My Grandma's 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Better Casseroles (Works Every Time)

For a crunchy, buttery casserole topping, follow my grandma’s advice and crush these to spread on top.

Angled view of a dark blue casserole dish with a casserole topped with crushed crackers next to two serving spoons, a glass of water and a bowl of salad greens — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I can’t help but think of my grandma’s broccoli and cheese casserole. She shows it off every year like a prized possession, and honestly, that’s exactly what it is. It’s easy to make, requires only a few ingredients to pull off, and does exactly what a grandmother's casserole should do: fill your belly to the brim and put a smile on your face.

When it comes to Grandma’s recipes, it’s hard to find a flaw in her ways. She recently put me on to a fun one-ingredient upgrade for her broccoli and cheese casserole that actually caught me by surprise. Rather than opting for a regular, boring breadcrumb topping, she likes to use crushed Ritz crackers instead.

Call me silly, but it was at that moment that my brain started to put things together, and I considered the impact this information had on casseroles for me as a whole. Far too often, I’ve thought that my breadcrumb topping was lacking in the crunch department. This whole time I could have been using Ritz crackers? Thanks, Grandma, for the holiday surprise!

Angled view of a white plate of a serving of a casserole with topped with crushed crackers next to a cherry tomato and greens — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

How To Use Ritz Crackers In Casseroles

The size of the casserole will dictate how many Ritz crackers you’ll need for the job. A bit of trial and error is in order, though my grandma recommends starting with eight Ritz crackers and going from there. You’ll want to place the crackers inside of a zip-tog bag, seal it shut, and then use your fist, a mallet, or even a can of beans to crush them against the countertop or a cutting board. I’ve also taken the lazy route and crushed them with my bare (washed) hands or inside a folded paper towel.

Just be sure not to crush the crackers so much that they turn to powder. A little texture never hurt anyone, and the goal is to create a crunchy alternative to the lackluster results of the standard breadcrumb topping.

When you’re ready, simply spread the crushed Ritz crackers evenly across the top of the casserole. It’s at this point that you can reassess the situation and crush more crackers as needed. For an extra-golden and even crispier result, spoon some melted butter or olive oil over the topping before baking.

I’d imagine this trick would work well with just about any cracker, but I really enjoy the rich, buttery flavor of Ritz crackers and how, with their flaky texture, they crumble deliciously in your mouth with every crunch. Plus, it’s an added bonus that I learned this upgrade from Grandma.