Broccoli and Cheese

Broccoli and cheese is a quick and easy side dish that even your kids will devour! The smooth homemade cheese sauce comes together on the stovetop while the broccoli steams, so the whole thing takes about 15 minutes. It’s the easiest way I know to get something green on the table.

Before You Get Started

Broccoli and cheese is hard to mess up, but a few things make the difference between a silky sauce and a grainy one:

1. Use American cheese. It melts into a smooth sauce every time. Cheddar has less moisture and tends to turn grainy or oily over heat.
2. Drain the broccoli well. Water clinging to the florets thins the sauce the moment it hits. Give it a minute in the colander.
3. Serve the sauce right away. It firms up as it cools. Keep it over low heat and stir now and then if you’re waiting on the rest of dinner.

How to Make Broccoli and Cheese

The broccoli and the sauce cook at the same time, so this comes together fast. Have everything measured before you start!

Step 1: Steam the Broccoli

Place the florets in a large microwave-safe dish, add a splash of water, cover, and microwave on HIGH for 6 to 8 minutes.

You’re looking for crisp-tender, which means a fork goes in with a little resistance and the broccoli is still bright green. Once it goes soft and olive-colored, it won’t come back.

Drain the broccoli in a colander and let it sit for a minute. This is the step people skip, and it’s the reason cheese sauce sometimes ends up watery in the bowl.

⇢ Roasted Broccoli Option: Toss the florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes. The edges get a little crispy and the flavor is deeper.

Step 2: Make the Cheese Sauce

While the broccoli steams, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for a full minute. That minute cooks out the raw flour taste, so don’t rush it.

Gradually whisk in the milk and keep whisking until the sauce thickens and bubbles. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon before the cheese goes in.

⇢ Turn the heat to low before the cheese goes in. Cheese that gets too hot separates and turns grainy. Add it to a warm sauce, not a bubbling one, and stir until it disappears.

Step 3: Season, Spoon, and Serve

Season the drained broccoli with salt and pepper, then transfer it to a serving dish and spoon the warm cheese sauce over the top. 

A little garlic powder or my All Purpose Seasoning on the broccoli before the sauce goes on adds more flavor than salt and pepper alone.

If you want to dress it up, crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, or a pinch of red pepper flakes on top all work well.

Ways to Use the Cheese Sauce

This recipe makes about a cup to a cup and a half of cheese sauce, and it’s good on far more than broccoli. Spoon it over cauliflower, green beans, or a split Oven Baked Potato for something closer to a full meal. It’s also great on Oven Roasted Asparagus.

Leftover sauce makes an excellent dip! Warm it up and serve it with Homemade Soft Pretzels, or add a little chili powder and pour it over tortilla chips for nachos.

What This Goes With

Broccoli and cheese fits next to almost any simple, homestyle main, and it’s especially good with something crispy or saucy that it can sit beside without competing. Fried chicken and meatloaf are my two favorites. It also earns a spot on a holiday table right alongside the green beans and the rolls.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The sauce will set up firm and look almost solid when it’s cold, which is normal.

To reheat: Warm it gently in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each one, or in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of milk if it’s too thick to stir smoothly.

To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this one. Flour-and-milk sauces tend to separate as they thaw, and you end up with a grainy texture that won’t whisk back together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use shredded cheddar instead of Velveeta?

Yes, with two adjustments. Shred it yourself from a block, because the starch coating on pre-shredded cheese keeps it from melting smoothly. Then pull the saucepan off the heat entirely before you stir it in, since cheddar separates at a lower temperature than American cheese does. The sauce will be a little thicker and sharper than the version shown here, and it may look slightly less glossy.

Why did my cheese sauce turn out grainy?

Almost always heat. If the sauce is still bubbling when the cheese goes in, the proteins tighten up and squeeze out the fat, which leaves you with a gritty, separated sauce. Reduce the heat to low before adding the cheese and stir constantly until it melts. 

If it’s already broken, take it off the burner and whisk in a tablespoon of milk at a time, which will sometimes bring it back together.

Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?

Frozen works well here, and a steam-in-bag package is the fastest route. Cook it according to the package directions, then drain it longer than you think you need to, since frozen broccoli holds more water than fresh. 

Frozen florets are also usually smaller, so check them a couple of minutes early to keep them from going soft. 

More Easy Vegetable Sides

• Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
• Southern Style Green Beans
• Creamed Peas
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Sautéed Zucchini

My family loves this dish alongside a roast chicken for a Sunday supper or paired with their favorite baked chicken nuggets for a quick weeknight meal. I hope it becomes one of your favorites, too!