This easy broccoli casserole is creamy, cheesy, and family-friendly, thanks to tender broccoli, a rich sauce, and a buttery, crunchy topping. A classic in Southern kitchens, this comforting favorite pairs perfectly with turkey, ham, or chicken.
Looking for more cozy side dishes? Try my green bean casserole, Southern squash casserole, party potatoes, or browse all my side dish recipes.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
Here are a few helpful tips to make sure your casserole turns out perfectly every time:
- Don’t overcook the broccoli. Steam or microwave it just until crisp-tender. It will keep cooking in the oven.
- Drain it well. Too much water can make the casserole runny. After cooking, place the broccoli in a colander to let all the steam escape.
- Mix gently. Overmixing can break up the broccoli florets too much and create a dense texture.
How to Make Broccoli Casserole
This dish is simple to assemble and bakes up bubbly and golden every time. Here’s how it comes together:
Step 1: Prep the Broccoli
Use frozen chopped broccoli or about 8-9 cups of fresh florets. Cook in the microwave or steam just until crisp-tender, then drain well.
** Pro Tip: The broccoli should still have a little bite to it. Overcooking now will make it mushy after baking.
Step 2: Make the Creamy Sauce
In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the cream of mushroom soup, shredded cheddar cheese, and lemon juice until the cheese melts. Keep the heat low to prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.
Want to skip the canned soup?
Make a quick from-scratch version by melting 2 tablespoons of butter, whisking in 2 tablespoons of flour, and slowly adding 1 cup of milk. Stir until thick, season to taste with salt, pepper, or other herbs and spices, then mix in the cheese.
Step 3: Combine Everything
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, and grated onion (or onion powder). Add the broccoli and cheese sauce. Stir just until everything is evenly coated.
Step 4: Add the Topping
Stir together the dry stuffing mix (or crushed Ritz crackers) with melted butter, then sprinkle it over the casserole.
Step 5: Bake
Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until hot and bubbly with a crisp, golden topping.
** Tip: If the top starts browning too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil until the center is heated through. This will be necessary especially if the filling is cool when it goes into the oven.
Variations and Serving Ideas
- Use fresh or frozen broccoli (just don’t skip pre-cooking).
- Swap the condensed mushroom soup for cream of chicken or a homemade sauce.
- Try different cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Gruyère.
- Use crushed Ritz crackers, panko breadcrumbs, or herb-seasoned stuffing for the topping.
- Add cooked rice or shredded chicken to turn it into a main dish.
- Serve it with roasted turkey, baked chicken, ham, or meatloaf.
This was really good. Took it to a church potluck and there were no leftovers…
– Bonnie
Storage, Freezing & Make-Ahead
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven, loosely covered, for about 15 minutes or until hot.
** Pro Tip: For the best texture, add fresh crumb topping before reheating frozen casseroles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
Yes! Substitute about 8-9 cups of fresh florets. Steam or blanch until crisp-tender, then drain well before mixing.
Can I make broccoli casserole without canned soup?
Absolutely. Make a quick homemade sauce with butter, flour, milk, and cheese as described above.
Can I freeze broccoli casserole before baking?
Yes. Assemble the casserole, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, doubling the cook time.
Why is my casserole watery?
Most often, it’s from under-drained broccoli. Make sure to drain it thoroughly and avoid covering the casserole while baking, which can trap steam.
What can I use instead of Ritz crackers?
Try Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix (shown here), crushed cornflakes, or Panko breadcrumbs tossed in melted butter.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Easy Broccoli Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (10.8 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli (or about 8-9 cups of fresh broccoli florets)
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell's Heart Healthy variety)
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or substitute with milk or water)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ small onion, grated (or substitute with 1 teaspoon of onion powder)
- ¾ cup dry stuffing mix (I use Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix, but you can also substitute with an equal amount of crushed Ritz crackers)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease or spray an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish (or other 2-quart baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Cook the broccoli in the microwave, just until crisp tender (about half of the time called for on the package). You don’t want to cook the broccoli until it’s too soft because it will continue cooking when you bake the casserole. Place the broccoli in colander to drain.
