This Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is the perfect side dish for the holidays or any occasion! Made with tons of fresh veggies and an easy homemade cheese sauce, this Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe is baked comfort food perfection!
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
If we had to pick a favourite vegetable it might be broccoli… and cauliflower would take a close second place. In our opinion, the only thing that could make broccoli taste even better than it already does is cheese and this broccoli cauliflower casserole is one of our favourite ways to enjoy it! We love making this Broccoli Cheese Casserole for the holidays as a hearty side dish, but it’s easy and delicious enough to enjoy any time of the year!
- It’s packed with VEGGIES. There’s nothing quite like a veggie-packed side dish to satisfy your hunger. This casserole is oh so filling and packed with fibre-rich vegetables.
- It’s COMFORT FOOD. Is there anything more comforting than creamy, cheesy broccoli? We think not. This casserole is ultra comforting and it’s one of our favourite healthier comfort food recipes. We love serving it along side roast or grilled chicken, steak, or salmon.
- It’s CHEESY. Cheese is our love language and anything as cheesy as this broccoli cheese casserole gets our stamp of approval.
- It’s easy to MAKE AHEAD. We love making holiday hosting and entertaining a cinch, so make-ahead side dishes are our jam. This broccoli casserole can be made ahead of time, stored in the fridge and baked on the day of your event.
- It’s perfect for the HOLIDAYS. This broccoli cheese casserole is creamy and rich enough to make it onto your next holiday menu. Trust us – you’re going to love it alongside your roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.
- The KIDS love it. If you have trouble getting your kids to eat their broccoli, this is a GREAT way to entice them. Our kids LOVE this dish and lick their plates when we serve it!
Making sure the broccoli and cauliflower are chopped into bite-sized pieces of a consistent size will ensure a consistent texture throughout the casserole.
Steaming the veggies first may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but it will make sure the broccoli and cauliflower are perfectly tender when the casserole is finished baking.
When making the cheese sauce, it’s important to toast the flour in the butter for several minutes before adding the milk. This will prevent the sauce from having a raw flour taste. Be sure to stir or whisk the flour and butter together as it cooks.
Add the milk slowly and whisk constantly so the butter, flour, and milk mixture becomes smooth and doesn’t develop lumps.
Pre-shredded cheese you can find at the grocery store contains stabilizers and anti-clumping agents which prevent the cheese from melting properly. We always recommend buying blocks of cheese and grating it yourself for any recipe that requires melted cheese. This will give you the best, smooth cheese sauce.
In order to get the crispiest topping, be sure to moisten the breadcrumbs with melted butter before spreading them on top of the casserole. The butter makes all the difference here, so don’t skip it.
Once the topping is on, be sure to bake the casserole for best results and the crispiest topping. If you want to refrigerate the casserole unbaked, don’t add the crispy topping until right before you’re ready to bake it.
Here’s a list of the basic kitchen equipment you’ll need to make this Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe (paid links):
- a chopping board
- a large knife
- a 9-inch by 13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish
- a Large Pot for steaming the veggies
- a cheese Grater for grating the cheese by hand
- a medium pot for making the cheese sauce
- a Whisk
- a Silicone Spatula
- some measuring cups and spoons
- a liquid measuring cup
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make this delicious Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole (paid links):
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk (use whole milk or part skim)
- a pinch ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
FOR THE CRISPY TOPPING:
- 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Take this Broccoli Casserole up a notch with one of these recipe variations!
- Smoky Cheddar and Ham: Add diced smoked ham and smoked cheddar cheese to the sauce for a deep, smoky flavour. Combine breadcrumbs with melted butter and garlic powder for the topping.
- Bacon: Add crispy, chopped bacon into the cheese sauce and substitute some of the cheddar for Colby cheese. Use a combination of breadcrumbs, bacon bits, and smoked Gouda cheese for the topping.
- Alfredo: Use Alfredo sauce instead of traditional cheese sauce and stir in some grilled chicken breast pieces with the broccoli and cauliflower. Top with garlic butter panko.
- Cheesy Mustard: Blend a tablespoon of Dijon mustard into the cheese sauce along with 2 cloves of garlic for a tangy flavour and substitute some of the cheddar cheese for Gruyère.
- Taco: Mix in some taco seasoning with the sauce and replace some of the cheese sauce with salsa. Add corn and black beans to the vegetables. Use crushed tortilla chips mixed with a bit of melted butter for the topping instead of the breadcrumbs.
