A made-from-scratch Broccoli Casserole with tender broccoli baked in a creamy cheese sauce. Also known as Broccoli Gratin, this is arguably the ultimate way to consume tons and tons of broccoli!
Creamy Broccoli Casserole
I’m about as much of a carnivore as a girl can be. And yet, even I would happily have this Broccoli Casserole for dinner any night of the week. Not even just as a side. As the main. It’s that good.
I mean, this isn’t just another boring broccoli dish. THIS is broccoli baked with thick, creamy sauce that’s loaded with cheesy parmesan and garlic flavours – made from scratch without canned soup (the thought never crossed my mind, but apparently there are many recipes that do this!).
Broccoli heaven. ❤
Well, let’s be completely honest here. This broccoli recipe is all about that cheese sauce. So I make sure there’s plenty of it!!!
Mac and Cheese – in broccoli form!
If you love my Baked Mac and Cheese, then you’re going to love this Broccoli Casserole. Because that’s basically what this recipe is. Mac and Cheese – minus the Mac, plus broccoli.
The same cheesy sauce. And that same gorgeous buttery, crunchy breadcrumb topping. In my world, Broccoli Casserole doesn’t happen without a crunchy topping!
Broccoli gratin / broccoli bake / broccoli casserole….
Truthfully, I am not really sure what to call this recipe. I guess it’s basically Cauliflower Cheese… in broccoli form. I wanted to sound all Frenchy fancy and call it Broccoli au Gratin. Then I wondered whether I should just bluntly call it a Broccoli Bake. Very Aussie – I think.
After flopping back and forth, I settled on the most neutral name I could think of – Broccoli Casserole.
But actually, never mind what I think. What do you think this should be called? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll change the recipe name if necessary!! – Nagi
PS This is how I have this as a meal – with hunks of crusty bread on the side for dunking / piling / wiping bowl clean. YUM.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Creamy Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 600g / 1.2 lb broccoli florets , small to medium (2 large heads, Note 1)
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 6 tbsp plain flour
- 2 cups milk , preferably warm (full or low fat)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , preferably warm
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Topping:
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 20g / 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix Topping ingredients in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until it smells incredible.
- Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- While whisking, slowly pour in half the milk. Once fully incorporated, whisk in the remaining milk plus the chicken broth.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking every now and then and more towards the end, until the sauce thickens so that it coats the back of a wooden spoon and when you draw your finger across it, the path stays (see video).
- Turn off heat, add cheeses, stir in (don’t worry if it doesn’t melt fully). Then do a taste test and add a bit of salt if required.
- Add broccoli and stir well to coat.
- Pour into a casserole dish, pat down to fill. Sprinkle over Topping, cover with foil then bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for a further 20 minutes until the topping is deep golden and the broccoli is tender.
- Stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
* Sauce consistency: The Sauce thins slightly once baked due to liquid leached by the broccoli. So make the consistency of the sauce in the pot slightly thicker than what you want the end result to be.
* The broccoli in this casserole is cooked to tender. If you are partial to tender crisp broccoli, then steam the broccoli first until it is just under tender crisp, steam dry to remove excess water from florets. Cook the cheese sauce slightly longer so it is quite thick, stir through broccoli etc, then bake UNCOVERED for just 20 – 25 minutes until top is golden.
* This will serve 5 to 6 generously, or 8 to 10 as part of a larger menu. 4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings. It’s a generous serving for a side – a heaped cup.
Originally published May 2015, post updated with new words, new photos and recipe video added. Recipe slightly tidied up but is fundamentally the same recipe, but here is the old recipe just in case it’s what you’re after.Nutrition Information:
More fabulous Broccoli recipes
LIFE OF DOZER
There’s a Dozer buried under there somewhere….
Wow just discovered your blog via Pinterest. I just pinned various recipes! This is definitely one of those recipes I’ll be trying out to convince my little girl to eat some broccoli!
Hi Petra! I’m so glad you discovered me too! 🙂 I do hope your little girl enjoys it! For young kids I cook it a wee bit longer to make the broccoli a bit softer, I find that it makes it a little more palatable for young kids. 🙂 The creaminess is what they seem to love!
Thanks, i made this and it was really nice. Great the next day too!
So glad you loved it!! And yes, it IS great the next day too! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
This would be my way of eating Brocolli!! It looks insane! 😀 I had the Maple roasted Kumara last week and it was BRILLIANT too!!
I’m so glad you liked it!! Kumara is soooo yum….I often interchange pumpkin with kumara! 🙂 Happy weekend Dini!
We are like soul sisters because I am also a big meat eater :p I love veggies too, so I am def getting excited about this broccoli casserole gratin! Your pictures are stunning, as always!!
