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This CHEESY ZUCCHINI RICE is a universal favorite in our house! It’s a great side dish to use up some of your garden zucchini, but the best part is, with all that cheese your kids will love it!
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I’m not sure if this is, like, standard family business or what, but it is nearly impossible to find a vegetable that all four of us like.
If I get it past my kids, the husband doesn’t like it.
If I get it past the husband, my kids don’t like.
And, if I get it past all three of them, I probably don’t like. 😉
Is everyone else’s life like that too?
Two veggies that we all agree on: broccoli and zucchini!
This cheesy zucchini rice was one of the ways I taught my youngest to love zucchini. I just shredded the zucchini up and snuck into cheesy rice and she didn’t find it at all offensive. Win!
(My chocolate zucchini bread and chocolate zucchini cake are also obvious favorites.)
The zucchini just blends in perfectly, and while you can see the green specks, it doesn’t add a whole ton of flavor or texture, which makes it great for picky kids!
Preparing this side dish
The first thing to do is to get your rice cooked. Toast the rice in a bit of oil and then boil in some chicken broth.
The broth adds a great flavor!
Once the rice is done cooking in the broth you’ll add your butter, garlic, cheese, and fresh zucchini.
Cover this and let it sit for a few minutes then it is ready to serve.
The cheese melts, the zucchini softens, the rice is perfect.
This dish is the perfect side for picky kids and hungry parents!
How to handle your leftovers
Cover tightly and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The zucchini will soften up even more as you recook it, but it also may make the dish a bit more watery than it initially was.
Helpful Tip!
Picky Kids?
Those green flecks can scare off even the toughest kid. Peel the zucchini to help it blend into the rice even more!
How to make with instant rice
Prefer to work with Minute rice? No problem!
Start by cooking the rice according to the package directions.
When adding the rice to the boiling water, add the zucchini as well.
After the rice is fully cooked fluff it with a fork and stir in the cheese, garlic, and butter. Cover this for a minute or two to melt the cheese and then give it a stir.
Cheesy zucchini rice in about 10 minutes!
More recipes with garden fresh ingredients
The Best Creamiest Mashed Potatoes
Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium zucchini shredded
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Splash of milk as needed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add the rice and stir to coat. Toast the rice, stirring often, just until it starts to turn golden.
- Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and cover.
- Cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and quickly add the butter, grated zucchini, cheddar, and garlic powder.
- Cover and let set for 10 minutes. It's important to cover the rice again quickly to retain some of the steam from cooking.
- Uncover the rice, stir well to combine, and add salt and pepper to taste. If you'd like the rice to have a thinner texture, add a splash of milk.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in June 2012. It was updated with new photos in May 2020.
Jill says
Hey! That’s me! I’m famous!! I really want to try this, but I’m almost certain my husband would turn his nose up at it… Stupid picky eaters!
Darcey says
Has anyone made this with brown rice? If so…What kind and did you make it the same? THANKS
Mrs Schmitty says
Ha!!! I knew it was Emma!!! LOL! I love when she can’t figure out my drawings and gets mad at me!!! LOL!! This rice looks delish!
Nicole Peck says
Tried the version of this over at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and loved it. I’ll try toasting it in the olive oil next time, and letting the zucchini cook with the rice for just a few minutes because it was too crunchy for us when thrown in at the very end. Otherwise, fabulous flavor and a hit even with my kids!!!
US mom in UK says
Pinned this a few weeks back and was flipping through the food pics in my folder and came across this. I was considering rice with broc and cheese, but as I bought a bag of zuchs yesterday, I’ll have to use those instead…yum city for tomorrow’s lunch! I’m sure the 2 year old will eat it….it’s my 9 year old who’s fussy. Mac&cheese: no problemo…she would eat the entire pot if she could….but RICE? Ewww. I can hear it now…LOL
Liz @ iheartvegetables says
Woahhhh I’m SO making this! Just found it on pinterest 🙂
Spicy Stacie says
This was great! I still had some leftover zucchini after making baked zucchini sticks and this was a perfect way to use that up! Great way to get the healthy veggies without the “eeew, vegetables” comments. And like you suggested, I just threw my zucchini in a little food processor to grate it up and it worked like a charm!
Thanks for the recipe!
Carrie says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was delicious and so easy to make. Definitely a repeat in my kitchen. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow.
Laura says
Just made this with supper, it was a huge hit! I’m going to fancy it up by adding in fresh garlic in the beginning with the uncooked rice, the leaving out the garlic powder. And maybe adding other random veggies at the end too. Not because it was lacking, but because it would just be that much better!
Ryan says
I tried this today for dinner and it was ok. It seems like it may need something else. Maybe I’ll sauté the zucchini a bit next time and try it with something other than cheddar. I love cheddar but it just doesn’t seem to do this dish justice. Still I will give it 4.5 out of five because it was easy and still tasty.
Emma says
Made tonight with yellow squash and pepper jack cheese. ’cause that’s what I had on hand… Really good!
Nikki says
I made this tonight and while the flavor was excellent, the rice was hard. I followed the recipe exactly, but the rice never softened up. Should I just have cooked it for 10 minutes longer? Or soaked the rice in water first? Ideas welcome! Thank you!
Karly says
@Nikki,
Hmm, I would guess that your heat was too high and the water boiled away before the rice could soak it up. Did you remember to cover the pan? I probably would have added more water and cooked it a bit longer.
Also, be sure to use long grain white rice. You can check the package as well and make sure that the rice to liquid ratio is the same and change it up if you need to for your rice to cook properly. Generally, though, it’s 1 part rice to 2 parts liquid.
Nikki says
THank you so much, Karly! That is exactly what happened. I remember thinking “wow, that boiled so quickly.” Thanks for the great suggestion. I will try again for sure!
Karly says
@Nikki,
Oh, good! Glad we figured it out. I’m guilty of not turning the heat low enough myself sometimes. 😉
Jennifer says
@Karly,
So we’re supposed to use instant rice then? Like Minute rice? I have to go to the grocery store today so I’m trying to figure it out. Thanks!!
Mrs. Measurement says
You had me at Cheese … and then again at Rice and Zucchini! Mmmm …
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
I have a feeling in a few weeks I will have an abundance of zucchini… can’t wait to try this! 🙂
Alicia says
I stumbled across your blog today and I have to say I’m in love! Your humor is right up my alley and I’m having a blast reading. Can’t wait to explore some more!