Description
Homemade broccoli cheese & cracker casserole delivers comfort and nostalgia on a single plate. Crispy crackers, melted cheese, and tender broccoli combine into a delightful dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
- 12 ounces (340 grams) Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks
- 2 cups crushed crackers (e.g., Ritz or gluten-free variety)
Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
Preparation Ingredient:
- Butter or non-stick spray for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Pulverize crackers into a mix of small fragments and larger pieces, reserving them for later layering in the casserole.
- Rapidly submerge broccoli florets in boiling water for 60 seconds, then shock in an ice water bath to halt cooking and preserve vibrant color and crisp texture.
- Create a velvety cheese sauce by gently melting Velveeta with milk and cream, stirring continuously to achieve a silky consistency.
- Enhance the cheese sauce with a balanced blend of seasonings, incorporating salt, black pepper, cayenne for subtle heat, and Dijon mustard for tangy complexity.
- Fold blanched broccoli and half the crushed crackers into the molten cheese sauce, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Transfer the creamy broccoli and cheese mixture into a prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to create a uniform base.
- Artfully scatter remaining cracker crumbs across the surface, creating a textural golden topping and sprinkling additional black pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Roast in a preheated 350°F oven until the casserole develops a golden-brown crust and bubbles enthusiastically around the edges.
- Allow the casserole to rest briefly, enabling the sauce to stabilize and flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Optimize Cracker Texture by crushing them unevenly, allowing some larger chunks to provide delightful crunch and varied mouthfeel throughout the casserole.
- Prevent Broccoli Overcooking by blanching quickly in boiling water and immediately shocking in ice bath, maintaining vibrant green color and crisp-tender texture.
- Enhance Cheese Sauce Smoothness by stirring constantly while melting Velveeta, ensuring no lumps and creating a silky, uniform consistency that coats broccoli evenly.
- Customize Spice Level by adjusting cayenne pepper quantity, making the dish adaptable for mild to spicy preference without compromising overall flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg