Broccoli Casserole
This comforting and easy broccoli casserole recipe uses fresh broccoli florets tossed in a cheesy sauce and baked with crushed crackers on top. Simple, decadent, and delicious!
I had some broccoli in the fridge that needed to be used up so I decided to try something new rather than my usual roasted broccoli. I found an easy recipe for cheesy broccoli casserole on Dinner at the Zoo that looked tasty and thankfully I had all of the ingredients on hand. The broccoli turned out cheesy, flavorful, and decadent and I especially loved the buttery crushed Ritz crackers on top.
Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients:
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 oz cream cheese
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- Fresh parsley, chopped
How to Make Broccoli Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green.
Immediately drain the water and transfer the broccoli florets to a large bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain and place the broccoli on a clean tea towel or paper towels and pat dry.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the paprika and garlic powder and continue to cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the cream cheese then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Remove from the heat.
Toss the broccoli florets in the sauce and stir until evenly coated. Pour cheesy broccoli into the prepared baking dish.
Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese then sprinkle the crushed crackers on top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- ¼ onion diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 1 oz cream cheese
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers
- Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green.
- Immediately drain the water and transfer the broccoli florets to a large bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain and place the broccoli on a clean tea towel or paper towels and pat dry.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the paprika and garlic powder and continue to cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the cream cheese then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Remove from the heat.
- Toss the broccoli florets in the sauce and stir until evenly coated. Pour cheesy broccoli into the prepared baking dish.
- Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese then sprinkle the crushed crackers on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy.
What a delicious way to serve broccoli .
Looks like a delicious side dish!
Let me think – roasted broccoli or cheesy broccoli casserole – no brainer for me. It looks delicious.