Broccoli Casserole

Being born and raised in the Midwest, it probably won’t surprise you that I LOVE a casserole. Nothing says holiday meal or comfort food quite like a casserole. I have been known to request them for my birthday as well. And this broccoli casserole is one of my favorites!

This broccoli casserole recipe has it all—broccoli, cheese, a good amount of butter and a Ritz cracker topping. If you need an easy and delicious side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, make this. It’s a crowd-pleaser.

Related: Love broccoli? Me too! Next up, try broccoli salad, broccoli slaw, Air Fryer broccoli or broccoli cheddar soup.

Ingredients

• Broccoli
• Shallot – or yellow onion
• Garlic
• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Chicken stock – or vegetable
• Cheddar cheese
• Ritz crackers

If you like, you could top this casserole with something crunchy beyond Ritz crackers, like French fried onions. This would make it similar to green bean casserole, which is another favorite of mine.

How to make Broccoli Casserole

Trim the stems from the broccoli florets. You want bite-sized pieces or a little larger. Chop the shallot and mince the garlic.

In a medium to large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the shallot and garlic in the butter for a minute or two. Whisk in the flour, as this will create a paste consistency. Then whisk in the milk and stock, which will create a very thin roux or gravy-like consistency. Then stir in the cheese and continue to cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Season this mixture with a little salt and pepper and then stir in the broccoli so it all gets coated.

Pour this mixture into a square (8×8) baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the cracker topping. In a food processor, grind the crackers into crumbs (you can also do this in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin). Then stir in the melted butter and seasoning.

Once the casserole has baked for the initial 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Take off the foil and sprinkle the cracker topping all over. Bake for an additional 6-8 minutes. The cracker topping should deepen in color and the casserole should be bubbling along the sides.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. If you serve the casserole piping hot right from the oven, it will be more liquid-y.

More Great Casserole Recipes

• Easy Corn Casserole
• Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Duchess Sweet Potato Casserole
• Stuffing Topped Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Cauliflower Au Gratin
• the Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Get our FREE recipe guide with our most popular recipes of all time!

Get the Guide

Free Popular Recipe Guide

Our top 25 recipes of all time!

Name *

Email *

GDPR Agreement *

• I consent to receive emails from this site. *

Sign Up

4.93 from 13 votes

Print

Get the Recipe

creamy, cheesy broccoli casserole with a Ritz cracker topping

Yield 8

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2-3 heads broccoli
• ▢ 1 shallot
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic
• ▢ ¼ cup butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock
• ▢ 1 cup milk
• ▢ 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese

Topping

• ▢ 1 ½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs (roughly 36 crackers)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• ▢ salt and pepper

Equipment

• ▢
  square baking dish

Instructions

• Trim the stems from the broccoli florets. You want bite-sized pieces or a little larger. Chop the shallot and mince the garlic.
• In a medium to large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the shallot and garlic in the butter for a minute or two. Whisk in the flour, as this will create a paste consistency.
• Then whisk in the milk and stock, which will create a very thin roux or gravy-like consistency.
• Then stir in the cheese and continue to cook and stir until the cheese is melted.
• Season this mixture with a little salt and pepper and then stir in the broccoli so it all gets coated.
• Pour this mixture into a square (8×8) baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the cracker topping. In a food processor, grind the crackers into crumbs (you can also do this in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin).
• Then stir in the melted butter and seasoning.
• Once the casserole has baked for the initial 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Take off the foil and sprinkle the cracker topping all over.
• Bake for an additional 6-8 minutes. The cracker topping should deepen in color and the casserole should be bubbling along the sides.

Notes

If you like, you could top this casserole with something crunchy beyond Ritz crackers, like French fried onions.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. If you serve the casserole piping hot right from the oven, it will be more liquid-y.

© Author Emma Chapman

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keywords broccoli, casserole

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli Casserole

Amount per Serving

Calories

303

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

20

g

31

%

Saturated Fat

 

11

g

69

%

Trans Fat

 

0.5

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Cholesterol

 

49

mg

16

%

Sodium

 

411

mg

18

%

Potassium

 

608

mg

17

%

Carbohydrates

 

21

g

7

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

12

g

24

%

Vitamin A

 

1488

IU

30

%

Vitamin C

 

136

mg

165

%

Calcium

 

284

mg

28

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.