Recipes Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes Cheesy Zucchini Rice 4.8 (6) 4 Reviews 3 Photos This zucchini rice with cheese and herbs tastes similar to a risotto, but it takes a lot less effort to make! A great recipe if you have an abundance of zucchini. By Juliana Hale Juliana Hale Juliana Hale is a culinary specialist with over 20 years of experience in recipe testing and development. She works closely with Allrecipes, Better Homes & Gardens, Forks Over Knives, Midwest Living, and Traditional Home both in the test kitchens and with her stories. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on April 30, 2024 Tested by Emily Nienhaus Tested by Emily Nienhaus Emily is a recipe developer at Dotdash Meredith with a focus on food trends, and inventing new ways to bring interesting flavors to your dinner table. When not in the kitchen Emily enjoys hiking, camping and spending time with friends, although these hobbies always lead back to food being the focus. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 3 3 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 22 mins Total Time: 32 mins Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe This cheesy zucchini rice recipe tastes a bit like a fancy risotto, according to recipe developer Juliana Hale, but it’s much less work. Plus, it’s a great way to use up excess produce and sneak in some greens! Cheesy Zucchini Rice Ingredients These are the ingredients you’ll need for this cheesy zucchini rice recipe: Butter: This cheesy zucchini rice recipe starts with softened butter. Panko: Use store-bought Panko or homemade bread crumbs. Broth: Use store-bought or homemade chicken broth. Rice: For this recipe, opt for long grain white rice. Seasonings: Season the zucchini rice with salt and cayenne pepper. Zucchini: You’ll need two cups of shredded zucchini. Cheese: Gruyere cheese lends creaminess and rich flavor. Herbs: Fresh marjoram or oregano gives the dish color and flavor. How to Make Cheesy Zucchini Rice You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you making cheesy zucchini rice: Make the topping. Boil the broth, then add rice and seasonings. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender.Fold in the remaining ingredients. Cover, let stand, and sprinkle with topping. Test Kitchen Tips This recipe was developed in our test kitchen. Check out some tips and tricks from culinary experts that might make the cooking process easier: This cheesy zucchini rice works perfectly with just about any roasted or grilled meat, says Juliana. If you don’t want to use Gruyere, opt for Swiss or white Cheddar. Avoid using yellow cheddar, as it might affect the texture. Recipe tester Emilyn Nienhaus says she’d bring this cheesy zucchini rice to a dinner party, then reheat it in the oven when she got there. How to Store Cheesy Zucchini Rice Store your leftover cheesy zucchini rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, adding a bit of water if you’re worried about the rice drying out during the reheating process. Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, softened ¼ cup panko bread crumbs (Optional) 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup long grain white rice ½ teaspoon salt 1 pinch cayenne pepper 2 cups shredded zucchini ¾ cup shredded Gruyere cheese 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios For crumb topper, if desired, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add panko, if desired. Cook and stir until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from saucepan. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Add broth to saucepan; bring to the boil. Add rice, salt and cayenne pepper. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Cover, reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 20 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Gently fold in zucchini, cheese, marjoram, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with crumb topper, if using. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 942 Calories 65g Fat 57g Carbs 37g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Calories 942 % Daily Value * Total Fat 65g 83% Saturated Fat 38g 192% Cholesterol 195mg 65% Sodium 3797mg 165% Total Carbohydrate 57g 21% Dietary Fiber 5g 17% Total Sugars 8g Protein 37g 73% Vitamin C 37mg 41% Calcium 1002mg 77% Iron 4mg 25% Potassium 1010mg 21% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.