This quick-baked broccoli and cheddar cheese sauce casserole is a simple side dish made with fresh broccoli florets. It’s made without canned soup! Instead, a flavorful from-scratch cheddar cheese sauce coats the steamed broccoli. Top with buttery panko and then bake in the oven until browned and bubbling! Ready within 40 minutes; yields 12 servings.
Try the Best Broccoli Casserole without Soup
You might be wondering why this is the BEST broccoli cheese casserole, but I promise you that this easy vegetable casserole is different from the others. Here’s what it doesn’t have: rice, canned soup, gloppy cheese, mayonnaise, or Ritz crackers.
Instead it has the creamiest cheese sauce flavored with just a little shallot and garlic. Then it’s topped with crunchy buttery panko. You might think it would be a time consuming recipe, but it’s easy and only takes about 20 minutes to assemble and 15 minutes to bake.
For the best Broccoli Cheese Casserole, start with fresh broccoli and add a creamy cheese sauce that’s made from scratch. Top it off with buttery panko and it will become a holiday tradition that you’ll want to make all year long. The creamy sauce goes great with stovetop candied yams.
You can make this ahead and then just bake for 15 minutes. You can never have enough quick side dish recipes.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s what a fan had to say:
“Excellent…enough sauce to support a lot of broccoli. Definitely on our Thanksgiving menu this year! Thanks, Barbara!“
What Makes This Great
- So what’s so great about this particular broccoli cheddar casserole, it’s the cheese sauce. It’s not overpowering but has a subtle flavor from the shallots and garlic. The American cheese adds a creamier texture that you won’t see in other broccoli and cheese casserole recipes.
- Making your own sauce is one hundred times better than broccoli casseroles that use mushroom soup. While adding cream of mushroom soup might be a little quicker, you can make this casserole in twenty minutes, the extra few minutes is so worth it.
- This broccoli casserole without soup does not contain rice. Adding rice, makes for a heartier broccoli casserole recipe which might not be what you need with a large meal.
Have I convinced you to add this cheesy broccoli casserole to your Thanksgiving line-up yet! Test it out with a simple rotisserie chicken dinner and you’ll transform a boring weeknight dinner.
What you’ll need for this Broccoli Side Dish
The full list of ingredients can be found in the Recipe Card below.
- Panko: You’ll need panko bread crumbs for the topping. I tested it with Ritz crackers but found it to be so much better with panko. When combined with a little melted butter and parmesan, it creates the crispiest topping for this awesome broccoli cheese casserole. You can find it on the bread aisle or order them on Amazon.
- Cheese: Next for a creamy cheese sauce, Use a combination. I’ve found that a sharp cheddar cheese adds flavor, but what keeps the sauce creamy and not gloppy is the addition of a cup of American cheese. Get the American cheese from the deli it’s generally a better quality.
- Fresh Broccoli: For the broccoli, use fresh broccoli, not frozen broccoli which will end up being watery in this recipe. Just cut it into 1-2 inch bite size pieces and cover and microwave for about eight minutes. By steaming the broccoli first, it keeps it’s texture and flavor and reduces the cooking time in the oven.
- Half-and-half: The cheese sauce requires liquid and I’ve found that half-and-half works the best. Cream is too rich and milk not creamy enough. Milk will not give you a creamy sauce.
I used to make broccoli and cheese bake with a standard béchamel cheese sauce using just cheddar cheese, but then I started adding a little American cheese and now this has become my go-to cheese sauce.
How to make Broccoli Casserole
Step 1: Steam the broccoli
Step 2: Make the sauce
Sauté a shallot and garlic until soft and add flour. Slowly add the half-and-half and bring it to a boil. It will thicken slightly but will not be as thick as a béchamel sauce. Remove from the heat and add cheese whisking until it has melted and then season.
Step 3: Add the topping
Combine panko, parmesan and melted butter.
Step 4: Layer the casserole
Step 5: Add the topping
If making this ahead, wait to add the panko topping until right before baking.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 15 minutes.
How to serve this Broccoli Casserole with Breadcrumbs
Let this casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. That will allow it to set while you bake some sour cream dinner rolls. As the cheese sauce cools a little, it will become less soupy and will not run all over the plate.
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Broccoli Casserole with Homemade Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 6 tablespoons butter melted (divided)
- 2 heads broccoli florets (about 8 cups) cut into bite size florets
- 1 shallot (about ¼ cup) chopped fine
- 2 garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese 8 ounces
- 1 cup American Cheese 4 ounces
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Place cut broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 8 minutes, until it is tender but not mushy. Drain and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add shallots and garlic cooking over medium heat until softened about 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk cooking for a minute. Slowly whisk in half-and-half and then turn to high and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, it will be only slightly thickened. Add cheddar and Amerrican cheese, hot sauce mustard, 11/2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and whisk until the cheese has melted and it is smooth.
- In a small bowl combine panko, 3 tablespoons melted butter and parmesan.
- Pour cheese sauce over broccoli and stir to combine. Cover with panko mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly around the edges and the top is golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can increase the amount of broccoli
- If making ahead, wait to add panko topping and refrigerate. Let it warm to room temperature, add panko right before placing it in the oven.
- Don’t substitute the American cheese, you need this for the creamy texture.
- You can freeze and reheat in the oven.
- To Store, let it cool first then cover or place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
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Nancy Turner says
Excellent…enough sauce to support a lot of broccoli. Definitely on our Thanksgiving menu this year! Thanks, Barbara!
Barbara Curry says
You can add more broccoli if you want to serve a bigger crowd, there is a generous amount of cheese sauce.
Bailey says
I had to double the broccoli to get enough for a 9×13 pan. I ended up using 4 heads of broccoli. It was quite annoying to have to go back and make more broccoli after realizing it wasn’t enough.
Barbara Curry says
Bailey,
I’m sorry if the recipe wasn’t clear and that that you had to cook more broccoli, how frustrating. I find the broccoli heads can vary so much in size. The recipe card has 8 cups of broccoli. I’ll go back to the post and add let others know that it might take more broccoli. Thanks for letting me know.
Sandy says
Do you put the broccoli in water with the salt to microwave or just sprinkle salt over the broccoli and microwave?
Barbara Curry says
Either way, the salt will infuse into the broccoli.