Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice is made in 1 pan, in 20 minutes, with 5 ingredients. An easy, family-friendly dinner doesn't get easier than this!
With the Christmas coming up and ham – GLORIOUS HAM! – being served at the holiday dinner table, I thought this was the perfect time to share the ham and broccoli-cheddar version of my popular Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice recipe.
Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice is a dish you can make with holiday leftovers but will continue to add to your weekly menu all year round using ham steak because it’s so simple and delicious. My family licks their plates clean!
Ingredients Needed
Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice tastes like one of those delicious yet salt and preservative-packed rice side packets that everyone secretly loves, except it’s made with 5 simple ingredients:
- Chicken stock or broth
- Long grain white rice
- Broccoli florets
- Diced ham
- Shredded cheddar cheese.
Creamy, perfectly cheesy, and reheats like a dream. Who’s ready to get after it?!
How to Make Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice
Start by adding long grain white rice to a saucepan with chicken stock or broth. Bring to a simmer then place a lid on top, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 6 minutes.
Add broccoli that’s been chopped into small florets then replace the lid and cook for another 9-10 minutes, or until the rice and broccoli are both cooked through.
Next sprinkle in freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (skip pre-grated cheese – freshly grated melts so much better!) then stir until smooth.
Finally add ham steak that’s been diced into bite-sized pieces then stir until warmed through.
That’s all she wrote! Let the rice sit and thicken for a few minutes before scooping onto plates and devouring. I hope you love this easy, cheesy, 1 pot meal – enjoy!
More Easy Cheesy Recipes
- Cheeseburger Bombs
- Creamy Ham Peas and Pasta
- Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
- Cheesy Vegetable, Turkey Sausage and Rice Casserole
- Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
- Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 6 oz broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 8 oz ham steak, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 6 oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions
- Add chicken broth and rice to a medium-sized saucepan then turn heat to high to bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to low then place a lid on top and simmer for 6 minutes (rice should barely be simmering so make sure the heat is not too high.)
- Add broccoli (no need to stir) then place the lid back on top, turn heat up to keep broth at a gentle simmer, and then cook for an additional 9-10 more minutes or until the rice and broccoli are cooked through. Turn off heat then sprinkle in cheese and stir until completely melted. Stir in ham until warmed through, then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This has become one of our favorite quick dinners. All 3 kids love it and ask for seconds. It is easy and flavorful, extra bonus for getting some veggies in there!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that, Heidi! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I cooked this recipe, only I substituted beef broth for chicken and used mild shredded cheddar cheese instead of sharp. Man, it was good to me! Thanks for the tip of adding the cauliflower florets directly to the rice pot at 6 minutes. That saved me from cooking them separately and having to clean my favorite steaming pot.
I’m so glad this recipe was a hit, Don!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I really enjoyed this! added mushrooms and carrots in with it. I did feel like it needed some garlic and onion or something to give it a little pizzazz.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jaime! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I really enjoyed the meal that I made from this recipe. I’m going to make it again tonight for dinner. It’s a great recipe for using up leftover ham. The last time I made this meal instead of using ham I used the meat from leftover hammocks. It turned out so good that someone who said they don’t like hammocks ate them prepared this way. This is a very easy and great meal to fix any day of the week.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Walter! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit for you!
My family loves this recipe! I add a big handful of shredded carrots to the pot with the rice and buy pre-diced ham at the store. Makes this meal a true 20 minute One-Pot dinner! Super for busy weeknights. Thank you for sharing this!!
Oh I LOVE that idea, Nicole! Shredded carrots are so convenient for tossing into dishes like this. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
do you cook the rice before adding?
No.
Fantastic recipe! I halved the recipe (cooking for one). So simple and delicious! I didn’t have broccoli, so I used cauliflower. Not as colorful, but so delicious! This one is a keeper for sure!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Janell! I too have made this with cauliflower before and really loved it too. :) So glad you gave it a go!
This recipe is a huge hit at our house, it is so easy my son asks for it frequently! Thank you for a great weeknight recipe!
Oh I’m thrilled to hear that, Julie!! This is one of my personal favorite reipes too. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
i love one pot meal, and this one is right at the top! Thanks
THRILLED you loved it, Kathy! This is a go to of ours as well!
Hi, I made this tonight. It was delicious and so easy. I made a few tweaks to the recipe. I browned my diced ham and added garlic powder, onion powder, and some Italian seasoning. I also didn’t have enough chicken stock so I added chicken bullion cubes to the water I used. It came out delicious and I will definitely make this again.
That sounds awesome, Stephanie! I’m so glad you found a way to make this dish your own!
Anyone tried making this as a freezer meal?
I did! It froze very well. The night before I took it out of the freezer and kept it in the fridge until dinner.
Awesome, thanks so much for your feedback, Amanda!
Really yummy. I added a tsp of Penney’s Justice seasoning and my hubby really liked it – and he’s not a big fan of broccoli. So easy for when I’m lazy about what to make for dinner! Thanks for the great GF recipes.
I just looked that seasoning up – YUM, sounds so delicious!! I’ll have to look for that. So glad this dish was a hit!
Made this tonight, it was delicious!!
So glad to hear it, Judy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!