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Baked Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This classic estate side dish combines crisp-tender blanched broccoli florets with a rich, nutmeg-kissed sharp cheddar cheese sauce, finished with a generous layer of crispy fried onions for a nostalgic, satisfying crunch.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

The Foundation
  • 2 large heads broccoli cut into florets
The Cheddar Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
The Crunch
  • 1.5 cups crispy fried onions store-bought

Equipment

  • 1 Large 9x13 ceramic baking dish
  • 1 Heavy-bottomed saucepan (for béchamel)
  • 1 Large stainless pot (for blanching)
  • 1 Stainless steel wire whisk
  • 1 Heavy silver serving spoon

Method
 

The Blanch
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Drop the broccoli florets into the boiling water for exactly 2 minutes to blanch until crisp-tender.
  4. Promptly remove and drain well.
  5. Arrange the florets in a greased 9x13 ceramic baking dish.
The Bechamel
  1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour flavor.
  3. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until incredibly smooth.
The Cheese Phase
  1. Continue whisking the milk mixture over medium heat until it thickens sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in the salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and the sharp cheddar cheese.
  4. Whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is glossy smooth.
The Architecture
  1. Pour the hot cheddar cheese sauce evenly over the blanched broccoli florets in the baking dish.
  2. Douse the entire top surface heavily with the crispy fried onions as an ode to the classic green bean casserole.
The Bake
  1. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese sauce is vigorously bubbling around the edges and the fried onions are deeply golden brown.
  2. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
    3. Do not over-cook the broccoli during the blanching stage; it needs to maintain cellular rigidity to stand up to the heavy cheese sauce during the thermal bake.