This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Creamy Vegetable Casserole is a comforting meal with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots baked in a creamy cheese sauce. Topped with a sprinkle of crunchy breadcrumbs and baked to a golden, bubbly, saucy perfection, it will become your next go-to casserole!
Indulge in the simple pleasure of this veggie casserole, a versatile dish that’s perfect as a side or a vegetarian main course. With the combination of fresh broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots baked in a luscious Italian cheese sauce and a touch of herbs and classic spices, it’s a pleasure to both make and eat. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs and baked until bubbling, this casserole isn’t just a way to eat your veggies – it’s a way to truly enjoy them. Whether you’re catering to picky eaters or simply craving something comforting and flavorful, this casserole has you covered.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetable Casserole
- Creamy and Comforting: With its cheese sauce and variety of vegetables, it’s one cozy dish.
- Easy to Make: The recipe is simple and requires no special skills or tools.
- Versatile: It can be served as a main dish for vegetarians or as a tasty side to accompany meat or fish.
- Customizable: You can add or substitute vegetables, adjust seasonings, or even change up the cheese.
Ingredients
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets: You’ll need a pound of each.
- Baby Carrots: I use baby carrots, but you can use whole carrots cut into 1-2 inch sections.
- Butter: For the cheese sauce.
- Garlic: Minced or pressed.
- Cornstarch: Just a couple of tablespoons to thicken the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: You can use half-and-half or milk, but the sauce won’t be as thick and rich.
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- Chili Powder and Nutmeg: To flavor the cheese sauce.
- Italian Blend Cheese: You can also use other cheeses like cheddar, Gruyere, or a different blend.
- Panko: For the crunchy topping. Feel free to substitute pork-rind Panko.
How To Make A Vegetable Casserole
- Pre-Cook the Vegetables: Boil all the vegetables in a large pot for 8 minutes.
- Make the Cream Sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet, stir in the garlic, and whisk in cornstarch; add cream, and boil until thickened.
- Add Cheese and Seasonings: Remove from the heat, stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chili powder, nutmeg, and cheese until melted.
- Assemble the Casserole: Layer cheese sauce, veggies, and more sauce in the baking dish; season with salt and pepper as you go. Top with Panko crumbs.
- Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes until bubbly, then rest for 10 minutes to set.
Make Ahead Method
To make the casserole ahead, I suggest pre-cooking the veggies and sauce and storing them separately in the fridge for up to 2 days before using. Assemble and bake the casserole the day you want to serve it.
Recipe Tips
- Choose Fresh Vegetables: Selecting fresh and crisp vegetables will enhance the flavors of the casserole.
- Don’t Overcook the Vegetables: Boiling the vegetables until just fork-tender will keep them from getting mushy in the final bake.
- Season to Taste: Adjust seasonings like salt, pepper, or herbs to suit your taste preferences.
- Shredded Cheese: Experiment with different types of cheese to find your perfect flavor combination.
- Allow to Rest: Letting the casserole rest for a few minutes after baking will allow it to set, making serving easier.
Serving Suggestions
- Seafood: I love serving broccoli dishes with my Maryland-Style Crab Cakes as a perfect appetizer or light entree, or try it with this Glazed Salmon.
- Chicken: We love this Baked Lemon Chicken, and my Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken is a total win!
- A Colorful Salad: This Mediterranean Cobb Salad is a fresh and crunchy addition.
Storing Leftovers
- To refrigerate, store leftovers in airtight containers, and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, place the desired portion of leftover casserole in an ovenproof dish and bake at 350˚F until heated through.
More Broccoli Casserole Recipes
More Casseroles To Try
- Cheesy Broccoli, Sausage, and Cauliflower Casserole
- Butternut Squash and Rice Casserole
- Crockpot Eggnog French Toast Casserole
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Creamy Vegetable Casserole
Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are lightly coated in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, and baked to bubbly deliciousness.
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- 1 pound cauliflower florets
- ½ pound baby carrots
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper,, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder,, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup shredded Italian blend cheese
- 1 cup pork rind panko crumbs,, for topping (you can also use regular panko crumbs)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Boil a large pot of water over high heat.
- Add all vegetables to the boiling water and bring water back to a boil; cover, lower heat to a steady simmer, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until veggies are fork-tender.
- In the meantime, melt butter in a 10-inch skillet; add garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
- Whisk in cornstarch until blended; cook for 1 minute.
- Add heavy cream; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove from heat; stir in italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chili powder, ground nutmeg, and cheese; whisk until cheese is melted.
- Spread ½-cup of the cheese sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Drain the vegetables, then transfer to the baking dish; season with salt and pepper and stir.
- Add remaining cheese sauce; stir to coat all the vegetables.
- Sprinkle top with pork rinds panko crumbs.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.
- Serve.
Notes
- Choose Fresh Vegetables: Selecting fresh and crisp vegetables will enhance the flavors of the casserole.
- Don’t Overcook the Vegetables: Boiling the vegetables until just fork-tender will keep them from getting mushy in the final bake.
- Shredded Cheese: Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese to find your perfect flavor combination.
- Low Carb: Note for those making the low-carb variety – if you make the sauce without cornstarch, it will not store and reheat very well.
- Low-Calorie: For those following low-calorie diets, you can use Fat-Free Half & Half instead of the heavy cream and Fat-Free Shredded Mozzarella Cheese instead of the Italian Blend Cheese.
- Allow to Rest: Letting the casserole rest for a few minutes after baking will allow it to set, making serving easier.
- Season to Taste: Adjust seasonings like salt, pepper, or herbs to suit your taste preferences.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5293IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1mg
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.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
Do you think you could make the entire recipe, freeze it, and then cook it?
Hi!
Technically, yes, you can freeze it, but there’s a risk of the cream separating when thawed, which could affect the texture and appearance of the dish. After thawing it, I suggest giving it a really good mix and stir before reheating, and while it’s reheating – you want to mix in the cream as much as possible.
Or cheeses with rennet… maybe you can suggest that it can be made vegetarian with substitutions.
Looks good. I maybe wouldn’t tag it as vegetarian with pork rinds as an ingredient. Obviously they can be substituted. But I’d say it’s mislabeled.
I microwaved my veggies, Potatoes, Brussel and Carrots. Then roasted them, before putting them in the oven to bake. Love the versatility of this dish.
Can I make this in advance and bake 2 days later?
To make the casserole ahead, I suggest pre-cooking the veggies and the sauce, and storing them separately in the fridge for up to 2 days before using. Assemble and bake the casserole the day you want to serve it.