A traditional crowd-pleaser is this Easy Cheesy Broccoli Casserole. This simple family classic is an excellent addition to any menu, whether you're searching for a delicious holiday side dish or dreaming of a creamy casserole to have on hand through the week.
This is a well loved recipe that I have been making since I was a teenager. I have used different types of broccoli, but let's be real, using a frozen bag of broccoli florets (which we thaw) makes this so much easier. You can get picky eaters to eat their broccoli with so much creamy, cheesiness, along with the buttery cracker top. We usually only make this at the holidays and I always look forward to devouring it. Let us know how you like it!
Try some of our other favorite side dishes, such as Hash Brown Casserole, Cornbread Jiffy Casserole, Homemade Fresh Salsa, Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese or Cheddar Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits.
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Ingredients for Broccoli Casserole
- frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
- mayonnaise
- cream of chicken soup
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- onion
- egg
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- Ritz crackers, crushed
- unsalted butter
FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh broccoli. Steam or blanch it until tender but still bright green before adding it to the casserole.
Yes, you can prepare the casserole up to the point of baking, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking, or add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.
Use homemade, low-fat or reduced-fat versions of the cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and cheese.
Use whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of Ritz crackers.
Add more vegetables to increase the nutritional value.
You can use cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, or make a homemade white sauce with butter, flour, and milk as a substitute.
Make sure to drain the broccoli well after cooking, if you are using fresh.
If using frozen broccoli, thaw it completely and squeeze out any excess moisture.
Avoid overcooking the broccoli to prevent it from releasing too much water.
Top Tips
- Shred cheese from a block whenever possible. There is an anti-caking agent added to bags of shredded cheese, which makes them not melt as well.
- Use thawed broccoli florets or broccoli cuts. Thawing the broccoli is important so the casserole does not become too watery.
- We use cream of chicken soup for this recipe, but others will work-cream of mushroom, cream of celery, even cream of onion.
- If you want to make this casserole ahead of time, follow the preparation steps, but do not add the butter cracker topping until you are ready to bake it.
- Leftover broccoli casserole should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to make Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, diced onion, egg, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Stir in shredded cheese until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish.
- In a small bowl combine crushed crackers and melted butter.
- Spread butter, crackers mixture over the broccoli.
- Bake 35-45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly golden. Serve warm and enjoy!
Easy Cheesy Broccoli Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups Ritz crackers, crushed
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, diced onion, egg, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Stir in shredded cheese until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish.
- In a small bowl combine crushed crackers and melted butter.
- Spread butter, crackers mixture over the broccoli.
- Bake 35-45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly golden. Serve warm and enjoy!
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