Creamy and easy to love, this healthy-ish broccoli casserole recipe is the comfort side dish I want on our Thanksgiving table this year. Broccoli and cheese are a classic combo, and this easy broccoli casserole recipe celebrates that combo! Think about everything you love about green bean casserole, but instead of green beans, you’ve got fresh broccoli florets blooming out of a creamy, cheesy, mushroom soup base. For more yummy sides, try cozy broccoli au gratin or cauliflower au gratin, or simple roasted broccoli.
Easy Broccoli Casserole Ingredients
- Fresh broccoli florets: I prefer fresh broccoli for this recipe, because it will keep its texture better than frozen, but it’s OK to use frozen in a pinch. You’ll need about two heads of broccoli.
- Cheddar cheese: It’s best to grate the cheddar yourself. Use a box grater or your food processor’s grating attachment (my kids LOVE using it, it’s really pretty fun to shove bricks of cheese through the pulverizer).TIP: Grate the cheese a few days ahead of time, if you’re prepping for Thanksgiving. Store it in a zip-top bag in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Mushroom soup: Once in a while, the canned stuff is king. Broccoli casserole on Thanksgiving is one of those moments!
- Mayonnaise: Makes the casserole creamy and gloriously rich.
- Dijon mustard: Sharp and creamy, this broccoli casserole recipe needs the zingy heat of Dijon mustard.
- Onion and onion powder: Yet another source of some much needed sharpness.
- Eggs: To hold the casserole together.
- Panko breadcrumbs: A lot of broccoli casserole recipes out there achieve a crispy topping with crumbled cheese crackers. I think they actually turn kind of soggy when you bake the casserole and I wanted a truly crispy topping. Crispy panko topping over a creamy casserole of broccoli and cheese is the perfect Thanksgiving bite. BUT! If you want crackers, use crushed Ritz crackers instead.
How To Make Broccoli Casserole
- Mix the casserole base: Stir together some cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, mustard, grated onion, onion powder, and eggs.
- Assemble the casserole: Grab your trusty 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and stir the broccoli florets and cheese into the mushroom soup mixture.
- If you’re making the casserole the night before, stop here! Cover it and pop it in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to bake it:
- Sprinkle the top with the panko and olive oil, plus more cheese.
- Bake! Bake it covered for the first 15 minutes, then uncovered for 30 minutes so the top gets crisp.
How To Make Broccoli Casserole Ahead & Tips
- To make the broccoli cheese casserole ahead of time: Assemble the casserole without the crispy panko topping, and store it (covered) in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. You could do this a full day ahead of time.
- Leftover broccoli casserole will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
- If you’d like, play around with the cheeses. I love sharp cheddar, but you could try this recipe with a mixture of Gruyére and cheddar, or all mild cheddar for a subtler flavor.
Broccoli Side Dish Ideas
Happy Side Dish-ing!
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