If cheesy, veggie-packed bakes are a regular at your table, my Broccoli Casserole and Sour Cream and Onion Cauliflower Bake deserve a spot in your rotation too.
Pull this out of the oven and the first thing you notice is the golden, bubbling cheese on top — sharp cheddar and mozzarella broiled into a proper crust over tender broccoli and cauliflower, all wrapped in a creamy sauce that’s part sour cream, part cream cheese. Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is the kind of dish that disappears fast at a holiday table and earns requests from weeknight regulars.
The whole thing starts with bags of frozen broccoli and cauliflower — steamed quickly in the microwave — so you’re spending time on flavor, not prep. Crumbled crispy bacon gets folded into the sauce and scattered across the top, and the garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and pepper tie everything together into a casserole that tastes far more involved than 30 minutes of work.
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Reader Love
Holy f-bomb this is so good! I steamed my veg on the stove and threw a half a package of frozen spinach in with them to get my leafy greens!
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Two kinds of melting cheese — sharp cheddar goes into the sauce and gets sprinkled on top; mozzarella adds stretch and helps that golden broiled crust form.
- Frozen vegetables make it genuinely fast — the broccoli and cauliflower steam in the microwave while the bacon cooks, so everything comes together at the same time.
- Bacon in every layer — crumbled crispy bacon gets folded into the cream sauce and scattered across the top, so you get it in every scoop.
- A creamy, well-seasoned sauce — sour cream, cream cheese, and mayo are seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and pepper for a sauce that coats every piece of vegetable.
- Ready in 30 minutes, feeds 6 — weeknight-friendly timing with enough to go around as a main or a side.
- Built for customizing — works meatless, works with chicken or kielbasa, and holds up with additions like spinach.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
Here is the short version of the method, so you can see what you are in for before you start. The full measurements, temperatures, and timings are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Steam the frozen cauliflower florets, then the frozen broccoli florets, in the microwave until tender, following the times on the bags.
- While they steam, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain it on a paper-towel-lined plate and crumble it into pieces.
- Stir the shredded cheeses together in one bowl. In a second bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and spices into a sauce.
- Pour off every bit of water sitting in the vegetable bags, then fold the vegetables into the sauce along with half the bacon and about 1 cup of the cheese. Skipping the draining is what makes a loose, watery casserole.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer, then scatter the rest of the cheese and the rest of the bacon over the top.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake. Then take the foil off, move the oven rack to the top position, and broil until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
- Let it cool slightly, garnish with chopped green onions, and serve.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Bacon → cooked kielbasa, turkey sausage, or cooked shredded chicken all work in place of the bacon; skip it entirely to keep the casserole meatless.
- Cream cheese → blended cottage cheese can substitute for the cream cheese — expect a lighter, slightly tangier result with a less creamy texture.
- Frozen vegetables → fresh broccoli and cauliflower work just as well; steam them in a steamer basket on the stovetop until tender before adding.
✨ Variations
- Stir in cooked shredded chicken for extra protein — it turns this side dish into a fuller main.
- Add a half bag of frozen spinach with the vegetables for more greens worked into every bite.
- Make it meatless by leaving out the bacon — the creamy, cheesy sauce carries the dish on its own.
〰️ How to serve
- Pair it with a roasted chicken for a complete dinner — my Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is a natural fit alongside this casserole.
- Set it out as a holiday side dish next to Honey Mustard Pork Chops or your main centerpiece.
- Serve it straight from the baking dish as a filling standalone dinner — one pan, 6 servings.
- Garnish with fresh green onions just before serving so the color and flavor stay bright.
🧊 Storing, freezing, and making it ahead
- In the refrigerator: cool it completely, cover the dish or move portions to an airtight container, and keep it for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: a single portion takes 60 to 90 seconds in the microwave. For the whole dish, cover it with foil and heat at 350°F for about 20 minutes, then pull the foil off for the last few minutes so the top crisps up again.
- In the freezer: it keeps for up to 2 months, with one honest caveat — a sauce built on sour cream and mayonnaise can split slightly as it thaws. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and stir the sauce back together before it goes in the oven.
- Making it ahead: assemble it right through the cheese and bacon topping, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add about 10 minutes to the covered bake, since it is starting out cold.
💬 FAQs
Can I use fresh broccoli and cauliflower instead of frozen?
Yes — fresh works well here. Steam the florets in a steamer basket on the stovetop until tender, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Can I make this without bacon, or swap in a different protein?
You can skip the bacon entirely and keep this meatless — it still turns out well. If you want some protein in there, cooked shredded chicken is a natural fit; readers have also used kielbasa and turkey sausage in place of the bacon with good results.
Can I substitute cottage cheese for the cream cheese?
Cottage cheese can work in place of cream cheese, but it will change the texture and taste — lighter and tangier, with a less creamy result. For the smoothest texture, blend the cottage cheese before adding it.
Why does the recipe use both baking and broiling?
The casserole bakes covered with foil first so everything heats through evenly. Then the foil comes off and the broiler runs for 1-2 minutes to get the cheese on top bubbly and golden. Keep a close eye on it during those final minutes — the broiler works quickly.
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Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bag frozen cauliflower florets
- 10 ounces bag frozen broccoli florets
- 4 bacon slices
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven And Preparing Baking Dish: Place oven rack on middle rack, preheat oven to 450 degrees F, and generously coat 8×8-inch baking dish in nonstick cooking spray.
- Steam Frozen Vegetables: Microwave frozen cauliflower florets then frozen broccoli florets until tender, according to instructions on bags.
- Cook Bacon: While vegetables cook, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble into pieces.
- Mix Casserole Ingredients Together: In a small mixing bowl, stir together shredded cheeses. Then, in a separate mixing bowl, mix together sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and spices. Open bags of steamed vegetables and pour out any extra water. Then, into bowl of cream sauce, fold in veggies, half of the crumbled bacon, and ~1 cup of shredded cheese mixture.
- Transfer Mixture To Baking Dish: Transfer cream sauce mixture to prepared baking dish and, using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese mixture, then remaining bacon crumbles on top.
- Bake Casserole: Cover dish with foil, transfer to oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes. Then, remove foil, move oven rack to top rack and turn on oven broiler. Broil casserole until cheese on top is bubbly and golden, about an additional 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Garnish And Serve: Remove dish from oven, allow casserole to cool slightly before garnishing with chopped green onions and serving.
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