Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and grease a medium casserole dish or 9x9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced to a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add 1 head broccoli florets and 1/4 cup vegetable broth to the pan and stir frequently until the broth has been absorbed and the broccoli is bright green, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add in 1 Tablespoon garlic paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup half and half, 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional), 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper until combined.
Add the broccoli and onion mixture, 4 cups cooked long grain white rice and HALF of the 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and stir until evenly mixed.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining half cup of cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh or dried parsley before serving (optional).
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Notes
You’ll need 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. This can be made with leftover rice or made up ahead of time or freshly cooked. You can use Jasmine or Basmati, really any long grain white rice will do. I like to cook my rice in vegetable or chicken broth for additional flavor, however, water may be used if you do not have broth on hand.
I always slightly overcook my rice for this recipe because I like the way it binds a little more, but this is personal preference based on desired texture.
You can double the amount of broccoli, if desired.
The head of broccoli used in this recipe was ½ lb and only the florets are used. The stem is discarded.
I used store bought garlic paste but you could use just regular minced garlic.