My Mom’s Famous Broccoli Cheese Casserole Is a Family Favorite

As a child of the '80s, the look of a bright orange block of Velveeta is forever seared in my memory. And for good reason—every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner, my mother would use it to make her famous broccoli cheese casserole. As a child, I loved it. After all, my memories of eating it were closely tied to some of my favorite days of the year.

As I got older, wiser, and suspicious of the neon orange block of “cheese,” I started to think of ways to modernize this classic casserole. I wanted to incorporate a flavorful aged cheddar and also improve the texture of the broccoli. 

As with most family traditions, change is never easy, but over the years these subtle tweaks have made all the difference. The casserole is still classic, nostalgic, and delicious but slightly elevated. On the buffet spread, it is still highly recognizable, but you just don’t need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the cheese anymore. 

Broccoli Tips

Last Thanksgiving, my Mother called me from the grocery store flabbergasted by the price of broccoli. Her biggest complaint was that most of what you were paying for was stem. When I suggested we add the stem to the casserole rather than just florets, she was skeptical but willing to give it a try. 

When cooked properly, the stem is one of my favorite parts of the vegetable. Once you trim off any nubs on the stem, use a sturdy vegetable peeler to remove the darker green outer layer, which can be tough. Once that is removed, simply slice into coins. 

My mother used to steam the florets until tender. My issue with this is they always seemed overcooked since she wasn’t shocking them in cold water. Ice baths can be annoying, especially when you are preparing a holiday meal, so I use a little shortcut. 

I like to blanch the broccoli in a big pot of salted water, then once it’s bright green and slightly tender I transfer it to a colander. Once drained, I toss in a few ice cubes, then run it under cold running water for a few seconds to stop the cooking. 

Use Real Cheese for the Best Casserole

Last but certainly not least is the cheese sauce. This needed an upgrade in a major way! I like to use aged cheddar for extra umami flavor but use whatever cheddar you prefer. I use the cheese two ways; in a simple mornay sauce as well as on top of the casserole to keep things extra cheesy. 

Casserole Your Veggies

• Cheesy Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
• Broccoli Rice Casserole
• Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole
  

Cook the broccoli:

Cut the heads of broccoli into florets (about 10 cups). Trim the dry ends off the stems and remove the outer layer using a peeler. Cut into coins.

Bring a medium to large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Add the broccoli stems and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add the florets and cook until bright green and just tender enough that a fork can pierce the florets, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Drain, add a few ice cubes on top, and rinse with cold water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Line a sheet pan with a clean tea towel, dump the cooled broccoli on top, and let drain while you make the sauce. Gently rinse and dry the pot.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Butter a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.

Toast the breadcrumbs:

In the same pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter starts foaming, add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat in butter. Cook, stirring often, until the breadcrumbs begin to turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Carefully wipe out the pot and return it to the stove.

Make the sauce:

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pot and melt over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Cook until the roux takes on some color and begins to smell nutty, about 1 minute. 

Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk again to ensure there are no lumps, then switch to a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and stir often. Cook until the milk mixture has thickened and can coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese. Stir until smooth.

Assemble the casserole:

Add the drained broccoli to the prepared casserole dish, patting it into an even layer. Generously season the broccoli with salt and pepper, then drizzle the cheese sauce on top. Scatter the remaining shredded cheese all over, then top with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Bake:

Bake until the cheese is melted and the top of the casserole is nicely golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Let leftovers cool completely before placing them in the fridge. Tightly sealed, they will last 2 to 3 days.