Easy Broccoli Casserole

broccoli casserole with golden brown buttery ritz topping with a scoop taken out and a serving spoon resting in it

5 from 4 votes

Your whole family is going to love this easy broccoli casserole recipe. It has an incredibly rich and flavorful cream sauce, without cream of mushroom soup. The butter Ritz topping has savory garlic

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: thanksgiving side, vegetable side dish

Servings: servings

Author: Molly Thompson

Equipment

9x13-inch (or 3-quart) casserole dish
Small saucepan
Large pot for boiling the broccoli

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons (or 1 cube) chicken bouillon paste
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon EACH: black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
6 ounces cream cheese
2 3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese divided (Note 1)
48 ounces fresh broccoli florets (Note 2 Frozen Broccoli)
2 eggs beaten

Ritz cracker Topping

1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve)
1 clove garlic minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x13 inch (or 3 quart) casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan with the cornstarch and whisk to dissolve it before you turn on the heat. Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir in the butter, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute until thickened.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted into the sauce then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
While it’s cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil for 3 minutes, until the broccoli is noticeably brighter in color. Immediately drain the broccoli in a colander to stop the cooking process. Transfer the broccoli to the prepared casserole dish.
When the creamy sauce is cooled, add the beaten egg. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot or it could scramble the eggs. To be safe, you could add a bit of the mixture to the eggs first to temper it (bring it up to temp) before adding it to the mixture.
Pour the creamy mixture over the broccoli and toss to coat. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 cups of shredded cheese on top.
Quickly mix the Ritz crackers with butter and garlic. Sprinkle evenly over the broccoli casserole
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve warm.
Broccoli casserole will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Cheddar Cheese. Use a block of cheddar and shred it yourself for best results. Pre-shredded cheese contains elements to prevent the cheese from melting as well.

Note 2. Frozen Broccoli. Skip boiling the broccoli and use frozen (no need to thaw). Use fresh broccoli for best results but frozen will work too.

Storage instructions: allow the casserole to cool and transfer leftovers to an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven at 300°F until heated through.

Make-ahead instructions (up to 2 days in advance): prepare the entire dish up until you make the crunchy topping. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you're ready to make it, remove it from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Make the cracker topping and bake as directed.

Nutrition