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Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe

Loaded with Italian seasoning and garlic, this cheesy broccoli casserole will be a hot and bubbly weeknight favorite for everyone in the family— even the little ones. Ready in 35 minutes, all you have to do is mix and bake.

Cheesy broccoli casserole in the baking dish.

Easy Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Topped with golden, melty goodness, this cheesy broccoli casserole will become a weeknight favorite from the first time you put it on the table. Even if you’ve got some picky eaters at home, broccoli might just become their new favorite vegetable once they try this dish. Mixed with a homemade cream cheese sauce, this casserole is the perfect opportunity to use up all your leftover bits of cheese in the fridge. Got leftover rotisserie chicken? Add that in too! This recipe is super versatile and easy. All you have to do is boil the broccoli, whisk the sauce, mix, and bake. That’s not too bad, is it?

With a great mix of crisp and creamy textures and flavors, this cheese and broccoli bake will redefine how you feel about weeknight cooking adventures. Ready in roughly 30 minutes, I’d say this casserole is so worth it— and anyone with a cheese-smothered smile will agree with me too.

Broccoli florets in a baking dish.

Ingredients For Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Don’t skip the Italian seasoning. It’s the secret flavor punch for this cheesy broccoli casserole. Scroll down to the recipe card for complete instructions.

  • Broccoli florets
  • Cream cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Cheddar cheese: Feel free to use your favorite cheese blend or bits of all your leftover cheese.
  • Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan is best for this.
  • Garlic: You can substitute it for 1 to 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
  • Italian seasoning
  • Salt and ground black pepper

How to Make Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Boiling broccoli for less than 5 minutes and making a quick homemade sauce is about as hard as it gets for this cheesy casserole.

  • Prepare the dish. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter. Set it aside.
  • Boil the broccoli. Bring 1/2″ of salted water to a boil in a large skillet or pot. Add the broccoli and let it cook for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain it and place it in the prepared baking dish.
  • Make the sauce. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl until well combined.
  • Mix it. Add the sauce to the baking dish and stir until the broccoli is coated in the mixture.
  • Bake it. Pop the baking dish into the oven for 17-20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Remove it from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

  • If you’re using frozen broccoli in a casserole, stir fry, quiche, and so on, it’s better to thaw the broccoli so it is at the same temperature as the rest of the ingredients for even cooking. To quickly thaw the broccoli florets, place them in a large bowl, cover them with hot water, and let them sit for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, pat dry with paper towels, and continue with the recipe.
Unbaked cheesy broccoli casserole.

Tips & Variations For Cheesy Broccoli

  • Line it. Use foil to line the baking dish for easy clean-up when you’re done.
  • Don’t over-bake. Remove this dish from the oven once the cheese is hot and bubbly. Letting it bake for much longer can make the sauce seize and separate.
  • Use chicken. Leftover rotisserie chicken is an easy variation of this dish.
  • Add turkey. Grilled or shredded turkey are great ways to add protein to this easy casserole.
  • Add more veggies. Adding your favorite veggies like cauliflower or yellow corn into the mix can make this casserole extra healthy and flavorful.
  • Cheese Choice: Cheddar cheese is a popular choice for this casserole, but feel free to experiment with different types like Gouda or mozzarella.
  • Make it spicy. Sprinkle this dish with red pepper flakes before serving for some heat. Cayenne pepper works too.

How To Make Cheesy Broccoli Casserole In Advance?

  • All you have to do is boil the broccoli for 4 minutes, transfer it to the baking dish, and then top it with the cheese mixture. Once it cools down to room temperature, cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, just remove the foil, stir the casserole ingredients, and bake until hot and bubbly.

What to Serve with Broccoli And Cheese Casserole

I love to serve this cheesy broccoli casserole with non-creamy sides and mains for the perfect balance of flavors. For sides, try it with my Cobb Salad, Chorizo, Rice and Bean Soup, or Crispy Smashed Potatoes. Serve it with my Garlic Butter Oven Baked Tilapia, Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops, or Cajun Chicken Pasta with Zoodles as mains.

Close-up of cheesy broccoli casserole.

How to Store Leftovers

  • Once fully cooled, refrigerate this cheesy broccoli casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also keep it in the baking dish to reduce clean-up.
  • To reheat it, sprinkle it with 1-2 teaspoons of milk and then microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. If you’d like to heat it on the stove, just add it to a pan over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes.

More Easy Casserole Recipes

Broccoli Cheese Casserole with a serving spoon.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole 

Katerina | Diethood
This cheesy broccoli casserole, full of Italian spices, cheese, and garlic, will be a dinner winner any night of the week – even your picky little eaters will be asking for seconds.
4.82 from 102 votes
Servings : 6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • pounds broccoli florets
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, cut in cubes
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • salt, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
  • crushed red pepper flakes for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  • Grease a 2.5 quart to 3 quart baking dish with butter and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, bring 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the broccoli; cover and cook over high heat until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Drain and transfer broccoli to prepared baking dish; set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix until incorporated.
  • Add cream cheese mixture to the broccoli and stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Bake in the oven for 17 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.
  • Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
  • Optionally, garnish with crushed red pepper flakes and serve.

Notes

Tips & Variations
  • Prep Your Broccoli: It’s important to cook the fresh broccoli before adding it to the casserole to ensure it’s adequately softened. You can steam or blanch it in boiling water for a few minutes, as per the instructions in this recipe.
  • Cheese Choice: Cheddar cheese is a popular choice because of its strong flavor, but feel free to experiment with different types like Gouda, mozzarella, or even a blend of several kinds of cheese.
  • Add Crunch: For an added texture, sprinkle some bread crumbs or fried onions on top before baking.
  • Extra Flavor: While Italian seasoning and garlic are a great start, you can also add other flavors like Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, or a splash of hot sauce for some heat.
  • Add turkey. Shredded cooked turkey is a great way to add protein to the casserole.
  • Use chicken. Leftover rotisserie chicken blends well with the cheesy casserole.
  • Add more veggies. Adding your favorite veggies like cauliflower or yellow corn into the mix will add more nutrition, flavor, and texture to the casserole.
How To Make Ahead
  • Cook broccoli in boiling water for 4 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a baking dish and add the cheese mixture.
  • Wait for it to cool down to room temperature, then cover it with foil and set it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. 
  • When ready, remove the cover, stir everything together, and bake until the mixture is hot and bubbly.

Nutrition

Calories: 287 kcal | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 66 mg | Sodium: 355 mg | Potassium: 452 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 1505 IU | Vitamin C: 102 mg | Calcium: 277 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked cheese recipe, broccoli casserole, broccoli cheese casserole, christmas dinner side, keto friendly recipes, keto side dishes, low carb dinner ideas, thanksgiving side dish, vegetarian dinner idea
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