Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Cheesy zucchini rice is an easy stovetop side dish that's made in a single pan in less than 30 minutes. It's filled with shredded zucchini, sharp cheddar cheese, and savory spices that go with many of your favorite main dishes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 412kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice, not instant or brown (see note below)*
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ small onion, small diced
- 8 ounces chicken broth
- 8 ounces whole milk
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 medium zucchini, finely grated (about 1 cup or 200g), squeezed to remove excess liquid
Instructions
- Add your rice to a fine mesh sieve and rinse to remove surface starches. This helps the rice cook up fluffy with individual grains. Otherwise, rice can turn out sticky or gummy.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until it begins to lightly brown around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add rice, chicken broth, milk, paprika, salt, and pepper to pan, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low (almost off).
- Cook for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Resist the urge to lift the lid repeatedly during the cooking process (this can elongate cooking time and dry out the rice by releasing steam).
- Remove from heat. Add shredded cheese and zucchini. Gently stir and fluff rice with a fork.
- Allow to set for 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Cooking brown rice: *Brown rice takes significantly longer to cook - up to 45 minutes instead of the listed 18-20 minutes. Consult your rice's package directions for best results. Add a splash of water partway through cooking if your brown rice needs more liquid.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 0.25of pan | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 862IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 1mg