Stick of Butter Rice
My Stick of Butter Rice is a recipe that even your pickiest eater will love! It’s a luscious combination of buttery, beefy rice that makes a great side dish for almost any occasion. It’s just as perfect for Christmas dinner as it is for Fourth of July or just any old Tuesday night.
This side dish recipe is one that my mama has made for as long as I can remember. I don’t think we ever had a formal name for it. I’ve seen it called Stick of Butter Rice, holiday brown rice, and southern brown rice casserole.
And even though it’s definitely brown, there’s not a grain of brown rice in it. Nope. All white rice with beef consommé, mushroom soup, onion, and….a stick of butter! Whatever you name it, it’s just delicious! How could it not be? I mean, a whole stick butter, right?
For anyone who may be reading this outside of the United States, a “stick” of butter equals one-half cup or four ounces. You know we do anything to avoid using the metric system, right ;-) ?
This marvelous side dish has a rich, beefy, nutty flavor thanks to the consommé and the preliminary step of cooking the rice in butter before baking. The long baking time helps all the flavors infuse into an irresistible combination. Yum! It’s a great accompaniment for southern fried quail, marinated pork loin, or good old meatloaf.
Your family is going to love this recipe and will ask for it over and over again. And you’ll be happy to make it with its short, 10-minute prep time!
- Quick prep time. Mix it together and pop it in the oven to cook.
- Familiar, rich flavors that both kids and adults enjoy.
- Easy to source pantry ingredients.
- A great side for almost any menu.
About the Ingredients
- Butter (Recommend unsalted butter for this recipe because of the high sodium content in the beef consommé.)
- Rice (I always use converted (or parboiled) rice for this recipe (such as Uncle Ben’s). Any white rice will work, except for “sticky” rice.)
- Beef Consommé (Look for this in the canned soup aisle.)
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Stick of Butter Rice
Let’s Go Step-by-Step
I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you’ll find the recipe card.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the Rice and Onions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the rice and onions.
- Cook and stir constantly until the rice is lightly browned.
- Pour into a 2½ quart baking dish.
- Add mushroom soup and consommé, stirring well.
Bake
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 1 hour or until the rice is soft. (Check at 1 hour; it may need to bake a little longer to be tender.)
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Fluff with a fork if you like – I usually don’t bother :-)
Recipe Variations
- This recipe is great with the addition of mushrooms! Add either fresh, sliced mushrooms (about 4 ounces) or a small can of well drained mushrooms.
- For a cheesy version, sprinkled with about 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese before serving.
- Make it a one-dish meal by adding pork chops or boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Just lightly season them and place them on top of the rice to bake at the same time.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze for up to three months.
FAQs
Consommé is beef broth that has been clarified to be very clear and fat free. You’ve probably seen a popular beef consommé in your grocery store’s soup section. The Campbell Soup Company makes a very nice one.
Converted rice, also known as parboiled rice, is steamed before the husks are removed which makes it retain much more of the nutrients from the husk. It’s better for you than plain white rice and cooks up firmer and less sticky. Several brands are available including Uncle Ben’s, Zatarain’s, and Iberia.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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Stick of Butter Rice
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups converted rice (parboiled rice) recommend Uncle Ben's brand
- 1 onion diced
- 10.75 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 10.5 ounces canned beef consommé
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is lightly browned.
- Add the rice and onion mixture into a 2 1/2 quarter baking dish or pan.
- Stir the mushroom soup and consommé into the rice mixture.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender. (Check after 50 minutes. Depending on the brand of rice you use, it may need up to an hour to cook.)
Notes
- I recommend unsalted butter for this recipe because of the high sodium content in the beef consommé.
- Converted (or parboiled) rice is best for this recipe but any white rice will work, except for “sticky” rice.
- Look for beef consommé with the canned soups.
- This recipe is great with the addition of mushrooms! Add either fresh, sliced mushrooms (about 4 ounces) or a small can of well drained mushrooms.
- For a cheesy version, sprinkled with about 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese before serving.
- Make it a one-dish meal by adding pork chops or boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Just lightly season them and place them on top of the rice to bake at the same time.
Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Are you adding the water to the soup can or just the soup
I’m not quite clear on what you’re asking? There’s no water used in the recipe.
Oh my gosh, I have been making this since college! I graduated in 1982, so…a long time! But I have never used cream of mushroom (always 1 can Campbell’s consommé and 1 can of their beef broth). But I do generally add mushrooms if I have them. I’ll definitely have to try it your way for a twist on an old fave. Just a tip for the calories conscious: you can reduce the butter to 1/2 stick without compromise. I have even made it with 2 tablespoons when really watching my calories, and it’s still pretty darn good (though not as rich). I also don’t cover it because I like the crispy layer on top. I sometimes use Uncle Ben’s converted brown rice and it’s delicious, too, but does take longer to bake.
Great tips, Kim!
This pairs beautifully with steak. You can increase the quantity easily & serve LOTS of folks. Wonderful side dish!
Yes, indeed! Perfect with steak. And you can make a huge pan full if you need it :-)