Rice is one of my favourite side dishes. It is cheap, simple to make, and pairs well with anything. But plain old rice can get boring after a while. So we have to jazz it up now and again. That's what today's post is all about—taking plain old rice and making something craveable out of it with little effort. Today, I present to you my Broccoli Parmesan Rice. It is a side dish that goes with anything and one that you'll want to have with everything. Ready to check it out? You can find the recipe directly below, but keep reading for more information. Now, let's get cooking!

Broccoli Parmesan Rice Ingredients

Spices and Seasonings

If you wanted, you could take some rice, throw some broccoli and parmesan cheese in there and call it a day. I'm sure that would taste alright. But why not take a few extra seconds, and add a bit more flavour? I used onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to do that. The only thing crazy about this is the flavour these few spices add to the broccoli parmesan rice. You can find all the measurements in the recipe above.

The Rice

I like basmati rice. It is my go-to for most things, so it makes sense that I'm it using for my broccoli parmesan rice. But, it's important to remember that not all basmati (or any rice) is the same. Different brands process their rice differently, so you must read the instructions on the rice package to ensure you are using the proper amount of liquid and cooking the rice for the correct length of time. The brand of rice I'm using requires a standard 2:1 liquid to rice ratio and a 12-minute simmer followed by a 5-minute rest. Most basmati will be the same rice to liquid ratio, but the cooking time may vary from 12 to 17 minutes. Again, consult the package the rice came in for ratios and cooking time.

Other Ingredients

The other ingredients you need for this broccoli parmesan rice are frozen broccoli ( a note on this is a second), parmesan cheese (real parmesan only), butter, milk, and water. I used frozen broccoli for this recipe because I had it on hand. It is also much cheaper than fresh broccoli right now. It is February as I'm writing this, and I live in Atlantic Canada, "fresh" broccoli is coming from a long way away. By the time it gets here, it has lost many of its nutrients. So, frozen vegetables are generally more nutritious than "fresh" ones this time of year. There is one thing to keep in mind, though. Frozen vegetables release liquid when heated. So, I cut the volume of liquid down a little bit to accommodate that. If you use fresh broccoli, use 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice.

Cooking Broccoli Parmesan Rice

To cook the broccoli parmesan rice, put everything in a pot, put it on a burner over high heat and bring it to a boil stirring gently every 20 to 30 seconds. Once it starts to boil, put a tight-fitting lid on the pot, turn the heat down to low and simmer the rice for 12 minutes (or whatever time is needed for your specific rice). It is best to use real parmesan for this. If you only use the powdered stuff, add it once it is cooked. Once the required time has passed, take the pot off the heat, DO NOT LIFT THE LID, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Finishing and Serving The Rice

The final step is to gently fluff the rice with a fork and serve. This rice goes great with chicken, turkey, salmon, haddock, ham, pork chops, or lots of other things that I can't think of at the moment. The point is that this dish is very versatile, and I hope that it becomes a standard in your repertoire.

The Wrap-Up

There are some dishes that you look at and think, "Okay, that seems alright, but it doesn't seem up my alley." or, "I bet that doesn't even taste as good as he says.". If that's what you're thinking, you are wrong. This Broccoli Parmesan Rice is even better than you imagine it is, and it is worth making. I seriously believe that this will become a side dish you come back to repeatedly. But of course, don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself. If you liked this post, you might also like my Decadent Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese post or my Potato Gartin post. Happy cooking!