The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make this one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus!

This recipe is made in partnership with Knorr, but all opinions are our own.

What is Asiago Cheese?

Asiago cheese is an Italian cow’s milk cheese that has a flavor reminiscent to Parmesan but is a bit nuttier and creamier.

Fresh Asiago is actually semi-soft and mild flavored.

When it is aged, for upwards of 9 months, it develops a sharper flavor.

Asiago cheese can be eaten alone or grated on pasta, pizza or salad.

The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make ahead one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus!

We are so excited about this recipe! We are in full holiday season mode in our home and in the midst the craziness, we’ve been testing a new recipe in collaboration with Knorr.

The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make ahead one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus!

Whenever Cade and I are testing a recipe as a collaboration with a brand we keep in mind what’s taking place in the lives of our readers at that time. This time of year, we kept coming back to the idea of delicious but super easy holiday dish to help our readers spend more time with family instead of over the stove.

What is a Good Holiday Recipe?

We wanted to create a recipe that wouldn’t just look beautiful on a holiday table, but also could be the meal you serve the night before or the day after the holidays when you’re tempted to resort to takeout. Quick and easy. 

This One Pot Creamy Winter Asiago Cheese Rice Recipe is full of fresh asparagus, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh cracked black pepper and gooey cheese- your guests will adore this savory dish.

Is Rice Gluten Free?

Yes, all rice (in its natural form) is glutenfree.

This includes brown rice, white rice and wild rice. … In this case, the “glutinous” term refers to the sticky nature of the rice and not the gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

Rice is one of the most popular glutenfree grains for people with celiac disease.

Making sides for thanksgiving or any holiday can be overwhelming but this make ahead one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice is not only a great side, it's leftovers can be used to make a whole new dish! ohsweetbasil.com

We want to be in the kitchen to show people we love them through the recipes we make, but we also want to be on the couch laughing about that one time and we can’t do that if we never leave the stove.

The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make ahead creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus and sun dried tomatoes!

Because Knorr Selects don’t have any artificial flavors or preservatives it still tastes like real food, home cooking kind of real food. Its real ingredients and delicious flavor combinations make it easy to turn one dish into any kind of meal.

Creamy winter asiago rice ohsweetbasil.com

We also created this dish with Holiday leftovers in mind too. Take your Creamy Winter Asiago Rice and throw in your leftover turkey, chicken, or sausages-whatever you have in the fridge! We added the leftover corn and carrots along with some of the undressed greens from salad.

After the recipe card below, we’ve added a few of our favorite tips about holiday cooking, how to avoid holiday stress etc. We learned long ago that our discussions with our readers are where the real learnings come from, so what do you do to simplify the holiday craziness in your home?

 I hope it includes making this One Pot Creamy Winter Asiago Cheese Rice!

 Will Rice Expire?

Of course, all food lasts for a shorter period of time if it is not stored properly.

But remember that brown and white rice, like a lot of other grains, usually have a best by date and not an expiration date.

Because of this, you can safely use it beyond the best by date.

One Pot Creamy Winter Asiago Cheese Rice

Make Ahead One Pot Creamy Winter Asiago Cheese Rice

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Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Description

The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make ahead one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus!

Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Bundle Asparagus, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 1/2 Cups Crimini or Shiitake Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 Knorr Selects Asiago Cheese and Cracked Black Pepper Rice Packets
  • 8 ounces Oil Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme, 1/2 Tablespoon dried
  • Fresh Parsley for Garnish
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
  • 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and once it's hot, add the asparagus and mushrooms for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender.
  • Add the garlic, then quickly add the rice, water, milk and thyme. Cook according to package directions.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in drained sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, juice and salt and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

We doubled the recipe because we have a full house around the holidays but you can cut this recipe in half to serve four using 1 packet of Knorr Selects!
Store left overs in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 8gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 551IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 1mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: Over 300 Christmas Recipes and Ideas to Bring the Christmas Spirit

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The holidays are busy enough without adding in all of the cooking and family dinners. Make this one pot creamy winter asiago cheese rice with asparagus!

Cooking as husband and wife ohsweetbasil.com

Our 6 Tips for Surviving the Holidays

  1. Change your Expectations Instead of Expecting your Family to Change.

Family coming into town can add stress, and especially if you clash with a family member or certain viewpoints of a loved one. Instead of being disappointed, it helps to adjust expectations in advance.

Will it really be that awful if you have to deal with a baby in the family always getting their way or an in-law who just can’t help but bring up politics every time you sit down? Nope. Change your heart to see the good in your loved ones.

We choose to be offended

2. You Choose to be Offended

One of the best things I’ve ever learned as an adult is that no one forces me to be offended, it’s a choice and that choice often leaves us feeling bad. Let it go.

Sometimes husbands do things that can bug a wife, but I can choose to laugh his dorkiness off instead.

3. Give Rather than Receive

Focus on what you can bring to someone else’s holiday instead of what you will get out of it and I guarantee you’ll be surprised how much better you feel.

knorr selects rice packets ohsweetbasil.com

4. Assemble Everything in Advance

Maybe not everything, but we prep a whole lot ahead of time. Rolls are frozen a week in advance or shaped in the fridge the day before. Pies are made and frozen (or at least the crusts if they are no-bake). Guests come to enjoy food together, not the ultimate dining experience, so don’t strive for perfection.

Quick and easy herb roasted turkey breast for Thanksgiving and holidays ohsweetbasil.com

5. Ditch the Turkey

If you only eat the breast meat and an occasional leg, why are you stressing about the picture-perfect bird? Try our Herb Roasted Turkey Breast and slice it up on a platter before serving. People won’t even think twice about it and you’ll be a happier host.

Clean as you go

6. Clean as You Go

Trust me on this one, cleaning as you go will totally change your cooking and holiday experience. A mess isn’t just an exhausting stress to clean up, but it’s also an easy way to miss a step, miss an ingredient or have issues in the kitchen. Just go ahead and wash the pots while the food is cooking and thank us later.