Broccoli Cheese Casserole
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:8 to 10 servings
- ¾cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing dish
- Kosher salt
- 3 to 4large heads broccoli (about 3½ pounds), trimmed of long stalks and cut into small florets
- 1½teaspoons red-pepper flakes
- 2bunches scallions
- ½teaspoon black pepper
- ¾cup all-purpose flour
- 4½cups whole milk
- 5cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 3cups cooked long-grain white rice
- 2cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackers
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
672 calories; 43 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 1033 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bright green. Drain immediately and set aside.
- Step 3
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter with 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes over medium heat. When melted, add the scallions, 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper, and cook until scallions have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the flour streaks are slightly golden in color, then add the milk in a slow stream, stirring continuously.
- Step 4
Continue to stir the milk until the mixture is thick and creamy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add 4 cups of the cheese, stirring vigorously to melt it down into a smooth sauce. Taste and season with salt.
- Step 5
Add the cooked rice and parboiled broccoli to the pot and stir until evenly coated with sauce.
- Step 6
Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup grated cheese, Ritz crackers and remaining ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes.
- Step 7
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling. For more color, cook under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully. Serve warm.
Tip
- The casserole without the cracker-cheese topping can be assembled a day earlier and stored in the refrigerator. You might need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the cook time if baking from cold.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Jonathan
Baked in a deep pie plate with a puff pastry crust, I went with 1/2 cups of butter and flour, and about 3 cups of milk for the sauce along with a couple handfuls less cheese and it was more more than enough for our preparation. Substituted some stilton along with the cheddar, and quartered brussels with the broccoli, and lots of leeks and mushrooms sautéed very soft with some sherry. It would be honest to say that we absolutely loved it!
MrsEichner
I used 2 cups white rice and 2 cups red quinoa. Nice touch for the vegetarians and it added visual interest to the dish. Assembly note: This makes a LOT I had to split into two casserole dishes. The rice tended to sink to the bottom of the pot, even with stirring, while I was getting into the dishes. One ended up with more rice than the other. If I do this again, I will add the rice last (it's already cooked) after I get the mixture into the casseroles, and then stir.
Damamaliz
Leftover casserole with added milk or cream and vegetable broth makes a fantastic soup!
Nancy
We were disappointed with the rice version but I had a whole bunch of broccoli from Costco that I needed to use. I cut the recipe in half and used a 15oz. can of white beans and it was a winner.
Anna Q
My grandmother made the classic midwestern version of this casserole and I have to say, I like hers better. Granted, I long ago substituted real dairy for her canned soup, but what she added - so cutting edge for the 60s - was curry powder. I much prefer it paired with the cheddar cheese. The green onions were over powering and meant that I tasted this all night and not just when I was eating it. So, nix the green onions. Add some mild curry. The ritz topping is old school perfection.
Karen
A great dish as a side to a main. I halved the recipe...and it was still a big dish! I added walnuts to the top and cut down a bit on the cheese.
kelli
Made as is could feed an army. Used less rice (2 cups brown), less broccoli (2 12oz bags, steamed in microwave 3min), less cheese (what I had). Used chicken broth instead of milk. It still filled every inch of a 9x13. Had good flavor and tons of leftovers.
Liz
It doesn’t say to chop scallions but I did. I ran out of milk and used some chicken stock. Very yummy.
Buff Crone
It’s better with crispy fried onions on top, added after it’s baked.
Mike
Doubled the broccoli, substituted leeks for scallions, and Panko breadcrumbs for crackers. Five star rating from both the kids and adults.
Molly
For family of 2, I separated into two dishes. 1/2 cheese and 1/2 scallions in the sauce. I rinsed the rice after cooking (sorry, from Charleston) and added it in along with the broccoli. Also took the suggestion from the Midwest and added 2 tsp curry powder, a dash of garam masala, and dash of coriander. Yum!
Denise
It was ok. I skipped the rice and just made the cheese sauce, using just half of the recipe.
Caroline
Subbed a diced onion for the scallions and cooked it in the oil until translucent. Also had to use some buttermilk. A rich and delicious recipe. Could probably halve the cheese sauce or double the broccoli/rice, because it is very rich and moist as written.
