This casserole belongs in the same dinner rotation as Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole and Fresh Green Bean Casserole — simple, hearty, and built for nights when you want one dish that does the work.
The texture contrast is what makes Broccoli Casserole worth making: a creamy filling of cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and eggs holds tender steamed broccoli and sharp cheddar, topped with crushed buttery crackers mixed with melted butter that bake into a golden, crunchy layer across the entire top of the pan.
The process is straightforward — steam the broccoli until just tender, stir the filling together in one mixing bowl, layer everything into a 9×13-inch baking dish, and it goes into the oven at 425°F. There is minimal time at the stove, which makes this accessible for first-time casserole makers and experienced cooks who want dinner on the table without extra steps.
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Reader Love
This recipe was fantastic! My daughter (who isn’t a big broccoli fan) even ate seconds. We served it with some chicken tenders and everyone loved it.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Golden, crunchy topping — crushed buttery crackers tossed with melted butter bake into a crisp layer that contrasts with the creamy filling below.
- One mixing bowl for the base — cream of mushroom soup, eggs, sour cream, broccoli, and cheese all come together before the dish goes into the oven.
- Feeds 8 from one pan — the 9×13-inch casserole makes enough for a family dinner or a generous side at a gathering.
- About 50 minutes start to finish — including steaming the broccoli and the full bake at 425°F.
- Stores and reheats well — refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days, or freeze the baked casserole for longer storage.
- Easy to adapt — the soup, crackers, and cheese can all be swapped based on what you have in the pantry.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with some nonstick cooking spray, then set aside.
- Steam Broccoli: Arrange a steamer basket in a saucepan with about 1 inch of water in it. Put the broccoli florets in the steamer basket, cover with a lid, bring water to a boil over high heat, then steam the broccoli for about 3-5 minutes until just tender, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Casserole Base: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, eggs, sour cream or Greek yogurt, dried minced onion, salt, and pepper.
- Add Broccoli and Cheese: Stir in the steamed broccoli and half of the shredded cheese.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the broccoli mixture into the prepared casserole dish, then use a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top. Then, in a small bowl, combine crushed crackers with melted butter and spread this over the cheese layer.
- Bake: Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
- Serve: Allow it to cool slightly before serving.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Fresh broccoli: Frozen broccoli florets work — thaw them completely and drain very well before using. Any extra moisture will make the casserole watery rather than creamy. Cook frozen broccoli only until just tender before adding to the filling, since it will continue to soften during baking.
- Cream of mushroom soup: Cream of celery or cream of potato soup swap in directly. Cream of chicken also works, but reduce or skip the ½ teaspoon of added salt since cream of chicken soup tends to run saltier than cream of mushroom.
- Sour cream: Full-fat Greek yogurt is the listed alternative — use it in equal measure. The tang and thickness are close enough that the texture of the finished casserole won’t change noticeably.
- Crackers: For a gluten-free version, use your preferred gluten-free crackers in the same quantity. Plain bread crumbs mixed with melted butter also work and create a finer, more uniform topping instead of distinct cracker chunks.
✨ Variations
- Add heat: Stir in 1 teaspoon of diced jalapeños or add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper to the casserole base before baking — it cuts through the richness of the creamy filling.
- Add greens: Fold 1 cup of finely chopped kale or spinach into the casserole filling before transferring to the baking dish for extra color and bulk.
- Add bacon: Stir cooked, crumbled bacon into the filling before baking. The salty contrast with the sharp cheddar and buttery cracker topping works especially well.
- Extra topping: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the crushed crackers before the dish goes into the oven for an additional layer of flavor and a more deeply golden top.
〰️ How to serve
- Alongside a protein — pairs well with Garlic Butter Chicken Bites or simple baked chicken thighs for a complete dinner.
- With bread — Honey Butter Skillet Cornbread or a slice of crusty bread is a natural companion when there is plenty of creamy filling to scoop.
- With a salad — a crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette contrasts the richness of the casserole, or go with a creamy cucumber and dill salad for something on the cooler side.
- As a holiday side — the full 9×13-inch pan fits naturally on a Thanksgiving or Christmas spread alongside roasted meats and other baked vegetable dishes.
💬 FAQs
How do I store and reheat leftover broccoli casserole?
Let the casserole cool to room temperature before storing — this prevents condensation from making the cracker topping soggy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, put the casserole back in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until heated through. For a single serving, reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.
Can broccoli casserole be frozen?
Yes — once baked and fully cooled, transfer the casserole to a freezer-safe container, label it with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat using the oven method above.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
You can. Thaw the frozen broccoli completely and drain it very well — any extra moisture will make the casserole watery. Cook it only until just tender before adding to the filling, since it will continue to soften during the bake.
How do I know when the casserole is done baking?
Look for a golden cracker topping — that is your signal the casserole is ready. At 425°F, the 25 to 30 minute bake time gets you there. Let it cool a few minutes before serving so the filling sets up and holds its shape when you scoop it.
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Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets (florets from ~2-3 medium-sized heads of broccoli)
- 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup crushed buttery crackers or cheese crackers (Ritz or Cheez-Its work well) (~80 grams)
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then set aside.
- Steam Broccoli: Arrange a steamer basket in a saucepan with about 1 inch of water in it. Put broccoli florets in steamer basket, cover with a lid, bring water to a boil over high heat, then steam broccoli for about 3-5 minutes until just tender, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Casserole Base: In a large mixing bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup, eggs, sour cream or Greek yogurt, dried minced onion, salt, and pepper.
- Add Broccoli and Cheese: Stir in steamed broccoli and half the shredded cheese.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour broccoli mixture into prepared baking dish, then use a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top. Then, in a small bowl, combine crushed crackers with melted butter and spread this over the cheese layer.
- Bake: Transfer baking dish to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
- Serve: Allow to cool slightly before serving.
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