This broccoli casserole is the same classic Southern holiday side dish we all grew up with, but made a little more modern by skipping the Velveeta. Instead, I whip up a simple homemade roux and stir in freshly shredded cheddar to create a rich, luscious cheese sauce that coats frozen broccoli for the ultimate holiday casserole. It's creamy, comforting, and honestly even better than the old-school version.
Broccoli casserole is my family's first side dish during Thanksgiving that is devoured and gone first. We always make a double batch other wise there will be fights on who gets the last scoop.
I have put my own modern day southern girl spin on a family classic and made a simple homemade cheese sauce and skipped the Velveeta entirely. It's still a simple dish using frozen broccoli and that insanely delicious Ritz cracker topping but with a cheese sauce that you will be dreaming about. Eat that next to a big scoop of buttery creamy mashed potatoes and some fried turkey and I am in a Southern food coma heaven!
Recipe
Broccoli Casserole Made without Velveeta
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This broccoli casserole is the same classic Southern holiday side dish we all grew up with, but made a little more modern by skipping the Velveeta. Instead, I whip up a simple homemade roux and stir in freshly shredded cheddar to create a rich, luscious cheese sauce that coats frozen broccoli for the ultimate holiday casserole. It's creamy, comforting, and honestly even better than the old-school version.
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 ½ Cups Milk
- ½ - ¾ Pound Cheese - Cheddar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt *
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper *
- ¼ Teaspoon Mustard Powder *
- 4 ½ Cups Frozen Broccoli Florets
Topping
- 1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers
- ½ Stick Butter - melted
Instructions
For Filling
- In a large pot over medium heat, add butter and flour. Cook and whisk until butter is melted and the flour taste is cooked out - about 5 minutes.
- Add in milk ½ cup at a time and whisk thoroughly. Continue to whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture starts to become thick. Add in milk ½ cup at a time until gone continuing with this method.
- Once all the milk is added and is starting to become thick add in cheese. Stir until melted, making sure the bottom does not become scorched - you may need to turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Steam the broccoli according to package directions.
- Once all the cheese is melted, add in your spices, cookies broccoli and stir.
For Crust
- Melt ½ stick of butter in a bowl.
- Crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers and add to melted butter. Stir until butter is mixed with crushed crackers.
To Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour cheese mixture into a greased baking dish.
- Pour crushed crackers over top and spread across evenly.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- This can be made ahead of time and frozen. Make completely up until the point of baking. Wrap tightly in several layers of plastic wrap then a layer of foil. Place in the freezer for up to a month. To cook - place in the oven frozen covered with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, removing foil the last 15 minutes to brown the top and making sure the broccoli is cooked through and hot and bubbly in the center OR place frozen broccoli casserole in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to baking to thaw and bake as normal according to directions above.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Thanksgiving Side
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 269.9 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 10.4 g
- Cholesterol: 44.2 mg
