Sometimes the simplest things are the very best, and that’s certainly true when it’s a busy night and you need a low-effort dinner that’ll fill everyone up. A rice casserole is exactly that reliable kind of dinner that everyone loves. It’s light on the budget and comes together with minimal fuss. In the Betty Crocker Kitchens, we know this routine dinner can cure a lot of ills. So, we’ve developed a framework that makes it simple to create a rice casserole using any ingredients you have on hand. Suddenly, dinner is just a matter of mixing and matching!

Mixing and matching works great, so long as you keep the ratio of rice (1 cup) to liquid (2 ½ cups Progresso™ broth) the same. If you add more liquid-heavy ingredients or ingredients that create liquid—like frozen vegetables or naturally watery veggies, like zucchini—your rice may end up soggy. Adjust the amount of broth based on ingredients added, and you’ll have success following this framework.

Dump-and-go rice casserole comes together easily and with only a few ingredients (just two reasons why we love it). You’ll need: 1 cup white rice, 2 ½ cups Progresso™ broth, 1 pound cubed protein, 2 to 4 cups vegetables, ½ cup cream, 2 cups cheese and toppings to your liking.

1. Place 1 cup white rice on the bottom of a 13x9-inch casserole dish.
2. Combine 2 ½ cups Progresso™ broth, 1 pound cubed protein, 2 to 4 cups vegetables and pour over rice; cover with foil and bake 40 minutes.
3. Stir ½ cup cream and 2 cups cheese into casserole. Replace foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until rice is tender and meat is cooked through.
4. Finish with toppings.

Simple ingredients can produce delicious results. Here are some recommendations to get you started.

• Protein: boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs; pork chops; and pork tenderloin are all great options.
• Vegetables: Broccoli florets, onion, bell pepper, green onion whites, cannellini beans, chickpeas, corn, drained and diced canned tomatoes—any of these would make delicious add-ins.
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper jack, mozzarella, Gouda, Italian blend, feta and other melty cheeses go well here.
• Toppings: Chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, cilantro, thyme, basil, green onion greens, toasted Progresso panko and Parmesan—pick one or more of these to finish off your casserole.