HEALTHY BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE is made with cauliflower rice for a grain-free casserole that is low carb and keto-friendly. This low carb broccoli rice casserole is a hit with my kids and it’s really easy to throw together for a quick side dish any night of the week.
I hear from so many of you that you get bored eating the same foods over and over again.
I get it. I’m a total foodie so if I don’t have a whole lotta variety, I quickly get tired of the same ol’ thing. Well, unless that same ol’ thing is pork tenderloin topped with garlic butter. I could probably eat that every day. 😉
My biggest trick to keeping dinner time exciting is to get creative with the side dishes. Change them up!! You don’t need to eat the same steamed broccoli and side salad every night of the week.
This broccoli rice casserole is a perfect example. My kids have always loved the traditional version made with real rice, so why not test out a cauliflower rice version on them? THEY LOVE IT!
I love that it’s low carb so the whole family can eat it and it’s made with extra veggies so I feel good about it.
How cauliflower rice is made:
Cauliflower rice is just finely chopped cauliflower!
You can make it at home with a sharp knife and a little patience, or you can use a food processor.
I use this food processor (affiliate link) and really love it for making cauliflower rice, grating cheese, or slicing turnips for my turnips au gratin. It’s a workhorse and gets a lot of use in my kitchen.
Most grocery stores also sell riced cauliflower and it’s totally fine to use either fresh (found in the produce section and called ‘cauliflower crumbles’ at Walmart!) or frozen.
Check out my cilantro lime cauliflower rice or cauliflower chicken fried rice too!
Low carb broccoli rice casserole:
Add your (fresh or frozen) cauliflower rice to a large mixing bowl along with some chopped broccoli florets and a tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Let sit for 2 minutes and then carefully remove the plastic wrap.
Add in your cheddar, cream cheese, eggs, and spices and give it all a big stir.
Spread your broccoli rice casserole into a 9×9 baking dish and top it all off with a little more cheddar.
If you’d like a crunchy coating on top, add some crushed pork rinds!
Bake this up for about 30 minutes and then dig in!
This healthy broccoli rice casserole is so easy, so cheesy, and a total winner in my book!
What to serve with this keto broccoli cauliflower rice casserole:
This side dish goes well with most proteins!
Garlic butter shrimp is a hit with everyone that tries it. My stuffed chicken breast, breaded pork chops, and grilled ranch chicken are delicious too!
These steak bites would also be a great option and so would this bacon wrapped meatloaf!
More low carb side dishes to try:
My keto Brussels sprouts are roasted with a little Balsamic vinegar and they’re seriously so good, even for this non-sprout lover. 😉
I share all my tips for the perfect mashed cauliflower here! Also, grab our family’s favorite broccoli cheese casserole.
Cheesy asparagus, keto coleslaw, and cucumber tomato feta salad are all super quick to whip up and big hits with my kids.
Healthy Broccoli 'Rice' Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces riced cauliflower
- 12 ounces broccoli florets chopped
- 3 cups grated cheddar divided
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature, chopped into small pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the riced cauliflower and chopped broccoli to a large mixing bowl along with a tablespoon of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Microwave for 3 minutes and let sit, covered, for 2 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap from bowl and drain liquid.
- Add 2 1/2 cups of cheddar, cream cheese, eggs, and spices to the bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Pour mixture into 9x9 baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Whitney says
Do you think you could do cottage cheese in place of cream cheese?
Karly Campbell says
Probably, though I haven’t tried it.
Rose says
Delicious, definitely would make again! I used frozen cauliflower rice from Aldi and frozen broccoli. The only adjustment I made was to the amount of spices.
Rose says
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower and frozen broccoli? If so, do 1 have to defrost them first ?
Trent J says
Love this recipe!! 3 and 5 year old granddaughters can’t get enough
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad to hear that!
Candice says
Can we skip the mustard powder? Will it affect the taste by a lot?
Karly Campbell says
We always add mustard powder to cheese sauces, but you can skip it. It helps to balance out the creamy richness of the cheese.
Carole says
Love your cauliflower and broccoli casserole! The sides for Easter dinner!!
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoy the recipe! Perfect for Easter!
Mindy says
Great use of leftover veggies from an appetizer board! I had enough broccoli and cauliflower to make half the recipe. Wish I had more as it was really good! I added bacon and called it dinner. Great recipe. Thanks Karly!
Karly Campbell says
Genius idea to use up those veggies! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Kathy says
What could I use as a substitute for cream cheese. I am not a cream cheese lover. Would Greek yogurt work?
Karly Campbell says
You could try greek yogurt, but it will change the flavor a bit.
Martha says
Could I make a head of time and freeze leftovers for a later meal? Would it still taste good after frozen?
Karly Campbell says
Hi Martha! I haven’t tried freezing this one, so I’m not sure how it would do.
Sallie says
Did you ever try freezing it? I want to try making it in muffin tins and freezing it since I am the only person in my home who will eat it.
Shelley says
Can you add shredded chicken to this recipe?
Karly Campbell says
Sure!
Kristie says
The kids loved it and your breaded pork chops together….Thank you 🙂
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Kristie! 🙂
Janie says
If you use regular rice do you need to adjust the recipe at all? I’m not keto but it look delicious!
Karly Campbell says
Yes, you’d definitely need adjustments, but I’m not sure what changes you’d need to make. I’d probably start with cooked rice, skip microwaving it, and go from there.
T Harrington says
This recipe was so simple and absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try others on your site.
Todd
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Todd! So glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Thu says
Hi! Can this be cooked in mini muffin tins then frozen? Looking for new toddler friendly recipes that can be frozen then reheated. Any suggestion on cooking time if baked in a mini muffin tin?
Karly Campbell says
Hi there! That sounds like a great idea! I can’t say how long it will take to bake as I haven’t tried it, but I’d just pick a muffin and keep testing for the right texture after 10 minutes. 🙂
Dawn says
How can I make this recipe creamier? I was thinking of adding heavy whipping cream but how much do you think would be appropriate?
Karly Campbell says
You could try adding extra cream cheese or cheddar, but I’m not sure on the amounts. We think it’s quite creamy as it is, so haven’t tried adding any additional. 🙂