Eating rice daily is so ingrained in some cultures that people find it difficult to give up rice completely, either to manage their weight or honor their dietary restrictions. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives in the market, including broccoli rice.
If you haven’t heard of broccoli rice, you might be wondering exactly what broccoli rice is. Here’s what I found!
What Is Broccoli Rice?
Broccoli rice, also known as riced broccoli, is broccoli that has been chopped until the broccoli is in smaller pieces resembling rice grains. Generally, broccoli rice is eaten by people who want to lose weight and become healthier by increasing their veggie intake. Additionally, you can make broccoli rice on the stove, in the microwave, and the rice cooker.
In case you’re interested to learn more about the qualities of broccoli rice and what makes broccoli rice a great alternative to traditional rice, keep reading!
What Is Broccoli Rice Made Of?
Broccoli rice is essentially just made of broccoli. After chopping the broccoli to a fine consistency, the broccoli will usually reach a similar appearance and texture as regular rice.
As for seasoning, it is up to you whether you want your broccoli rice to be plain or a bit flavorful by adding salt and spices to your broccoli rice.
Is Riced Broccoli Cooked?
Most broccoli rice is served steamed or even sauteed. However, if you want to eat broccoli rice raw, that’s also acceptable.
Just make sure that the broccoli rice is properly rinsed and dried before you serve the broccoli rice raw. Otherwise, the raw broccoli rice may be soggy and have unwanted tastes.
Can Broccoli Rice Be Frozen?
Broccoli rice can be frozen. All you have to do is to store the broccoli rice in freezer bags, label them, and make sure that you consume the broccoli rice within the next two months.
How Long Does Riced Broccoli Last?
Broccoli rice can last up to five days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Meanwhile, frozen broccoli rice can last up to two to three months.
However, to enjoy the quality of your broccoli rice, it is best to consume the frozen broccoli rice within the next two months.
Can You Freeze Broccoli Rice And Cheese Casserole?
Broccoli rice and cheese casserole can be frozen for future use. As with regular broccoli rice, you have to use freezer bags or other airtight containers.
Using the right container and keeping the freezer’s temperature just cold enough can prevent your broccoli rice and cheese casserole from getting freezer burn.
What Is Broccoli Brown Rice?
Broccoli brown rice is a dish that is made of cooked brown rice and chopped broccoli. Often, broccoli brown rice is served as a pilaf.
A broccoli brown rice pilaf has additional ingredients like dried and fresh rosemary, garlic, almonds, sunflower kernels, chicken or vegetable broth, salt, and pepper.
Additionally, broccoli brown rice is considered a great way to make rice dishes more flavorful and nutritious.
Is Broccoli Rice Keto?
Broccoli rice is suitable for a ketogenic diet because broccoli rice is low in carbohydrates.
Furthermore, you can make broccoli rice with salted butter, grounded pepper, and salt and the broccoli rice will still be keto-friendly.
Is Broccoli Rice Casserole Gluten-Free?
Broccoli rice casserole is traditionally gluten-free. Even when you opt for recipes that make use of chicken, butter, and stock, the broccoli rice casserole is still gluten-free.
Just be careful not to mix the broccoli rice with seasoning that has been treated with wheat flour or other gluten-containing product, as this is common in most store-bought seasonings.
Some of these spices include turmeric, paprika, curry powder, and cinnamon because some manufacturers use wheat flour to prevent them from caking.
Is Broccoli Rice Good For Weight Loss?
Since broccoli is high in fiber and is considered a good carb, there is reason to believe that broccoli rice can aid in weight loss.
Generally, when you consume more fiber in your diet, you’re more likely to feel sated sooner and for longer.
Is Cheddar Broccoli Rice Healthy?
Whether cheddar broccoli rice is healthy or not depends on the recipe you use. Technically, broccoli is healthier than most types of casserole that are made with rice, pasta, and meat.
Additionally, cheddar broccoli rice is typically made with brown rice, which is rich in fiber like broccoli rice.
As such, you’re likely to feel full after eating a small portion of cheddar broccoli rice casserole.
How To Make Broccoli Rice?
There are many ways to make broccoli rice. Traditionally, broccoli rice is made manually by chopping the broccoli florets until the broccoli turns into small, grain-like pieces.
While this method is more time-consuming, you’re more likely to achieve the consistency that you prefer.
When using a food processor, chop the broccoli into one-inch florets. Make sure to use the food processor in three-second intervals so that the broccoli won’t turn into mush.
Finally, you can use a blender, and like with the food processor, don’t keep the blender running for too long unless your broccoli becomes a liquid.
How To Cook Broccoli Rice?
You can cook broccoli rice by steaming, sauteing, stir-frying, and baking in a casserole.
When sauteing, it is best to use a large pan. As for stir-frying broccoli rice, a wok is an ideal pan. Moreover, steaming can be done in a microwave or a rice cooker.
What Does Broccoli Rice Taste Like?
Unsurprisingly, broccoli rice tastes just like broccoli, which has a slightly earthy and bitter flavor.
However, cooking the broccoli rice in butter, salt, pepper, and stock can easily mask the bitterness and make the broccoli rice more palatable.
Take a look at our related articles to learn what bulgur rice is, what bullet rice is, and what butter rice is.
Conclusion
As its name implies, broccoli rice is broccoli that has been cooked and served like regular rice.
Additionally, broccoli rice is a great alternative to grain when you are trying to manage your weight or add more vegetables to your diet.
While broccoli rice is not as versatile as regular white rice, broccoli rice can be used to make a wide variety of delicious dishes.