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bright cooked broccoli florets in a pale cheddar sauce with a crisp crushed-cracker topping in an everyday casserole dish
Melissa Hart

Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

Broccoli should keep its shape under the cheese sauce. A quick blanch is enough before baking, and thorough draining matters more than another handful of crackers on top. The stems belong in the dish too if you peel and slice them thinly. This makes a vegetable side with a crisp lid, not a bowl of sauce with a few green specks.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs broccoli cut into small florets with peeled stems thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • 3/4 cup crushed buttery round crackers
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for topping
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter for the dish

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Boil the broccoli for 2 minutes, then drain and spread on a towel to release excess water.
  2. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute, then gradually add milk and broth.
  3. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and cheddar until smooth.
  4. Fold broccoli into the sauce and transfer to the dish. Toss cracker crumbs with the topping butter and scatter over the surface.
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling around the edges and golden on top. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.