Gail
Made 1/2 recipe for 2 people; have 2 meals left. Added 1/2 chicken breast for each serving to make a one pot meal. Subbed cauliflower for some of the broccoli.
Dick
If you enjoyed this recipe, and you’re not put off by an even longer prep time, I recommend seeking out Donald Link’s Broccoli, Rice, and Cheddar Casserole from “Real Cajun”. Rather than leaving out the canned soup, he adds a homemade cream of mushroom soup that pushes the dish way beyond bring-a-casserole-to-the-party land.
Teresa Davis
Peel the stalks and add with the florets. Best part of broccoli IMO.
Dillon
Delicious and nostalgic. A half recipe filled my 9x13 nearly to the top.
Dana in Australia
Followed recipe to the tee. (I always do.). When all was said and done, this dish tasted like baby food I used to make for my kids 20 years ago.
Michele
Made with all the leftover cheeses in the fridge, and added some chicken breast. Delish! Next time I’ll try andouille sausage instead.
Lauren
Made this with orzo instead of rice and added grilled chicken. Makes it into a great meal and tastes good!
kathy M
Made a half batch for our 2-person household. A rotisserie chicken was the easy entree. Had the chicken been here during assembly I’d have layered it in. Skosh of nutmeg in the white sauce base wasctasty!
Hildegard
Note the *deep* 9x13 baking dish; this recipe makes a lot! I also subbed a chopped onion for the scallions to good effect, added a couple teaspoons minced garlic, and smoked paprika instead of red pepper flakes (because, kids). Would definitely microwave-steam the broccoli in the future, and I like the idea of subbing something healthier for the white rice, like quinoa, brown rice, or white beans. Also french-fried onions on top were delish.
Carol
Go with half and see how that amount works. I saved some of the cheese sauce and later made a rich seafood stew with it as the base. Delicious, all.
T
My mom’s broccoli cheddar casserole has no rice and calls for 1 egg, 3/4 c of mayonnaise and the classic can of cream of mushroom soup. I have since swapped the canned cream of mushroom soup to make my own creamy mushroom soupy sauce with fresh mushrooms with milk. It’s worth the extra effort. Yellow onion and Ritz cracker topping.
wardo
Yummy! I also took your suggestions (my favorite part of NYT cooking) to make 1/2 the recipe, kept the full broccoli and added sautéed mushrooms. There is still so much left over! I used some of this for the NYT recipe for turkey enchiladas and I will also try incorporating the rest into soup by adding chicken broth and leftover turkey.
wardo
PS Adding a dash gram masala, coriander dash, and 2tsp powdered curry is a major upgrade!
APS
It makes a LOT of cheese sauce. Substituted shallots for the green onions and it was lovely.
Sebastian in Sweden
Really good, but I can't see how you'd do it it 45 minutes. It took me close to 4 hours, including preparing rice, cleaning and preparing broccoli and scallions, shredding cheese, measuring up ingredients, etc etc... The Ritz crackers did surprisingly well as topping! Next time I'll use less milk, add more seasoning and spices, add leek, and most of all prepare a lot of the time demanding stuff beforehand.
NETime
I’ve made a version of this for 40 years. Just chunks of broccoli, sautéed onions, cheese sauce and chunks of chicken breast plus yellow curry powder (someone else suggested this spice, too, I see). No added refined carbs like this recipe stuffs in but you could add rice or serve it over rice. Tastes great, can make ahead, keeps and reheats well. This version often gets called “Chicken Divan” and I’ve also seen it made incorporating egg noodles. Tasty but not good for us gluten-free folks.
meredithws
Made 1/2 recipe and followed instructions exactly. The sauce was too thick. And the whole dish was a little bland. The texture of the broccoli was great. Next time I would boost the spices and leave out the rice and hope for a creamier texture. Weight of ingredients vs cups would be helpful. I used 8oz sharp cheddar for 1/2 recipe. Will make again for Thanksgiving with no rice and some rose harissa to give it a punch.
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