Think of this broccoli casserole recipe as a cousin of another beloved comfort food: broccoli-cheddar soup. As a side dish, it’s the perfect addition to any potluck, dinner party, or all-out Thanksgiving spread (move over green bean casserole); though we won’t tell if you serve it up as a weeknight main dish instead. The cream of mushroom soup creates a rich base, while sharp cheddar cheese, lemon zest, garlic powder, lots of black pepper, and a touch of cayenne add flavor and intrigue to the creamy sauce. In addition to fresh broccoli florets, we slice up the delicious broccoli stems too, so nothing goes to waste—don’t be tempted to swap it out for frozen broccoli, which could turn to mush in the oven. Instead of breadcrumbs or panko, we swear by Ritz crackers for the crispy, crunchy topping, but any good buttery cracker will do. All told, it’s bound to be a favorite among picky eaters who may otherwise avoid their veggies.
While most casserole recipes are typically baked in a casserole dish, this one calls for an ovenproof lidded skillet so you can sauté the onions, steam the broccoli (no need to blanch!), and bake off the casserole all in one pan. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, use any large, lidded skillet to cook the onions in melted butter and steam the broccoli, then toss the broccoli with the mushroom soup mixture and transfer to a baking dish before topping with the shredded cheese and crushed cracker crumbs.
Trying to map out your holiday menu? You can bake this casserole a few hours ahead of time and then reheat it at 350° to warm through and re-crisp the topping, about 10 minutes. For more easy recipes, check out these Thanksgiving vegetable side ideas. And if you’re looking for more broccoli recipes, we’ve got those too.
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What you’ll need
Large Skillet with Lid
$40 At Amazon
Box Grater
$12 At Amazon
Whisk
$10 At Amazon
Can Opener
$14 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
6–8 servings
Ingredients
2
8
1
1
¼
2
4
1
2
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk two 10.5-oz. cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper in a medium bowl to combine.
Step 2
Trim 2 large heads of broccoli (about 1½ lb.), then separate stems from crowns. Slice stems crosswise ½" thick; cut crowns into 2" florets.
Step 3
Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and starting to brown, 5–7 minutes. Add broccoli and ¼ cup water. Cover and steam until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom soup mixture and toss broccoli gently to coat. Scatter 2 sleeves coarsely crushed Ritz or other buttery crackers (about 3 cups) and remaining 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated, evenly over.
Step 4
Bake casserole until golden brown and bubbling, 20–25 minutes.
How would you rate Cheesy Broccoli Casserole With Butter Cracker Crunchies?
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Reviews (12)
Back to TopI think you shouldn't use any pre-prepared food like Campbell's soup (which I grew up with BTW). It's really hard to find and expensive here in Italy.
Nora
Milan
9/28/2022
I can't use any pre-prepared because it contains gluten. I make a similar recipe for Thanksgiving and I use a Gluten-Free roux made of 3-4T GF Flour (no Xanthan gum), 2T butter, 1.5C milk at room temp. Once the roux is done I add 2 beaten eggs and 1 cup mayo, Mix that all together and it is a perfect soup substitute. You can add mushrooms or other veg as you choose. I also use 3 bags frozen broccoli cuts vs. the fresh. Usually I'm a fan of fresh, but the frozen retains a fresher flavor and great color. Saves the steaming step. From the look of the pic in this recipe, I think all the cheese goes on top of the broccoli, then add the crackers and top those with melted butter. Either way, this is a fave at the holidays and yummy leftover too!
AmyD
Southern California
9/28/2022
Ohhh!! I was hoping this was going to be the BA recipe of my dreams for broccoli casserole because I was SURE there wouldn’t be any processed soup, alas, not the case 😢
Zingzang
California
10/5/2022
When I was a kid, my mother bought and used Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup in everything, That was her universal go-to sauce. She was an incredibly lazy (and terrible) cook. I never thought I'd see it in a bon appétit recipe. That's cheating, but it's also a common practice in most restaurants. That's why I never eat restaurant food if I can avoid it. I haven't used any canned soup as a sauce in over 60 years. My mother's food killed my father at a very young age, and she tried to kill me with her horrible cooking. Thank you, AMYD!
Anonymous
New England
10/6/2022
I made this for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and wasn't impressed. I think 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup was 1 too many. It was overwhelmingly mushroom soup flavored. As far as the cheese, double it. Anything in the soup mixture just made it thicker vs more flavorful/ And finally, I think the broccoli should be steamed with more water before the oven; my small stalks were still a bit undone. With some tinkering this may be a winner...but not yet.
Jay
Washington DC
10/11/2022
What a surprise! I thought that with cream of mushroom and cheese that this would be heavy and gloppy; my experience of childhood casseroles glued together with cream of mushroom. The cayenne and lemon zest add bright flavor, and the crunchy crackers and steamed broccoli bring great texture. Canned cream of mushroom is gross, but canned cream of mushroom is the kind of time I have for cooking these days and I will throw this easy, delicious recipe into the rotation.
Kim
Southern California
10/20/2022
I'm a big fan of not resorting to canned soup in recipes (or for anything at all). I also despised casseroles and Ritz crackers as a kid. Covid convinced me to stock up on the makings of a few easy meals, in case the whole house got sick or I just couldn't stand another day of cooking or stores dried up. I found this comforting and yummy. It's not everyday food, but it's lovely on a nasty winter day (as we are having right now). I added more vegetables from my fridge & freezer. Leftovers will last us a couple days, which will also be a treat as we're going to be running around to get holiday stuff done. Sometimes easy is a great gift to give ourselves.
Anonymous
Seattle
12/11/2022