Fresh Broccoli Casserole
My mother never made casseroles, but as a child, I had sampled countless types of casseroles at church events, family reunions and get-togethers. To be polite, I always tried a little spoonful of everything at those potluck get-togethers, but I couldn’t stand any casserole I ever tried. I hated each and every one, and by the time I got to college, I had given up on them. I don’t know if it was the frozen or canned veggies, or because most just looked gross, but they were never my thing. Then at a work function, one of my co-workers, who is still a good friend, brought in her broccoli casserole. It was amazing! I could not believe that a casserole could taste so good. She was sweet enough to share the recipe with me, and over the years the only change I have made is to delete the canned condensed soup for a homemade sauce. Ever since she shared her delicious recipe, it has been a Thanksgiving tradition. Even if we go somewhere else, I always make this casserole, and there is never a crumb left. Last year, it was gone before I could even get any at our neighborhood Thanksgiving dinner. I had to make another one just for us when we got home.
Broccoli Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups milk
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 eggs
2 cups crushed crackers or panko
Method
1. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and whisk well. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Whisk in 2 cups milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and let come to room temperature before using.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cooled sauce you prepared earlier with the mayonnaise, 1/2 cup milk, cheese and eggs. Mix well. Add chopped broccoli and onion. Mix well and pour into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes. The add crushed crackers or panko and return to the oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
Notes: In the photo is a half version of the recipe baked in a 8 x 8 casserole dish, the recipe as written, is for a 9 x 13 baking dish.
More Thanksgiving Recipes:
Yum! I bet this is great – it doesn’t even need to be a side dish, I could eat this as an entree
Perfect holiday casserole! I agree this could be a main event too!
Add some chicken and this could be a whole meal!! Can’t wait to try it!
[...] changes I have made are to replace the canned soup for a homemade sauce. You can find my recipe for fresh broccoli casserole at Babble’s Family Kitchen. Serves 4 Print The Entire Post with [...]
Love a great broccoli casserole!
You have ’2 cups Milk’ and then later ’1/2 cup milk’ in your ingredient list, then in your directions you just say ‘Whisk in milk,’ well ok, all of it? Then why not 2 1/2 cups milk in the ingredient list? Does sound tasty though.
whisk in 2 cups, then let sauce cool. It will be pretty thick, then add the 1/2 cup to thin it out and make the sauce cooler. You can add it all at once though, it doesn’t really matter
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This is so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Made this for our family Christmas get together today and it was a huge success! I have made other versions of broccoli cassarole in the past (including Paula Deen’s version), but this year’s was definitely the best. Thanks!
Do you cook the broccoli at all or just put it in raw?