Simple Broccoli Casserole

Simple Broccoli Casserole is an ideal comfort dish, full of broccoli and cheese, with a great crunchy topping your family is sure to love!

Classic Cravings

When kids are having a hard time eating vegetables, what do we do? We add cheese, of course! It’s easy to see why a classic dish like Simple Broccoli Casserole is still wildly popular today, with those comforting flavors of creamy cheese, broccoli, and buttery crackers- it’s enough to make anyone hungry! We make this dish for most holidays just because we know everyone loves it but we also make it on weeknights because it’s so easy and complements any chicken, steak, or pork chop dish we serve!

Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup is the perfect way to warm up after a chilly day and is just as quick to make as yummy and kid-pleasing Easy Veggie Pizza!

Other Recipes to Serve with Simple Broccoli Casserole Recipe

• Sheet Pan Crispy Ranch Pork Chops is full of amazing flavors and is a great weeknight dish!
• Keep showing the family how great broccoli is with more incredible and easy-to-make dishes like Creamy Broccoli and Mushroom Chicken.

Ingredients

Broccoli: To make this casserole, you will need two pounds of fresh broccoli. Cut the broccoli into small pieces, and don’t kick out those smaller stem pieces- they’re delicious, too!

Soup: To get that great creamy base, you will need a can of cream of mushroom soup. Regular and 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup are both great options.

Dairy: Pick up shredded cheddar cheese and your preferred kind of milk.

Crackers: You will need about half of a sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers for the casserole topping.

How to Make Simple Broccoli Casserole Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Using a steamer basket over a pot of simmering water, steam the cut broccoli for about 7 minutes or until crisp. Spoon the broccoli into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain the broccoli and place it in the prepared baking dish.

STEP TWO: In a small saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the milk, cream of mushroom soup, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Continue stirring the mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the cream mixture is warm and the cheese has melted. Pour the cream mixture over the broccoli in the pan and smooth the broccoli out.

STEP THREE: Sprinkle a little more shredded cheese over the broccoli, and then evenly distribute the crushed crackers over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle more cheese over the top of the crackers and then bake the casserole uncovered for 30 minutes or until golden on top.

STEP FOUR: Remove from the oven, and let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tips for Success

• Let’s talk soup: Some people don’t like cream of mushroom soup, but don’t let that stop you from making this incredible dish! Use a can of cream of broccoli, cream of celery, or even a can of cheddar cheese soup instead! If you use cheddar cheese soup, you can reduce the cheese you add to the cream mixture or add more broccoli to balance the dish.
• If you don’t have time or don’t want to cut all of that broccoli, feel free to use frozen broccoli instead. Allow the frozen broccoli to thaw completely and dry it before adding it to the dish.
• If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can simmer the broccoli in boiling water instead and follow the recipe as written.
• To stop the broccoli from continuing to cook after it has been steamed, you’ll need to put it in an ice bath. An ice bath is a large bowl filled with cold water and a little ice that will quickly cool hot veggies so they don’t continue to cook and become too soft in the casserole.

Is it better to use fresh or frozen broccoli in a casserole?

Broccoli is a great vegetable to use in a casserole, soups, and as a simple side because it is so hearty and one of the few veggies that tastes great when fresh or frozen. Both types of broccoli work in this casserole, which is great if you’re in a time crunch! If you are using frozen broccoli for this recipe, let it thaw completely first and then dry the broccoli. Any extra moisture in the broccoli will cause the cheese sauce to become watery.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Holiday baking can be intense with all of the dishes that need to be assembled and baked, and certain weeknights can be hectic, too, so being able to make this broccoli casserole ahead of time is awesome. Make this dish one to two days before but leave off the cracker topping. Wrap the casserole and store it in the fridge until you can bake it. Before baking, allow the casserole to come to room temperature first, and then bake according to the recipe.

Veggie Comfort Casseroles for Every Occasion

• Green Bean Casserole
• Yellow Squash Casserole
• Parmesan Corn Casserole
• Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole

*This post was originally posted on 11/16/2018.