- In a small saucepan over very low heat, stir together the condensed soup, cheese, and lemon juice, just until the cheese melts. Do not let the cheese get too warm, or it can separate resulting in a grainy texture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, and grated onion. Combine the broccoli, soup mixture, and egg mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together the dry stuffing mix and the melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered crumbs on top of the casserole.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and topping is golden brown.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen broccoli (about 9 cups fresh = two 10.8 ounce frozen bags).
- Drain broccoli well to avoid watery texture.
- If using frozen, cook only halfway before mixing.
- For a lighter version, swap half the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.
- For a no-soup version: whisk 2 tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons flour, then add 1 cup milk and 1 cup shredded cheese until smooth. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and other herbs or spices.
- Topping options: 3/4 cup stuffing mix, panko breadcrumbs, Corn Flakes crumbs, or crushed Ritz crackers + 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- Store leftovers up to 3-4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.
- Reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through.
Nutrition
Thank you, this was a delicious side dish. My family loved it. I will be making it again in the future.
– Deborah
Originally published in October, 2018, this post was updated in November, 2025.
Sounds like an easy & interesting recip.e
Wanted to try it BUT couldn’t print it. Can’t bring my tablet into the kitchen area. Too bad.
We’re sorry you had issues trying to print it. Here is another link to the printable recipe. If that doesn’t work, try clearing your cache and refreshing the page. Please let us know if this helps!
What’s the point of a recipe that tells you what ingredients to use but not the amount of each ingredient should you just wing it this is useless
Hi, Mary! The ingredient measurements and specific cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
This is such a simple, delicious recipe that I’ve made numerous times. The lemon juice really brightens it up. I always use fresh broccoli & cream of chicken, lately without the topping to reduce carbs. Another variation I made was to substitute cauliflower florets with about a teaspoon of curry powder, THAT was super yummy too.
Great suggestions, Stephanie. Thank you! I’m so glad that you like it!
This recipe is delicious, I made it for my husband and myself for dinner with chicken on the side , it made a big casserole more fitted for a group dinner but we will eat the leftovers, I used milk instead of the lemon juice and used the whole box of stuffing mix and added extra butter to compensate
Thank you for the feedback, Nancy! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and were able to make it work for you.
Took a while to steam frozen broccoli (in 3 batches) otherwise, prep was pretty easy. It came out really delish and I will be keeping this recipe on hand.
That’s great, Lorraine. So glad that you enjoyed it!
Nice recipe but it would be nice if you had measurements of the ingredients.
Hi, Marie! You can see all of the specific measurements and cooking directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can also click on the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the post to take you directly there. Hope you enjoy!
Hi,
If using fresh broccoli should it be precooked to soften. If so how and for how long?
Hi! Yes, you’ll want to steam it just until it’s crisp-tender.
This was a very good recipe! I used fresh broccoli and steamed it for 14 minutes before proceeding with the casserole. I did add pepper (no salt, there is plenty of salt in the condensed soup already), and about 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard to the cheese sauce….. I had some leftover lemon juice as I juiced a whole lemon, so I added it to the egg/mayonnaise/grated onion mixture…… all in all….. I would definitely make this again.
Thank you for the feedback, Monica! We’re so glad you enjoyed it and were able to make the recipe work for you.
Do you think alfredo sauce would work rather than the mushroom soup?
Hi, Fred! I do, but I think you might need to adjust the quantity. The Alfredo will be thinner than the condensed soup, and you don’t want to end up with a sauce that’s too thin. Start with less Alfredo and gradually add more until it reaches the desired consistency.
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Do you add water with the soup or use it straight out of the can?
Hi, April! No, you do not need to thin the soup with water or milk. Just use it straight out of the can. Hope you enjoy the casserole!