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–+ servings
Serving creamy broccoli casserole with a serving spoon
5 from 2 votes

Broccoli Casserole

This creamy, cheesy broccoli casserole made from scratch and with fresh broccoli will be your new favorite side dish. Fresh Broccoli Casserole is everyone’s favorite.
Author Diana
Servings 8 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Equipment

  • 9 x13 casserole dish

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds (900g) broccoli cut into small florets (1 inch pieces)
  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • ½ medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups 350ml milk I used 2%
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or any buttery or cheesey crackers

Instructions

Blanch the broccoli:

  • In a large pot, boil water and salt it.
  • Prepare an ice bath by combining cold water and ice cubes in a large bowl, and set aside.
  • Add the broccoli and blanch for 2 minutes, the broccoli should be bright in color, crisp but tender at the same time. Do not overcook.
  • Remove from the saucepan, and plunge into the ice bath. Leave for 4-5 minutes, then drain and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

To make the creamy cheese sauce:

  • In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and sauté the onion until soft and translucent.
  • Add flour, and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Then gradually add the milk while whisking, the sauce will thicken. Season with salt, then add 1 cup of cheddar and all of the parmesan. Stir the cheeses in until they melt.
  • Add the broccoli florets to the sauce, and stir gently to coat the broccoli with the cheese sauce.

Make the Topping:

  • Melt the remaining butter in the microwave, then in a small bowl combine the crushed crackers with melted butter, and ½ cup of cheddar cheese.

To Bake:

  • Top the broccoli with the crumb topping. Bake for 10 minutes or until the topping is golden brown, and the sauce is bubbly.

Notes

  • Frozen Broccoli. I recommend that you use fresh broccoli, but if you're using frozen broccoli then thaw it completely and drain it from any liquid. You do not need to blanch it.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 675IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/broccoli-casserole/