- Mediterranean: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese to the vegetable mix, and use mozzarella cheese for the cheese sauce instead of cheddar. Use a topping of herbed breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil for a Mediterranean twist.
- Rustic Italian: Include layers of sliced tomatoes between the broccoli and cauliflower, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, and use mozzarella and Parmesan in the sauce. Use breadcrumbs mixed with Italian herbs for the crust.
- Spicy Jalapeño: Incorporate diced jalapeños and cream cheese into the sauce for some spice and added creaminess.
- Gluten Free: Skip the flour in the cheese sauce and use gluten-free flour instead. Instead of the breadcrumbs, use gluten free breadcrumbs.
Time needed: 55 minutes
Follow these steps to make this broccoli cheese casserole recipe!
- Prepare the veggies.
Prepare the broccoli and cauliflower florets by washing, drying, and chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Steam the veggies.
Boil a small amount of water in a large pot and add the florets to a steamer basket over the water. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower florets just until bright in colour and only slightly tender (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
- Preheat your oven,
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a large 9-inch by 13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish.
- Make the roux.
Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. Melt the butter in the pot and add the flour, whisking constantly for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, whisking to combine.
- Add the melted cheese.
Add the grated cheeses and stir gently until melted and the cheese sauce is smooth.
- Assemble the casserole.
Add the steamed veggies to the bottom of the baking dish, pouring the hot cheese sauce over the top. Stir just a little bit to be sure all the veggies are well coated in the sauce.
- Add the topping.
Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl together with the melted butter and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the veggies and sauce.
- Bake to perfection.
Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.
Can I use frozen broccoli for this broccoli cheese casserole recipe?
We recommend using fresh broccoli and cauliflower, not frozen. Frozen veggies release a lot of water as they thaw and also as they cook, which can affect the consistency of the sauce.
Does broccoli and cauliflower steam at the same time?
Not exactly. Cauliflower takes longer to steam, but since the steaming step in this recipe is only to begin the cooking process and the veggies finish cooking as the casserole bakes, it doesn’t matter.
Yes. We recommend panko or coarse breadcrumbs for this recipe.
Can this casserole be made low carb or keto-friendly?
Yes, you can use xanthan gum instead of flour to make the cheese sauce, but be sure to add only 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. Skip the breadcrumb topping and add shredded parmesan on top for a bit of added crunch.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Yes. To do this, prepare it as directed but don’t add the breadcrumb topping. Cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, add the topping, then place it in a cold oven. Turn the oven on and when it gets to the correct temperature, set the timer as directed in the recipe.
Can I store leftovers in the freezer?
Yes, leftovers can be stored in the freezer, thawed in the fridge overnight and then reheated in the oven until heated through.
We hope you love this Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite veggie-packed side dish? We’d love to know!
More Delicious Side Dishes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
- Easy Roasted Potato Casserole
- Pear Salad with Walnuts, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Arugula
- Roasted Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
- Easy Green Bean Casserole
- Pomegranate Salad with Kale and Quinoa
- Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
- Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots
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Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
For the cheese sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- a pinch ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
For the crispy topping:
- 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Recipe: Instructions
- Prepare the broccoli and cauliflower florets by washing, drying, and chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Boil a small amount of water in a large pot and add the florets to a steamer basket over the water. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower florets just until bright in colour and only slightly tender (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a large 9-inch by 13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish.
- Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat and add the butter.
- Melt the butter in the pot and add the flour, whisking constantly for about 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly to remove lumps.
- Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, whisking to combine.
- Add the grated cheeses and stir gently until melted and the cheese sauce is smooth.
- Add the steamed veggies to the bottom of the baking dish, pouring the hot cheese sauce over the top.
- Stir just a little bit to be sure all the veggies are well coated in the sauce.
- Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl together with the melted butter and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the veggie and sauce.
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.
Recipe: Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions
To make this casserole a day ahead, follow the recipe as directed until the casserole is ready to bake, right before adding the crispy topping. Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake remove the plastic wrap, add the crispy topping ingredients as directed, place the casserole in a cold oven and bake as directed, setting the timer when the oven reaches the set temperature.Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat leftovers in the microwave. For best results, to keep the topping crispy, reheat in an oven-safe baking dish in the oven until heated through.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Big Yum!