Broccoli Cheese Bake
Broccoli Cheese Bake, the creamiest and cheesiest Broccoli Side Dish you will ever eat. Everyone will ask for seconds. A dish you will be making over and over.
One good thing about the holidays is I can add all the creamy bake dishes I want and just say “Well it’s the holidays”. So that, my friends, is what I am saying and I am sticking to it.
Before I made the biggest decision of my life, which was to get married and move to Italy, my husband spent some time in Toronto, (actually that is where we met) getting to know my family and friends and of course enjoying my Mom’s cooking.
One of his favourite dishes was this Broccoli Casserole. I was never a big broccoli fan but done this way it is easy to become one. Needless to say this is one of many recipes that I took with me to my new country.
How to make Broccoli Cheese Casserole
- Cook the broccoli florets in boiling water for about 10 minutes, drain well.
- In a medium large pot over low heat melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and salt, combine until smooth.
- Then slowly add the milk and continue to whisk until thickened and starts to boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Fold in the cheese and broccoli and gently combine, then add the eggs and combine.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 30 – 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let sit 5 minute before serving!
So whenever my husband would bring home a head or two of broccoli that his wonderful mother would gift us with from her garden this of course was one of the first dishes I would make.
Italians like to steam or boil the broccoli first then sauté it with some olive oil, garlic and salt. This is a delicious way also. But nothing beats baked broccoli.
I know how hard it can be sometimes to get your kids to eat vegetables, especially broccoli, but done this way my kids actually love it and look forward to a remake.
More delicious Broccoli Recipes
- Orecchietti Pasta with Broccoli
- Creamy Broccoli Potato Casserole
- Baked Broccoli Tater Tots
- Creamy Broccoli Bacon Penne Casserole
Can Broccoli Cheese Casserole be prepared ahead of time?
The casserole can be prepared the day ahead, just be sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Just remove from the fridge and bake.
How to store Broccoli Casserole?
The Broccoli Cheese Casserole should be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped and kept in the refrigerator. Stored properly, the casserole will last for three to five days in the fridge.
How to freeze it
If cooked be sure to freeze it when it is completely cooled and cover very well, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag or container. You can also freeze it unbaked, again cover tightly, then in a freezer bag, bake it from frozen, although it will need more time to bake.
Is Broccoli good for you?
Broccoli is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants as . Including vitamin C, it is also delicious whether eaten cooked or raw.
You can never go wrong with this delicious creamy baked dish. Tender broccoli in a delicious white sauce mixed with the tanginess of swiss cheese which is then all baked to perfection.
Broccoli cheese bake is also a perfect dish to make for when I have friends or family for dinners, it also makes the perfect side dish for special holidays. I hope you enjoy it! Buon Appetito!
Broccoli Cheese Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound head of broccoli ** 1/2 kilo
- 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk 490 grams
- 1 3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese (or cheddar cheese) 200 grams
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325° (160° celsius)
- Lightly grease a large baking dish. (at least 10 x 7 inches / 25 x 18 centimeters)
- In boiling water cook broccoli for approximately 5-10 minutes (until al dente) drain well. (gently dry with paper towels to absorb extra moisture).
- In a large pot over low heat melt butter, whisk in flour and salt, continue whisking until smooth. Slowly add the milk and continue whisking constantly until thickened and starts to boil (let slow boil 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Fold in cheese and broccoli and combine gently until cheese starts to melt slightly, add eggs and continue to stir gently to combine.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
- ** You can use Broccoli, Romanesco or Cauliflower
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from November 27, 2014.
Absolutely Delicious a must go to recipe. We add some Panko Breadcrumbs and it was beyond belief good. Just be careful with your blanching time don want to over do them.
Was truly a dish that is worth saving
Hi Alex, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Can I skip boiling broccoli?
Hi Mary, I don’t think it would cook enough.
Hi Could you make this dish with brussell sprouts?
Hi Lindsay, I don’t see why not, I would probably pre-boil them a bit like the broccoli (might be best to cut them in half also). Let me know how it goes.
I have made other broccoli cheese casseroles, but this one is my favorite. The egg gives it a better consistency. It is not soupy. I used one and a half 12.6 oz bags of frozen baby broccoli florets. I also used a full two cups of shredded cheddar cheese. I sprinkled Italian bread crumbs on tip before baking. It was delicious. This is now my go to vegetable casserole recipe.
Thanks so much, so glad you like it. Happy New Year.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Hi Sue yes you can make it the night before, cover it in foil and refrigerate, the day you are making it bring to room temperature for about an hour and then bake.
i add minced onion and fold in 4 eggs
Loved it!
Just put it in the oven! Can’t wait to try it! I might have put too much cheese in it , if there is such a thing as too much cheese!
Hi Patricia, I hope you enjoyed it. And no you can never have too much cheese! 🙂
This is so yummy. This time around I didn’t have any broccoli so i used frozen hash browns and it turned out amazing as well. Love the ‘sauce’. Will never go back to cream soups for this. Thank you
Thanks Jocelyn, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
This dish is so easy and delicious! I used a beautiful head of broccoli and a mix of cheddar and provolone (it’s what I had on hand). My husband really liked it and said I should definitely make it again. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks Beth, so glad you both enjoyed it. Take care.
I made this without making any changes, I used cheddar cheese. It was absolutely delicious, I will make again for company. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thanks Nancy, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
This looks great! I can’t wait to try it.
This was SUPER easy to make and it was DELICIOUS!! 🙂
Hi Emily, thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Hello! Excited to try this recipe for Easter although I am wondering if this could be finished in a crockpot instead of being baked to clear up some oven space?
Hi Shayna, I really am not sure because I rarely use a crockpot, but this might help you out. https://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-converting-recipes-to-the-slow-cooker-189343
This looks amazing! I may try this as a Christmas side this year. For your photos, did you make this with Swiss? I’m just wondering if the kiddos would prefer the cheddar version. Have you ever tried a combo of Swiss and cheddar?
Hi Angie, yes this is the swiss cheese version, cheddar cheese just became available here in Italy so I haven’t made it with that yet. Although I bet it would be good too.