Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
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This Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe is the ultimate cheesy, comforting side dish made from scratch with fresh broccoli, a creamy homemade sauce, and a buttery cracker topping. It’s ready in under an hour, can be made ahead, and is perfect for holidays, weeknight dinners, and family meals.
The rich creamy sauce and golden, crunchy topping of this broccoli cheese casserole make it a comfort food family favorite! This updated classic recipe from my childhood uses fresh ingredients and a homemade sauce, resulting in an amazing flavor. It’s simple to make and a crowd-pleaser, whether you serve it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a weeknight supper. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted.
Why you’ll love this family favorite Broccoli Cheese Casserole!
This fresh take on an iconic classic casserole is the most delicious I’ve ever tasted—and you’ll love how simple it is to prepare.
For generations, broccoli cheese casseroles have been a part of potlucks, family dinners, and holidays. After I made this made-from-scratch version, it’s become my very favorite and I haven’t looked back!
It is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with Turkey Breast or Roasted Turkey. It is also delicious anytime with Roast Chicken or Baked Chicken Breasts, making it a favorite part of a cozy family dinner. I’m looking forward to you trying it!
Why You’ll Love This Broccoli Cheese Casserole
- Made From Scratch Flavor: This creamy sauce tastes better than canned soup versions.
- Quick and Easy: Prep quickly and bake to deliciousness in under an hour.
- Kid and Family Favorite: Kid-approved and great for weeknight side dishes or gatherings.
- Make-Ahead Ease: Assemble ahead for fuss-free holidays and dinners.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli florets cut from whole heads of broccoli; pre-cut florets are also acceptable.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, adds richness.
- All-purpose Flour: Thickens homemade sauce.
- Milk: Use whole milk or heavy cream for a rich, creamy sauce.
- Kosher Salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you substitute Morton’s Kosher salt, fine sea salt, or table salt, use half the amount specified in the recipe.
- Ground Black Pepper: Alternatively, you can use white pepper if you prefer.
- Cayenne Pepper: Use only a little for added flavor. If sensitive to cayenne, omit it.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: Adds creamy, delicious flavor to homemade sauce.
- Sour Cream: Adds slightly tangy flavor and silky richness to the sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese: Tops the casserole as it bakes.
- Buttery Crackers: Adds a crispy, buttery topping.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Casserole
This simple, made-from-scratch recipe for this iconic casserole gives the best flavor.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare your baking dish. Cut the broccoli into florets, add to a large pot of boiling water, and cook. Drain cooked broccoli and set aside.
- Melt butter in a skillet or saucepan. Whisk in flour until well combined. Then, whisk in milk, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and Monterey Jack cheese. Reduce heat as directed and continue to whisk until sauce simmers a bit around the edges and has thickened slightly. Stir in the sour cream.
- Arrange the broccoli in a casserole dish and pour the cream sauce over it. Top with cheddar cheese and crushed buttery crackers. Bake uncovered until bubbling. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Make it Cheesier: Add 1/2 cup cheese to the sauce.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour and crackers.
Recipe Success Tips
- Use Fresh Broccoli: Boil just until tender.
- Get a Thick, Creamy Sauce: Whisk constantly to prevent lumps.
- No Over-Browning: Tent with foil if topping seems to brown too quickly.
- Test for Doneness: Ready when it’s bubbly and heated completely through.
Storage Tips
- Store: Cool, cover tightly or put in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Assemble unbaked (without final cheese and cracker topping) or cool baked casserole, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If the casserole is unbaked, thaw overnight, then top with the final cheese and cracker topping and bake as directed.
- Reheat: Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble without the final topping of cheese and butter crackers. Store the unbaked casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, top with the cheese and crackers and bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Stir in 1-2 cups of shredded chicken for a complete meal.
Yes! Divide this recipe to make fewer servings or prepare the full recipe and divide it into two smaller dishes. Bake one for now, then hold off on adding the topping to the second dish and freeze it for later.
