Creamy Cheesy Rice is an easy, comforting side dish made for busy family meals. The tender rice, mild cheddar, sour cream, and simple seasonings come together in a rich, velvety dish that feels a little more special than plain rice without adding a lot of extra work. I served mine with an older favorite, Crispy Parmesan Crusted Turkey Strips, and the pairing was delicious. It is also a natural match for steak, chicken, pork, ground beef dishes, or a Mexican-inspired meal with tomatoes and peppers.
Use whichever rice-cooking method works best for you. An Instant Pot is convenient; The Buttered Home shares an Instant Pot Rice Recipe. A rice cooker is another hands-off choice and is especially handy when the stove is busy.
Prefer the stovetop? Nut Free Wok’s How to Make Rice Recipe is a helpful option. Boil-in-bag rice works, too. The important thing is to have hot, fully cooked rice ready before you begin the creamy cheese mixture.
What Cheese Goes Well with Rice?
Choose a cheese you enjoy, but consider how smoothly it melts and how strong you want the flavor to be. Mild or sharp cheddar is a dependable choice, Monterey Jack melts smoothly, and pepper Jack adds gentle heat. Gouda brings a slightly smoky note, while a small amount of Parmesan adds salty depth. For the creamiest texture, grate cheese from a block; pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients that can make a sauce less silky.
I used mild cheddar with white rice for a familiar, family-friendly flavor. Brown rice can also work, although its nuttier taste and firmer texture will make the finished dish feel a little heartier.
How to Make Cheesy Rice
Start with cooked rice, then combine it with a simple creamy sauce made from the ingredients below. Add the cheese over gentle heat and stir just until melted. High heat can cause dairy-based sauces to separate or become grainy. If the mixture seems too thick, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Butter
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- All purpose flour
- Cheddar Cheese
- Onion Powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Note: This recipe makes a large batch. Adjust the serving size in the recipe card to match your needs.
Fun Facts About Rice and Cheese
- Rice is a wonderfully adaptable blank canvas: it takes on the flavor of broth, herbs, spices, vegetables, and cheese.
- Short- and medium-grain rice naturally contain more surface starch than long-grain rice, so they can create a creamier result.
- Cheddar becomes sharper and more complex as it ages. Mild cheddar keeps this dish mellow, while sharp cheddar gives it more personality.
- Leftover rice is often ideal for casseroles and skillet meals because the grains have firmed up and are less likely to turn mushy.
Tips and Tricks for Creamy Cheesy Rice
- Measure cooked rice loosely. Packing it into the measuring cup can add more rice than intended and leave the sauce too thick.
- Use warm rice. Warm grains absorb the sauce more evenly and help the cheese melt without prolonged heating.
- Grate your own cheese. Freshly grated cheese usually melts more smoothly than bagged shredded cheese.
- Keep the heat low. Once the milk, sour cream, and cheese are involved, gentle heat helps maintain a creamy texture.
- Season at the end. Cheese adds salt, so taste the finished mixture before adding extra salt.
- Customize it. Stir in steamed broccoli, peas, chopped spinach, roasted peppers, green chiles, cooked bacon, or leftover chicken. Add-ins should already be cooked and drained so they do not water down the sauce.
- Loosen before serving. Cheesy rice thickens as it sits. A splash of warm milk can quickly restore its creamy consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Creamy Cheesy Rice hot as a side for crispy turkey strips, grilled steak, baked chicken, pork chops, meatloaf, burgers, or roasted vegetables. For a Tex-Mex variation, fold in diced tomatoes, green chiles, corn, or black beans and finish with sliced green onion or cilantro. It can also become a simple main dish when topped with shredded chicken, taco-seasoned ground beef, sautéed mushrooms, or steamed broccoli. A crisp green salad or tangy slaw provides a fresh contrast to the rich rice.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Let leftovers cool promptly, then transfer them to a shallow airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 to 4 days. To reheat on the stovetop, add a splash of milk and warm over low heat, stirring often. For the microwave, cover loosely, heat in short intervals, and stir between each interval; add milk as needed to restore the creamy texture. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout. Because dairy sauces can change texture after freezing, refrigeration is the best option, but you can freeze individual portions in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently with extra milk.
Make-Ahead Advice
For the best texture, cook the rice in advance and refrigerate it separately. Prepare the creamy cheese mixture shortly before serving, then stir in the rice and warm everything gently. If you assemble the complete dish ahead of time, expect it to thicken in the refrigerator; add a little milk while reheating and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Want an Even Easier Cheesy Rice?
My Queso Blanco Rice only has 3 ingredients. Boil in Bag Rice, Queso Blanco Cheese and Milk.
ITEMS/INGREDIENTS USED IN RECIPE – If you are interested in any of the items I may have used (or are similar to the items I used) in making this recipe, I have listed some of them below. NOTE: These links are affiliate links of which I receive a small commission from the sale of certain item. This does not affect your price, it remains the same.
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Creamy Cheesy Rice
Ingredients
- 4 Cups White Rice, Cooked
- 1 Cup Butter
- 1 1/3 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 1/2 Tbsp All purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder Can sub garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Green Onions, Chopped If desired, optional
Instructions
- Place cooked rice in a large bowl.
- Stir in butter. Then stir in remaining ingredients. Let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove cover, stir again.
- Garnish with Green Onions, if desired. Serve
Notes
Nutrition
Oh man, this was really too rich. It needed to have some acidity to it to cut through the richness. This with fried chicken was way too much fat. That being said, it did taste good. Maybe I’ll cut down on the amount of butter and sour cream next time.
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Oh man does this ever look good! I’m going to have to add this as a side to dinner sometime soon.
Aw…thank you! Appreciate you stopping by and checking it out!
Have a great day!