled gluten-free.
- Cover the dish tightly for the first bake. The rice cooks in trapped steam, and a loose seal leaves it crunchy.
Gluten-Free Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/gluten-free-cheesy-broccoli-rice-casserole/
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli florets
- Cut them small so they cook at the same rate as the rice. Large florets stay crunchy while the rice around them turns soft.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour
- A 1-to-1 blend behaves like wheat flour here because the sauce is thickened rather than structured. No xanthan gum is needed.
Equipment
- 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Foil
Substitutions
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour
- Cornstarch also works — use about 20 g, whisked into a little cold milk first rather than cooked in the butter.
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower in the same quantity. Frozen broccoli works if thawed and drained well.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Reheat portions with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
Freezing: Freeze baked and cooled portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating so the rice warms evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make a roux with gluten-free flour?
Yes, and it works well here. A 1-to-1 blend thickens much like wheat flour because the sauce is thickened rather than structured, so no xanthan gum is needed for this particular job.
Why is my rice still hard?
Steam escaped. The foil must be tight for the first 30 minutes — the rice cooks in trapped steam, not dry heat. Add 60 mL of hot broth, re-cover and give it another 10 minutes.
Is broth gluten free?
Not always. Stock cubes and cartons frequently contain wheat derivatives, and it is one of the most commonly missed sources in a dish like this. Check the label.
Can I make this dairy free as well?
It is harder, since cheese is central. A plant-based cheddar and unsweetened plant milk will work, though the sauce is less rich and may need a little extra thickening.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate unbaked. Add about 10 minutes to the covered stage, and a splash more broth since the rice absorbs liquid as it sits.
Did you make this?
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