Thanks so much Connie!! You’re so sweet 🙂 You have such great ways to make veggies interesting too. That Vietnamese Beef Salad you shared a couple of weeks ago is a killer!! 🙂
I absolutely love broccoli bakes, but I haven’t had one in ages! I HAVE to make this! And I know it will be amazing, because well… everything I’ve made of yours has been AMAZING! My husband is not a fan of broccoli, but I am certain he would love it in this dish! How could he not?! Just look at it!
Treat him like a kid Kathleen. Hide the broccoli!!! 🙂
Yep, definitely how I would want to eat my broccoli! I’m with you though, I love my meat too, but if you serve it with this kind of side, well it’s going to be close, and the broccoli might win! 🙂 Another great recipe, Nagi!
OK, I am going on a Meat Free Mission….but….can you honestly say that if I plonked this next to a pile of fall apart ribs with a perfect homemade barbecue sauce that the broccoli would win….???? 😉
Ugh ribs, I love ribs! The ribs might win! Close one though. LOL
I picked up some beautiful broccoli the other day 3 for $2 and 3 is a lot of broccoli for us to eat at once. I know what I’m doing with it tomorrow! Brilliant!
*GASP* That’s even cheaper than the broccoli I got! No fair, why is it so much cheaper in QLD?? 😉
I bought it from the farmer at the new farmer’s market in Maroochydore. He was just taking it out of a bag and he’d only cut it 3 hours earlier. I’ve never had fresher other than what I grew myself.
I would insert an emoji for sticking my tongue out at you but I don’t know how!! 🙂
This looks so creamy and delicious! I love broccoli and this sounds like the perfect way to get my meat & potatoes husband on board with it as well! Yum!
YES!! This is made for meat and potatoes people….because I am one of them!
I’m quite carnivorous as well, but I said “oh yum!!” the minute I saw this dish. Bring on the veggies if they’re all wrapped up with these delicious flavors. 🙂 Love that topping!
Yay, passed the carnivore test!! 🙂 So glad you approve!! He he!
Don’t judge me but I would PIG OUT on this. And I wouldn’t feel guilty either (all of that broccoli), so there. 😉
Half the dish each? In our yoga pants on the sofa in front of trashy TV? Shall we eat straight out of the dish? Plates just mean more washing up!! 🙂
YOU are my kinda girl! 😉
Yum! Girl, I’m so with you on meat and potatoes! I’ve been pushing a stalk of broccoli to the back of my fridge for couple days now, and I know why I’ve been saving it. I was waiting for you to post yummy broccoli recipe, that’s why! Haha thanks for inspiring me to cool that poor broccoli asap!
Awww, I knew YOU would understand Shinee!! Meat lover buddies that we are… 🙂
Oh, so good and creamy and cheesy – maybe a little bacon:)
I would have….if I hadn’t publicly declared my mission to post more Meat Free for Carnivore recipes!! 🙂
This looks so creamy and well baked that it reminds me of mac and cheese! Good sign! Isn’t it? Love the fact that you used broccoli in it! I often make gratin with potatoes or cauliflower, broccoli does sound like a good idea! Would love to try it! pinning!
It is! Mac and cheese – but without the pasta! It is very similar to the sauce I use for my Mac & Cheese. 🙂
Ha this is great. This is the major way I always get my son, Skater to eat vegetables. Spinach broccoli, zucchini you name it. I never thought of posting it but whammo it looks so good Nagi!
That’s because you make much fancier more interesting food than me! This is too boring for your blog 😉
Hi Susan! Freezing this after baking isn’t so great, it becomes dry and gluggy. I haven’t tried freezing it before baking – not sure what that might do to the “roux” that makes it thick. What I would do is bake it for 30 minutes, covered. The sauce will still be very thin and the broccoli will only be partly cooked. Let it cool, then freeze. Then defrost and bake uncovered for probably 20 minutes (maybe 30) until golden on top and the sauce is thickened. Hope that helps! 🙂
Or how about a big scoop of this WITH a nice juicy medium rare piece of steak? Haha … I know your intention was to eat this by itself but I’m just putting that out there … 😉
This is like super healthy, super tasty macaroni cheese … erm, without the macaroni. Delicious!
HELEN! You’re making it difficult for me to stick with my Meat Free mission! 🙂
Oh, thank you Nagi for posting this recipe!!! Looks divine! Who can say no to this casserole??!
Thanks Oana! You’re so sweet!! 🙂
Love it Nagi!! I make something similar but I use cauliflower. I need to try this version soon. It looks so creamy. Pinning!
Oooh, I make this with cauliflower too! In fact, I make this with many veggies! 🙂
My daughter would never ever complain about eating her broccoli if I fed it to her in this gratin – Nagi – this looks so dreamily creamy!
YES!! Kids totally scoff this down – they hardly notice the broccoli!! 🙂
This looks like heaven in a casserole dish! Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables, so this is pretty much my ideal comfort food 🙂
Broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables too! Can’t go wrong with it in any form! 🙂