If it's a holiday meal, you better believe my mom's broccoli cheese casserole recipe is on the menu. This go-to side is made from simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand, and it's really easy to put together.
Plus, it's cheesy, creamy, and topped with buttery Ritz crackers--perfect for even those picky eaters in the crowd. What's not to love?
In the South, we love a great casserole. Broccoli casserole is a classic. Why have boring steamed broccoli when you can add a creamy cheese sauce and a Ritz cracker topping to it?
My mom's recipe for broccoli casserole has a higher cheese to broccoli ratio, so I have added a little more broccoli to my recipe. In my opinion, cheese is one of those ingredients you can measure by your heart. If your heart says to add more cheese to your casserole...do it.
Like I mentioned before, in my family, this is an essential easy side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. If you're looking for other great holiday side dishes, be sure to check out my Southern dressing, smoked gouda macaroni and cheese, and bacon succotash recipes.
For a great recipe to serve as your holiday main dish showstopper, you'll love my Thanksgiving turkey and gravy.
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this cheesy broccoli casserole recipe:
- frozen broccoli florets
- sharp Cheddar cheese
- cream of mushrooms soup
- large eggs
- mayonnaise
- Ritz crackers or other buttery crackers
- salted butter
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, coarsely chop the thawed broccoli into bite-size pieces.
- Then, stir together the cream of mushroom soup, eggs, mayonnaise, and cheese in a large bowl.
- Next, fold in the chopped broccoli and spoon into a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until the casserole is lightly browned and set.
- Finally, crush the Ritz crackers and mix with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until the crackers are lightly browned.
Hint: To crush the crackers with less mess, place them in a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
Substitutions
Check out these simple swaps to accommodate different diets or what you have on hand.
- Frozen broccoli - I like to use broccoli florets and coarsely chop them but you can also use chopped broccoli. Or, use fresh broccoli florets and blanch them. Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender and bright green and then plunge in ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Cheddar cheese - I love to use sharp Cheddar cheese but feel free to use extra-sharp, mild, or medium Cheddar.
- Ritz crackers - Instead of Ritz crackers use another kind of cracker.
- Cream of mushroom soup - Cream of chicken soup is a good substitution for cream of mushroom soup.
Variations
Try these ways to change up this broccoli casserole:
- Spicy - Stir in a little cayenne pepper to give this casserole a kick.
- Cheesy Broccoli-Rice Casserole with Chicken - Makes this a one-pan meal. Double the soup, mayo, cheese, and add an extra egg plus 2 to 3 cups of chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is perfect) and 1 ½ cups of cooked white rice or brown rice.
- Super Cheesy - Instead of Ritz crackers, use Cheez-Its and sprinkle the top with an additional 1 cup of cheese.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this simple broccoli casserole recipe:
- 3-quart baking dish
- chef's knife
- dry measuring cups
- cheese grater
- large bowl
- rubber spatula
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For the best results, freeze the casserole up to the cracker step (before baking). Thaw and then bake as directed. You can also freeze baked casserole in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
Oven Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cover the broccoli casserole with aluminum foil to retain moisture and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until warmed through. Remove the foil during the last 5 minutes to refresh the breadcrumb crunch.
Microwave Method
Place a portion on a microwave-safe plate and cover loosely with a damp paper towel. Heat on medium power for 2 to 3 minutes, checking and stirring halfway to promote even cooking.
Stovetop Method
For smaller portions, reheat in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Cover and warm gently, stirring occasionally to avoid burning or drying out.
Tasty Tip
Oops! Did you forget to thaw the broccoli? Place it in a colander and run under water until it thaws. Be sure to drain thoroughly so the casserole doesn't become watery.
Frequently asked questions
You can! For the best results, I recommend assembling the casserole and freezing just before the baking step. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze.
Did you thaw the frozen broccoli before assembling? If you didn't, then the liquid from the broccoli has likely leached out and caused everything to be watery.
You can use either! If you use fresh, just be sure to blanch it first: Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender and bright green and then plunge in ice water to stop the cooking process.
You certainly can! I would leave the Ritz cracker topping step until the day of. Reheat the casserole first in the oven and then add the cracker topping.
Good news! For this recipe, you don't have to do any cooking before assembling. It's a dump and stir dish!
Uncovered. That way the top can get nicely browned and bubbly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this broccoli cheese casserole with Ritz crackers:
🍽Get the recipe
Mom's Famous Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
Equipment
- 3-quart baking dish
- chef's knife
- dry measuring cups
- cheese grater
- large bowl
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 small sleeves Ritz crackers (about 42 crackers), crushed (2 cups)
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Drain the broccoli and coarsely chop if needed.
- Stir together the soup, eggs, mayonnaise, and cheese in a large bowl. Fold in the broccoli and stir until combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and set.
- Stir together the crushed crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Notes
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Keep these things in mind for this recipe regarding food safety.
- Don't leave the pie sitting out at room temperature for extended periods of time.
- Never leave cooking food unattended. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on the casserole as it cooks.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Linda Monts de Oca says
can you mix ingredients the night before and bake the next morning?
AshleyFreeman says
Hi Linda! Yes, you can mix everything up the night before! We do that all the time when we make this recipe for the holidays.
April says
can you use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
AshleyFreeman says
Hi April! Yes, you can use fresh broccoli florets and blanch them. Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender and bright green and then plunge in ice water to stop the cooking process. (Cooking the broccoli first will prevent the casserole from becoming watery during baking.)
Michele says
A broccoli casserole is a must at our family dinners and this one was a winner!
AshleyFreeman says
Us too, Michele!
Natalie Perry says
I’ve tried many broccoli and cheese casseroles, but this is by far the best. So easy and delicious. I just substituted ritz for an organic brand I prefer and it worked great.
AshleyFreeman says
That's a great substitution--so glad you loved it!
Nicole Kendrick says
This is so good! I love all that broccoli and cheese. There's a reason this is a classic!
AshleyFreeman says
You're so right Nicole!
Nora says
This casserole turned out perfectly! The whole family loved it!
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! I'm so glad!
Nisha says
I made this and it was so easy to put the dish together with broccoli, creamy cheese sauce, and the Ritz cracker topping, and the outcome was so delicious.
AshleyFreeman says
Hooray! I'm so glad it was a hit!
Magali Mutombo says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My kids love vegetables again! They loved it so much that they forgot that they were eating veggies! LOL
AshleyFreeman says
Amazing! Cheese makes everything better 🙂