My family loves broccoli, I often find myself making roasted parmesan broccoli, broccoli with cheese sauce, and this simple, yet satisfying casserole. If you’ve got a broccoli fan in your house, this recipe is a must try!
Broccoli Casserole Ingredients
To make broccoli casserole you will need broccoli, onion, butter, flour, milk, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, buttery crackers and chopped parsley. This casserole is perfect side dish to serve with dinner entrees and holiday favorites like crock pot ham, spatchcock turkey and slow cooker whole chicken.
How Do You Make Broccoli Casserole?
Tips For Broccoli Casserole
This broccoli cheese casserole works best with fresh broccoli that’s been lightly cooked. Frozen broccoli will do in a pinch, but you need to make sure it’s thawed and dried before it goes into the recipe or you could end up with a watery casserole. I typically use Ritz cracker crumbs; however, you can use other similar buttery crackers. This recipe makes a luscious cheese sauce starting with a butter and flour roux. So you don’t need cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup.
Flavor Variations
I typically serve this broccoli casserole as a side dish, but you can add an assortment of other ingredients to turn it into more of a main course offering. You can also modify the flavor to suit your taste. Place your blanched broccoli in a bowl and pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli. Transfer everything into a prepared dish and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and crushed crackers over the top. Bake the casserole until it gets bubbly. Sprinkle a little parsley on top and enjoy. The end result is a crunchy and creamy casserole that’s totally irresistible!
Grains: Use 3 cups of broccoli and 3 cups of cooked grains such as rice, quinoa or farro. Protein: Use 3 cups of broccoli and 3 cups of cooked chicken or ground beef. Bacon: Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cooked crumbled bacon over the finished dish. Potatoes: Use 3 cups of broccoli and 3 cups of cubed cooked potatoes. Veggies: You can sauté sliced mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers and other veggies with your onion. Spicy: Add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes or a little hot sauce to bring the heat. Creamy: Add a little sour cream to finish your cheese sauce for an extra creamy sauce. Cheese: You can really use any cheese you like in this casserole. I typically use a sharp cheddar cheese, but other great options are fontina, Monterey Jack or provolone cheese.
This broccoli casserole is everything you’d want in a side dish – it’s the best way to get your kids to eat their veggies! Serve this casserole at your next gatherings and watch the rave reviews pour in.
