I don’t know about y’all, but I grew up in the era of freezer food. One of my top freezer aisle picks was Green Giant’s Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, and today I’m recreating it with my own twist. This broccoli cheese casserole is large and in charge, and hearty enough to feed an actual giant. I use three types of cheese and top it with buttery crackers, so the flavor is on point. Even the pickiest eaters don’t stand a chance!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
How to Make This Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, lowering the heat if it browns too quickly. Stir in the garlic, then the flour, cooking briefly after each. Slowly whisk in the milk, then cook until it begins to simmer.
Step 2: Add half the shredded cheese, ground mustard, and sour cream, then lower the heat and stir until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and stir in the frozen broccoli.
Step 3: Cover the casserole with the remaining cheese.
Step 4: Bake your easy broccoli casserole. Top with crushed Ritz crackers and a heavy sprinkle of grated parmesan, then bake again until heated through and bubbly. Let it cool and enjoy!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup swiss cheese shredded
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups crushed ritz crackers about 26 crackers
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a shallow baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, a 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low if the onions start to brown too quickly.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Add flour and cook, continuing to stir for 1 more minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Once all the milk has been added, cook for 3 minutes or until the milk just begins to simmer.
- Add half of the shredded cheese, ground mustard, and sour cream, then reduce the heat to low and stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the frozen broccoli. Transfer the broccoli and cheese mixture to the greased baking dish. Cover the casserole with the remaining cheese.
- Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Top with crushed ritz crackers and a heavy sprinkle of grated parmesan, then bake for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- Fridge: Once baked, your casserole will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I like to portion it out into small airtight containers so it’s easy to grab and go.
- Freezer: Let the casserole cool completely, then pack it into freezer-safe containers. It’ll keep well for up to 2 months. Remember to label it so you don’t forget what’s in there boos!
- Reheating: Pop it in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions in 1-minute bursts until heated through.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Start with block cheese, boos. Shredding it yourself melts way smoother and gives your cheesy broccoli casserole the flavor it deserves.
- Make sure to taste the cheese sauce before you mix it all up. Add more salt, pepper, or garlic powder if it needs a boost.
- Toss in other cheeses! Gouda, Pepperjack, goat cheese… This casserole can handle em all.
- If Ritz ain’t your thing, switch up the topping. Some of my favorites are breadcrumbs (both seasoned and unseasoned), crushed potato chips, pretzels, saltines, and Cheez-Its.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Serving Ideas
- Weeknight Meal: This broccoli casserole with Ritz crackers holds up great on its own when I want something quick and kinda light. Well… Light-ish. But if you’re adding more to the table, try it with smothered pork chops, lemon pepper chicken, or an air-fryer salmon fillet.
- Holiday Dinner: Serve it up next to baked ham, roasted turkey legs, or prosciutto-wrapped beef roast. Don’t forget the cranberry sauce and cornbread dressing!
- Protein Mains: Great with meatloaf (and turkey meatloaf), fried pork chops, or baked chicken. This casserole works with just about anything savory!
- Bread Options: Yeast rolls, honey butter dinner rolls, or classic buttermilk biscuits all hit the spot.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
This casserole is seriously the best. So cheesy and delicious!
Thanks Kristen! Definitely a recipe I make extra of and tuck in the freezer.
Oh my look at this gorgeous cheesy casserole! Totally tempting! Love the idea of freezing it for later!!
Thanks Priya! You’ve absolutely gotta try it. A meal all on its own!!
I usually have a hard time getting my kids to eat their veggies, but they loved this casserole! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
They never knew what hit ‘em! haha thanks for the lovely feedback Jessica
Oh yum! So much flavor packed into this casserole! I especially love all that cheese.
Gotta love that cheese!! Thanks Tara!