Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
Cheesy broccoli casserole is a great make-ahead side dish. Perfect for everything from a simple weeknight dinner to a Thanksgiving feast.
I’m a big fan of covering vegetables in creamy cheese sauce and baking until golden brown. But something tells me that pretty much no person on Earth would be against that. Right? I mean, even the most hatiest (totally a word) vegetable haters will love this glorious cheesy broccoli casserole or bake.
Not only is it absolutely delicious but it’s also SO easy to make. This isn’t a classic broccoli casserole filled with mayonnaise, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and topped with ritz crackers. This is the way we had it growing up and it’s not overly rich but completely delectable and allows the broccoli to be the star. Oh, and the cheese. Duh.
I love serving this cheesy broccoli casserole with roast chicken or pan-seared pork chops for an easy weeknight dinner but if you’re thinking about side dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this one is a total winner. Also, well done you planner you! It also helps that you can assemble it up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. Winning, all around!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Broccoli. Frozen broccoli can be used but won’t be as good as fresh.
- Cheese sauce.
- Cheese. I layered the broccoli with mozzarella cheese and used Cheddar and Parmesan cheese for the topping but you can use any cheese of your choice.
Tips For The Best Broccoli Casserole
- Cook the broccoli: Steam, roast or blanch fresh broccoli florets until just tender. Test this by sticking a sharp knife into the stem. If it inserts easily, the broccoli is cooked. Cooking the broccoli before covering in cheese sauce will allow the casserole to bake quickly and will prevent it from being watery.
- Make a delicious sauce: To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan then whisk in flour to make a roux. Pour in milk while whisking until the sauce is smooth. Add spices of your choice and mix in. Smoked paprika, nutmeg, dried oregano, mustard powder and chilli flakes all work very well in cheese sauce. Season the sauce generously and add plenty of cheese. This is not the time to be stingy.
- Making ahead: Cook the broccoli and cover in the sauce then cover the dish with foil and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. This is a great make-ahead dish so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Video
Ingredients
For the cheese sauce
- 4 cups Cheese sauce
For the Cheesy broccoli bake
- 1 ½ lb (750g) broccoli florets
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.
- Prepare the cheese sauce to recipe instructions.
- Slice the florets off the head of broccoli.
- Steam or blanche the broccoli until just tender then drain and allow to dry for a few minutes.
- Place half the broccoli in a baking dish then scatter over the mozzarella cheese and half of the cheese sauce. Repeat then finish with the Parmesan and cheddar cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
Nutrition
How do you make cheese sauce for broccoli?
Whisk butter and flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat until a roux forms. Slowly whisk in milk and season with salt, nutmeg, mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Remove from the heat then stir in the cheese until completely melted.
What cheese goes with broccoli and cheese?
Using a strong cheese like mature or sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan, Gruyere is best for broccoli and cheese. The flavor of the cheese needs to be able to stand up to the flavor of the broccoli. Adding a good melting cheese like mozzarella, Raclette or Fontina will add lush creaminess.
Can I freeze broccoli casserole?
Yes, to freeze: assemble the broccoli bake in a foil baking container and top with the shredded mozzarella. Press a sheet of parchment paper onto the surface of the casserole then wrap tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 4 months. To bake, remove the parchment paper and bake from frozen until golden brown and bubbling
Looks great but beleive not all the instructions given
Hi Gerald. The recipe card literally has step-by-step instructions with images. What info do you feel I missed?
Hi
When making the cheese sauce, do I still add cheese to the sauce even though I adding cheese to the broccoli casserole?
That’s completely up to you – the bechamel on its own is still super flavorful. You could also do half the cheese in the sauce and half layered with the broccoli.
Can I make this and cook tomorrow please
Yes, assemble the day before and cook before serving.
I added bacon and a little brown sugar to the top. It was amazing.
Going to try it with broiled salmon tonight.
For now long do you cook it from frozen, please?
Approximately 45 minutes.
I really would have liked to make this but when I’m in the kitchen cooking, I don’t want to read a blog. I want to read a recipe.
There are no measurements, quantities and it’s all just text so when I’ve got lots going on in the kitchen, I want steps to follow so I can cook multiple things at the same time and not have to stop and re-read paragraphs of blog then figure out measurements.
If you scroll down there’s a recipe box with all the quantities and method in steps.
I’m going to try this. It looks really good and I love broccoli anyhow.
Hope you love it Jean!
The perfect side dish. Made it with roasted pork and potatoes and added a salad for my vegetarian friend. Smiles all around!
Sounds perfect! 🙂
My family loved this. We eat a lot of broccoli and I’m out of ideas but this was really good.
So happy I could provide some new inspiration.
Great recipe. Perfect use of broccoli.
Thanks!
This looks so, so delicious! Definitely need to add it to my weekly rotation!
You must! It’s a good one!
Wow! That looks like the perfect comforting side dish. ??
It totally is!