Tender Broccoli Cheese Bake (Printable)

Broccoli florets in creamy cheese sauce topped with golden buttery crackers, a comforting side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 5 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen, approximately 2 medium heads)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1/2 cup sour cream
08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

12 - 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (approximately 30 crackers), crushed
13 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
04 - Add flour to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in whole milk until smooth. Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Mix sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg into the sauce until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
06 - Gently fold the blanched broccoli florets into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
07 - Combine crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter in a small bowl. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the broccoli and cheese.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
09 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese sauce is so silky and forgiving that even if you overthink it, you end up with something restaurant-worthy.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes like celebration without demanding your entire afternoon in the kitchen.
  • Everyone eats more vegetables when they're tucked into something this creamy and warm.
02 -
  • Don't skip blanching the broccoli—raw broccoli releases too much water into the sauce and makes everything watery, but slightly cooked broccoli stays firm and lets the sauce shine.
  • The sour cream goes in off the heat because high heat can make it separate; add it to warm sauce and stir gently and it becomes part of the magic.
03 -
  • Keep the milk cold when you whisk it into the roux, and whisk slowly—rushing leads to lumps that refuse to disappear.
  • Taste the sauce before it goes into the baking dish, because once everything bakes together, adjusting the seasoning becomes impossible.
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