Julie Clark
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Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
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An old fashioned Broccoli and Cheese Casserole with Ritz cracker topping. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor, it’s the perfect side dish for any meal.
Looking for the perfect side dish to complement your dinner? Our Broccoli and Cheese Casserole combines tender broccoli florets with two types of cheese to create a side dish that even the pickiest eater will like. It’s similar to our chicken divan casserole.
With pantry staple ingredients and only 10 minutes prep, this easy vegetable casserole with crunchy french fried onions and Ritz crackers will add a pop of flavor to your dinner.
About this Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Recipe:
- Flavor: You’ll have flavors of cheese, broccoli and a hint of curry and garlic powder. The Ritz crackers and french fried onions add a salty flavor and richness to the casserole.
- Texture: The cheese and cream of chicken soup keep the casserole creamy. The broccoli should be tender after baking. The cracker crumbs give a slight crunch to the casserole.
- Method: This recipe bakes in a 9×13 baking dish or a 2 ½ quart casserole dish. You’ll need about 45 minutes for the recipe from start to finish.
Fresh Broccoli vs Frozen Broccoli
This broccoli casserole recipe can be made with fresh chopped broccoli and frozen broccoli. Either one works since both are nutritious and good for you.
Cut fresh broccoli into bite size pieces before adding to the casserole. Frozen broccoli should be thawed so that it fully cooks while in the oven.
What is broccoli cheese casserole made of?
Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise: I prefer traditional, full-fat mayonnaise in this casserole. Use a mayo that you like since it will flavor the casserole slightly.
- Cream of chicken soup: I prefer cream of chicken, but use any cream soup for this recipe. You can even use our condensed soup substitute.
- Parmesan and cheddar cheese: Two cheeses keep the casserole creamy. If you shred your own blocks of cheese, the sauce will be creamier than if you use pre-shredded.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice gives a great flavor, but bottled lemon juice works as well.
- Curry and garlic powder. These both add warmth to the casserole and help it to taste comforting and homemade.
- Broccoli florets: This casserole works great with the frozen broccoli you may have in your freezer. Just thaw the broccoli first so that the casserole cooks properly.
- French fried onions: These don’t go on top, but get mixed into the casserole, just as with our green bean casserole. So good.
- Ritz crackers: Any buttery cracker will do.
How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Also, if the broccoli is frozen, make sure to plan ahead and thaw it.
- Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chicken soup, cheeses, lemon juice, curry and garlic powder. Mix well.
- Assemble the casserole. Place the broccoli in a large bowl and pour the sauce over the top. Fold gently together. Sprinkle with the french fried onions. The spread the remaining sauce, covering the top of the casserole. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the casserole.
- Bake the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until heated through.
Make Ahead Instructions
If you need to prep this casserole in advance, you may do so. Assemble the casserole up to 48 hours in advance, however don’t add the onions and cracker crumbs until right before baking. This will prevent the casserole from being soggy.
Cover and refrigerate until baking.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.
- Freezer: Freeze any leftovers for up to 6 weeks. Allow leftovers to thaw, then reheat in them microwave.
Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
Indulge in comfort with this Broccoli and Cheese Casserole recipe. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor, it's the perfect side dish for any meal
Servings 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise 172 grams
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup undiluted, 1 can
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 53 ounces
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 43 grams
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 24 ounces frozen baby broccoli florets thawed
- ½ cup french fried onions 34 grams
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers about 35 crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chicken soup, cheeses, lemon juice, curry and garlic powder. Mix well.
- Place the broccoli in a large bowl and pour the sauce over the top. Fold gently together.
- Sprinkle with the french fried onions.
- The spread the remaining sauce, covering the top of the casserole.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the casserole.
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until heated through and slightly bubbling around the edges.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being ⅛ of the casserole. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add rice for a broccoli rice casserole?
Yes. This recipe is great with leftover rice. Add 1-2 cups of cooked white long grain rice (or brown rice) to the casserole mixture and bake as the recipe suggests. With rice added, it makes an excellent meatless main dish.
Can I use cream of mushroom soup?
Yes. Use any cream soup you’d like.
I don’t have butter crackers. Can I use saltines instead?
Yes. If you only have saltines, I recommend tossing the saltine cracker crumbs with a tablespoon or two of melted butter to add the butter flavor to the topping.
