Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Cheesy broccoli casserole with NO canned soup, crunchy Ritz topping, and all of the holiday side dish glory we ever need. You will LOVE this.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli florets
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
- ½ onion diced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ¼ cups milk or half and half
- 15 Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and prepare and baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, mayo, and all the grated cheddar except for ½ cup. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat the butter with the onion, salt, and pepper over medium heat. Stir for a few minutes until the onion turns translucent and starts to soften.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and add the garlic to the skillet. Stir to combine; the mixture will become thick and pasty. Let the flour cook into the butter for 1 minute.
- Slowly stream in the milk or half and half, stirring as you go, to combine with the flour and onions. Let the mixture bubble and thicken, then turn the heat off.
- Pour the milk mixture over the broccoli/cheese/mayo, stir well to combine everything. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Cover the casserole, and bake for 20 minutes at 375F. Remove from the oven and STIR to distribute the cheese sauce evenly.
- Top the casserole with the reserved cheddar and the crushed crackers, then return to the oven uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the casserole is bubbly. Serve with your favorite dinner.
Notes
Cheese: If you can, grate your own cheese. It will melt a bit better into the casserole for a creamier result. You can also change the kind of cheese you use - fontina, gruyere, and provolone are all yummy in this casserole.
Make Ahead: To make in advance, make the entire casserole up to right before the first OR second baking period - both work for prep depending on how much time you'll have to bake the dish right before serving.
Make this Gluten Free with GF crackers and a 1-to-1 flour blend when making the milk sauce.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!