Broccoli Cheddar Casserole
This cheesy broccoli casserole is made with a homemade cream sauce and topped with buttery crackers.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 291kcal
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- steamer basket or large sieve
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli florets ~2 very large broccoli crowns, see note #1
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese equal to 1 ½ cup grated
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt; more as needed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk see note #3
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste`
- 2 cups (1 ½ ounces) Ritz crackers crushed; see note #4
Instructions
- Place the broccoli florets into a steamer basket over an inch of simmering water. Cover with a lid and steam until fork tender, about 5 minutes for small florets and up to 10 minutes for larger florets. See notes if you don't have a steamer basket.
- While the broccoli steams, grate the block of cheddar cheese using the large holes on a box grater. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add the onions and salt. Sauté until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, sautéing until aromatic.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Sprinkle the onions with flour, toasting for about a minute, or until lightly golden. Whisk in ½ cup of the milk to form a thick paste. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk. Sprinkle in the poultry seasoning and black pepper.
- When the sauce starts bubbling consistently, reduce heat to a gentle simmer over medium low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon without sliding off, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before stirring in half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the cream sauce, stirring to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top with the crushed crackers.
- Cover tightly with foil, then bake at 375F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until the crackers are golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Broccoli: Three pounds of broccoli crowns is 2 very large broccoli crowns or roughly 3 pounds. If buying pre-chopped broccoli, buy 2 pounds.
- Steamed broccoli: Frozen broccoli also works here, just cook it according to package instructions. If you don't have a steamer basket, use a large sieve fitted over a pot of simmering water and cover it tightly with that pot's lid. Alternatively, boil the broccoli in well-salted water until fork-tender, about 2 minutes.
- Milk: 2% also works for a slightly lighter sauce. Unsweetened, unflavored soy or oat milk are good non-dairy options.
- Crackers: I use two "fresh stacks" (this is the smaller size sleeve) of Ritz whole wheat crackers. Any type of butter cracker works. I crush them with my hands, but another method is to place them in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Nutrition calculations are an estimation and will vary based on ingredients used. I calculated these using 2 "fresh stacks" of whole wheat Ritz crackers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1201IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 350mg | Iron: 2mg