Yes, you can. I prefer to use my homemade cheesy cream sauce or my homemade cream of chicken soup, but you can use your favorite canned soup if needed. If you use canned soup, omit the ingredients for cheesy cream sauce.
Other Favorite Casseroles and Side Dishes
Why This Broccoli Cheese Casserole Is A Favorite Side
With its creamy homemade sauce, tender broccoli, and crunchy topping, this broccoli cheese casserole is a tasty, comforting dish for holidays and family dinners. It’s easy to make from scratch and is always a crowd favorite.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups crushed buttery crackers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 13 x 9 – inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add broccoli florets to a large heavy-bottomed stockpot of boiling water. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then drain broccoli from the water. Set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour until well-combined, then whisk in milk, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to whisk until sauce simmers slightly around the edges and has thickened slightly. Stir in sour cream.
- Arrange broccoli in casserole dish and then pour cream sauce over broccoli. Top with cheddar cheese and crushed crackers.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Store: Cool, cover tightly or put in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Assemble unbaked (without final cheese and cracker topping) or cool baked casserole, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If the casserole is unbaked, thaw overnight, then top with the final cheese and cracker topping and bake as directed.
- Reheat: Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble without the final topping of cheese and butter crackers. Store the unbaked casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, top with the cheese and crackers and bake as directed.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
We are doing low carb so we needed to use heavy cream and not milk. For the butter cracker topping we used pork rind crumbles. This went over great with family and new neighbors we had over and they wanted the recipe.
This sounds great with the pork rind crumbles. I’m so glad your family and neighbors loved it.
Can u add rice to it
Andrea, if you’d like to add cooked rice to the casserole, I would recommend adding about 1 – 1 1/2 cups and adding about half that amount of liquid as chicken or vegetable stock. You may need to adjust the baking time a bit to make sure that the casserole doesn’t overcook.
SO absolutely delicious! After the first time I made it, family added this dish to our Holiday menu! First time making it , it is a little intimidating creating sauce, but it never turns out wrong. Worth the time and effort. I use half the cracker topping so they don’t overpower the dish.
I’m so happy you and your family love this casserole. Thanks, Julie.
Made this for Thanksgiving. Was a huge hit. No leftovers and there were only 13 people! Delicious! I’ve made a lot of broccoli casseroles over the years and I think this one is the best! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you, Sandra. So glad everyone loved it.
Made this for turkey day instead of green bean casserole and the family LOVED it, even the little ones. This is part of the mix from now on!
I’m so glad everyone loved this, Emily. Thank you.
Just a quick question! 🙂 I’m making this a few days ahead. Do I need to let it cool throughly before I refrigerate it without the cheese/cracker topping? Thank you!!
Yes, Leticia, you do need to let it cool thoroughly before refrigerating. Then cover it tightly and refrigerate. Add the topping right before you are ready to bake and then follow the baking instructions in the recipe. It may take an extra few minutes of baking time since it is starting colder in the oven. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious!!!! Crushed gluten free crackers on top make this a wonderful GF side dish. Homemade cheese sauce does not take much time to make and is SOOO much better than soup based option. Used 32 oz frozen broccoli for 8 c fresh.
Thank you for the information on how you make this gluten free, Beverly. So glad this recipe worked so well for you.
Hi Beverly! Can you tell me how you made the cheese sauce gluten free? I’m looking for holiday sides I can make for my young niece that was recently diagnosed with Celiac’s and I’m always on the lookout for people who have successfully converted a recipe. Thanks for your help!
I’ve made this twice now. Family loves it! Tonight I cut up some chicken breasts and partially cooked the chicken. Then added it to the casserole before baking. Makes it a little more like a meal instead of a side dish. Thank you!
Thanks so much Jill! xo
This was one of the best quickest, easiest recipe that I’ve made in a while. I did add a little cream of chicken and it turned out Amazing. This my newest favorite recipe!
Can you give me this recipe but I need it to be 1/3