Velvet-Gold Broccoli & Brown Rice Casserole

Scaled 1.5× from the original. American cheese acts as an emulsifier, keeping the sharp cheddar smooth and preventing the sauce from breaking.

Ingredients

Brown Rice

• 285g (1½ cups) raw long-grain brown rice
• 720ml (3 cups) water or vegetable broth
• ½ tsp salt

Vegetables

• 680g (1½ lbs) fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces

Cheese Sauce

• 64g unsalted butter
• 1½ small yellow onions (or 1 very large), finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 35g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
• 720ml (3 cups) whole milk
• 180ml (¾ cup) vegetable broth
• 170g American cheese (deli-style, approximately 9–10 slices), torn into pieces
• 255g sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (Cepa Vieja or similar)
• ¾ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dry mustard powder (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Topping

• 1½ cups crushed crackers (Ritz or similar)
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

Cook the Brown Rice

1. Rinse rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until it runs clear.
2. Combine rice, liquid, and salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 45–50 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, keep covered, and rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. You should have approximately 900g (4½ cups) cooked rice.

Par-Steam the Broccoli

4. While the rice cooks, steam broccoli florets for 3–4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain thoroughly and pat dry — excess moisture will thin the sauce.

Make the Cheese Sauce

5. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
6. Whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes to toast the flour without browning it.
7. Slowly pour in milk and broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Simmer gently for 5–8 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. Reduce heat to low. Add the American cheese first and whisk until completely melted and glossy.
9. Fold in the shredded cheddar until melted. Stir in sherry vinegar, paprika, and mustard powder. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble and Bake

10. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease a 23×33cm (9×13 inch) baking dish.
11. In a large bowl, fold together the cooked rice, broccoli, and cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared dish.
12. Toss crushed crackers with melted butter and spread evenly over the top.
13. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is deep golden brown.

American cheese: Use deli-style American cheese (e.g. Land O’ Lakes), not individually wrapped singles labelled “cheese product.” The deli variety emulsifies properly; the singles do not.

Freshly shredded cheddar: Pre-shredded cheddar is coated in anti-clumping starch, which makes the sauce grainy. Shred from a block for the smoothest result.

Make ahead: Assemble without the cracker topping up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add the topping just before baking; add 10–15 minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge.