This Broccoli and Cheese Casserole is a tasty comfort food that combines crunchy and nutritious broccoli with an irresistible creamy cheese sauce. Its velvety texture, savory flavors, and crisp, buttery topping make it the perfect side dish on any dinner table.
If you're like me, then you're always looking for easy side dishes that can be prepared ahead of time for weeknight family dinners or holiday family gatherings. This delicious side dish is one of my family's absolute favorites because of its basic ingredients, velvety cheese sauce, and crispy cracker crumb topping. It's a great way to get even the pickiest eaters to eat their veggies.
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Velveeta Cheese Was a Mid Century Staple
The cheese in this recipe is not cheddar cheese, it's Velveeta, a pasteurized cheese product invented by the Monroe Cheese Company in 1918 and purchased by Kraft foods in 1927. By mid century it had gained a huge following, and was promoted in a 1950's Kraft Foods brochure as "a bargain in nutrition". It continues to be a hugely popular product to this day; a shortage nearly caused pandemonium just prior to the 2014 Super Bowl because it is used in so many Super Bowl snacks. Velveeta is popular in chip dips, cheese soup recipes, and grilled cheese sandwiches, among other things. One of those other things is this broccoli cheese casserole recipe!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a fast and easy side dish recipe to prepare.
- It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until it's time to bake.
- Just a few very simple ingredients is all you need.
- It's a great recipe for a weeknight or a special occasion.
- It looks impressive on a holiday table.
- You can make it ahead and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake it.
- It's the best way to get kids to eat broccoli, and will appeal to picky eaters.
- It can be converted to a main dish by adding cooked, cut-up chicken -- one of those easy casserole recipes that's great for busy week nights.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this cheesy broccoli casserole:
- 3 lbs. fresh broccoli florets
- 16 oz. Velveeta cheese
- 1 large sleeve (or 2 small sleeves) Ritz crackers
- ½ cup butter
Steps to Prepare Broccoli and Velveeta
I love this great side dish recipe, first because it is delicious, and second because it takes minutes to prepare but looks & tastes like it takes much longer.
- First, butter a 9x13 baking dish (or spray with cooking spray) and set aside.
- Next, simply cut the florets (top of the broccoli) off of the fresh broccoli stems, then steam them over boiling water for about 12 minutes -- just until they start getting soft and turning bright green. Don't boil them directly in the water or steam them for too long or they will turn mushy. In my experience, frozen broccoli florets do not work well in this recipe, so invest the couple of minutes it takes to cut them fresh.
- When steaming is complete, arrange the lightly cooked broccoli in the greased casserole dish. (At this point, if you'd like to sprinkle on a little salt and black pepper you can, although I don't find it necessary.)
- Using a rolling cheese slicer, slice room temperature Velveeta in long, thin strips and place slices over the broccoli in the casserole dish.
- Cover the Velveeta with a large sleeve (or two small sleeves) of crushed Ritz cracker crumbs.
- Last, melt a stick of butter in the microwave and drizzle melted butter over the casserole. Pop in a 350 degree oven and twenty minutes later you're ready to eat!
Other Side Dishes You Might Enjoy:
Tips for the Perfect Broccoli Velveeta Casserole Recipe
- Use fresh broccoli; frozen broccoli gets soggy in this recipe.
- Bake casserole in the oven; the broccoli gets overcooked in a slow cooker.
- Use a rolling pin or bottom of a drinking glass to crush the crackers, then set crushed crackers aside in a small bowl until you're ready to use them.
- Add ⅓ cup chopped green or red peppers with the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish if you'd like to get some extra veggies.
- Substitute margin for butter if you're on a low calorie diet.
- Leave the crushed crackers and butter topping off if you're making this ahead, and add them right before you put it in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't have a steamer, simply place the florets in a steaming basket or a metal colander over a large pot of boiling water, and let the steam partially cook them until they are bright green and tender-crisp, about 12 minutes. Cook time will vary so keep your eye on it and test for tender-crisp status with a fork. You don't want the broccoli tender, because it will continue to cook and tenderize while it's in the oven.
Yes, Townhouse crackers area good substitute for Ritz. I don't recommend using a saltine cracker because it's rather flavorless. The buttery ritz cracker topping or Townhouse buttery crackers add flavor, and turn a nice golden brown color when baked. It's the best part!
Absolutely! Cover and store in an airtight container or sealed with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The next day, heat in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until warmed through.
This broccoli casserole recipe goes great with poultry, ham, pork chops, and beef. Tell us what you like to serve it with!
Broccoli, Velveeta Cheese and Ritz Crackers Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh broccoli cut into florets and steamed
- 16 oz Velveeta Cheese cut into long thin strips
- 1 sleeve Townhouse Crackers crushed
- 8 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 casserole with non stick spray.
- Cut tips off of a head of broccoli; steam over boiling water for about 12 minutes, just until it starts to soften and color is bright green. Arrange over the bottom of the greased casserole dish.
- Using a cheese slicer, slice long, thin strips of Velveeta and place over the broccoli. Sprinkle crushed Townhouse crackers over the top of the casserole.
- Melt 1 stick of butter and pour evenly over the top of the cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and cracker crumbs are toasted.
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