Name: Broccoli Cheese Casserole Better Than Cheddars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 32 ounces frozen broccoli florets - thawed to room temperature; 2 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese; 1 can cream of broccoli condensed soup - 10 ounces; 1 stick melted butter - 1/2 cup divided; 3/4 cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt - optional; 1 sleeve buttery crackers - approximately 31 to 40 crackers crushed; Non-stick cooking spray

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A combination of tender broccoli florets with creamy melted cheese, seasonings, and a buttery cracker crumble topping. It’s the perfect side dish for any weeknight meal, family gatherings, or your holiday table.

There is a white round plate with a scoop of broccoli cheese casserole on it. The plate is on a cream cloth.

This delicious easy side dish is a spinoff of the iconic casserole from Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. It’s comfort food that is sure to become a family favorite!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Prep level: Beginner +

What You’ll Love

Made with Simple Pantry Ingredients
Perfect for Make-Ahead & Leftovers
Easy Customizable – Add chicken, bacon, or other vegetables.
Ultra-Cheesy Comfort in every bite

Ingredient Notes

There are five white bowls of different sizes. The largest bowl has broccoli pieces in it. There are four medium size bowls. One has shredded light orange cheese in it, the second has creamy soup mixture in it, the third has sour cream in it and the forth bowl has chunks of butter in it. There are three small clear ramekins. One has ground pepper in it, one has onion powder in it and the third one has garlic powder in it. There is a clear plastic food sleeve with light brown round crackers in it. All the items are on a black marbled surface.

Broccoli: I use frozen broccoli florets for ease. Fresh broccoli florets can be used. You will need to cut up and steam about 9 cups before using them in the casserole.
Cheddar cheese: I use packaged shredded sharp cheddar cheese however, any cheddar cheese can be used. I have mixed in a little bit of parmesan cheese with the top layer of cheddar cheese and it’s very tasty!
Condensed cream of broccoli soup: I like the taste of broccoli soup for the creamy sauce. There are many options of soup to use in the creamy cheese sauce, just keep in mind that each soup will bring a slightly different taste to the casserole. Most commonly substituted: cream of chicken soup, mushroom soup, or cheddar cheese soup.
Sour cream: I prefer the tanginess of sour cream but mayonnaise can be substituted.
Buttery round crackers: Everyone knows how buttery Ritz crackers are but any brand will work!

Step-by-Step Instructions

There is a clear rectangular baking dish with pieces of broccoli in it. The dish is on a black marble surface.

Thaw and throughly drain broccoli florets. (See Tips)
Lightly spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place broccoli in lightly greased casserole dish.

There is a large white bowl with a white creamy mixture and shredded cheese blended together in it. In front of the bowl there is a large clear rectangular baking dish with broccoli pieces in it. The items are on a black marbled surface.

Melt butter.
Combine soup, sour cream, half of the melted butter, half of the shredded cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix throughly.

There is a large clear rectangular baking dish with broccoli florets in it. There is a cheesy cream sauce poured over the broccoli. The dish is on a black marbled surface.

Spread the soup mix evenly over the broccoli florets.

There is a large clear rectangular baking dish with broccoli florets in it. There is a cheesy cream sauce poured over the broccoli and shredded light orange cheese covering the top of the entire dish. The dish is on a black marbled surface.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the broccoli mixture.

There is a white bowl with crushed up light brown crackers in it. Bowl is on a black marble surface.

Throughly mix the crushed crackers and the remaining melted butter. (See Tips)

There is a large clear glass baking dish with a baked casserole in it. There are crushed golden brown crackers over the entire top. The dish is laying on a cream cloth.

Evenly spread the cracker mixture over the top of the casserole.
Place in preheated oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly around the edges.

There are 2 white baking ramekins with broccoli cheese casserole in them. There is a clear glass rectangular baking dish with broccoli casserole in it in the background. Items are on a black marble surface.

Storage

In the Refrigerator – Cool completely before serving to prevent condensation. Cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To Freeze – Use a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Laura Belle’s Tips

Broccoli – Some frozen broccoli florets can be big. If they are, after they have thawed, cut them into bite size pieces, especially if kids are enjoying!
Crackers – The best way to easily crush crackers is to place them in a plastic zipper bag and use either the palm of your hand or a rolling pin to pound them to the texture you want.
Make it a main dish – A great way to make this casserole into an easy main dish for your next potluck dinner is to toss in a couple of cups of rotisserie chicken or cooked rice.

There are 2 white baking ramekins with broccoli cheese casserole in them. The bowls are on a black marble surface.

Broccoli casserole with cheese and cracker crumbs.

What To Serve With Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This delicious side dish compliments so many dishes and is especially popular at Thanksgiving and Christmas!:

Chicken Piccata
Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes
Loose Meat Sandwiches
Miso Salmon
Beef Pinwheels
Baked Pork Chops from Miss in the Kitchen

Reheating

From the Fridge – Cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes or until warm.

From Frozen – Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat as above.

Yield: 12 servings