Cheesy Zucchini Rice
This cheesy zucchini rice is one of the best ways to get a vegetable into your picky eaters bellies this summer without them even knowing they are eating one!
My new favorite side dish!
Considering I have zucchini growing out of my ears and add to that the fact that I’m always looking for a quick and simple side dish to accompany easy weeknight entrees (anything from these fab grilled pork chops to this Island Chicken), this zucchini rice is a lifesaver.
Please tell me I’m not the only one who lays awake at night pondering the side dish conundrum: what to serve with stand-alone meat entrees as opposed to the all-in-one casserole that needs no such side dish garnishing.
Not only is this rice dish a godsend for my apparent side dish issues, but it doesn’t hurt that it is downright delicious and hearty enough to fill the hollow legs that sit at my dinner table (i.e. my four growing boys).
I watched in wonder as my family scooped spoonful after spoonful of this rice onto their plates. I’m not entirely sure they knew they were consuming no less than two zucchinis from our garden but I’ll keep that little secret to myself if it’s alright with you.
I hope this simple, cheesy, homestyle rice will please the palates at your table as much as it does at mine and let all of us who obsess over side dishes sleep a little better at night.
One Year Ago: Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Two Years Ago: Red Berry Risotto Oatmeal
Three Years Ago: Soft Wrap Bread
Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium or 2 small zucchini, grated on a box grater or with a food processor (no need to peel beforehand)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, if needed
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the grated zucchini, cheese, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste (don’t skip this step – I needed at least 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt to boost the flavor). Add a tablespoon or so of milk to adjust the texture if needed. Serve warm.
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Recipe Source: found via Pinterest, adapted from Buns In My Oven
72 Comments on “Cheesy Zucchini Rice”
I made this tonight with brown rice cooked in the instant pot, then added the zucchini, cheese and other ingredients. Yummy!
We love this rice!!! Maybe everyone knows this but we just discovered that if you happen to have any leftover, it is spectacular in enchiladas or burritos with chicken or beans or beef
Instead of garlic, I added some cayenne pepper for a nice kick! Turned out AMAZING.
Seriously…..such a delicious rice dish! Thanks a million for this one Mel!!
Just made it with fresh garlic and brown rice …. KEEPER! Why oh why did I not think of this before? YUM and highly recommend!
I’m MAKING this tonight! With fresh garlic, because that’s how I roll, and brown rice. Cant wait! Thank you! Haven’t made it yeeeeeet, still unthawing my home made chicken stock. Knowing its going to ROCK! I’m going to crush the fresh garlic into the rice at the end, and then add the salted, drained zucchini and cheese. YUM! This could become an addiction! Giving you 5 stars in advance …. Also, thanks to everyone who said you can grate and freeze your zucchinis! Did not know that! No more wasted fav veg and much more zucchini rice! yay!
Such an easy and tasty last-minute side dish. We loved it! Thank you for rescuing dinner!
This is incredible! So easy and very tasty.
I just made this, it’s not dinner time yet and my kids have eaten half of it already. I had some left over shredded zucchini and literally just poured some garlic powder, cheese and salt and heated enough to melt the cheese and it was delicious. Who would have thought. P.S. my kids hate zucchini. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use water instead of chicken broth?
Yes, but it may not be quite as flavorful.
This was very tasty and easy! I still have zucchini in my freezer so I’m glad to use it up. I used brown rice and it was delicious! Thanks!
Hi Anne, I have a question. Do you freeze the zucchini yourself or you use a store bought. Every time when I bought excess of fresh zucchini I wanted to freeze it, but I didn’t know how to do it: should I slice it or leave it whole, should it be blanched or not, etc.?
Kate– A whole zucchini frozen won’t work, but if you want chunks/slices, you’ll want to do a quick blanch and flash freeze (I like to do a flash freeze on a baking sheet with a silicone mat).
But shredded is even easier– just grate it and put it in freezer bags (get out excess air and label & date). Then let them mostly thaw before using. I’ve been able to keep bags of shredded frozen zucchini for months and they work great in zucchini bread or even adding to a boxed brownie mix! Bonus– keep the water you wring out of the zucchini and use in the recipe if it calls for water. You’ll get bonus nutrients 🙂
Just made these for dinner for my 2year old.. Added bit of spinach as well. Tastes yummy. Thank you for this great recipe.