This Southern Broccoli Casserole is wonderfully creamy and cheesy and has a buttery cracker crumb topping. The perfect side dish for any meal.
Southerners have a love affair with casseroles. Whether it’s a family meal, church function, pot luck, funeral, or holiday, there is often a casserole to be had. Green Bean Casserole tends to get all the fame and glory, but truth be known, it’s Southern Broccoli Casserole that gets all the raves at our house.
Unfortunately, aside from the fact that this casserole is based on a vegetable, and a green one at that, there is absolutely nothing healthy about it. Therefore, I only serve it on special occasions or try and pair it with something light. You see, we southerners delight in taking perfectly fresh, healthy vegetables straight from the garden and cooking them with butter, mayo, cream, and cheese. And we’re unapologetic about it. Try some and you’ll see why. Southern Broccoli Casserole is loaded with creamy, buttery goodness which mainly comes from a hefty dose of mayo and a half stick of butter. Don’t skimp on the mayo, it really makes this casserole. Just promise yourself you’ll run 5 miles tomorrow. It will be worth it.
It’s also full of cheesy goodness (broccoli’s best friend) and a buttery Ritz cracker topping. There’s also one ingredient in this casserole that’s a little out of vogue-Â a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Southerners have a tradition of cooking with canned soups, and while we’re appreciative of trends towards cooking with fresh, unprocessed ingredients, sometimes we just need our condensed cream soups for our casseroles. Old habits do die hard after all.
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Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped, fresh broccoli florets
- 1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 full sleeve Ritz crackers, finely crushed
Instructions
- Place broccoli in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover and steam for approximately 5 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli, soup, mayonnaise, butter, eggs, onion, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add 1 cup of cheese and mix again.
- Place mixture in a medium buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese and crackers on top.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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Originally published Sept 10, 2013.
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loved this, I used cream of Celery soup, it’s all I had…and was great
Hi, we love this recipe! Do you think that it could be prepared, baked and then frozen until needed & then thawed and reheated in the microwave. It is always on holidays that I wish that I had two ovens!
My grandmother made this, my mother made this, I make this, my son (and a couple of his friends) make this and my granddaughter, well, she eats this (she’s four – next year old enough to help.
Beware using too much mayo or soup, you don’t want the product to be “too wet,” or too mushy – it’s really better when the broccoli is sorta taste-forward. Also, I use twice as much onion (caramelized first) and some large mushroom caps (lightly sauteed and quartered) to add a bit of texture.
Can I make this without the eggs?
The butter, mayo, cheese and broccoli basically have no carbs. The crackers and mushroom soup would add the carbs — so it’s really not all that bad for you!
I made this to use up some steamed broccoli that I made last night, and wanted to “jazz it up” instead of making an exact repeat of last night’s dinner – but I only had 3 C. of broccoli left over.
So I followed the directions using half-quantities of everything except for the egg (used the whole egg) and the soup (I used the whole can and just added a 1/2 cup more cracker crumbs. I also added 1/4 cup roasted, chopped, drained hot green chile. Here in Albuquerque New Mexico, it’s almost the law to add chile to everything. IT WAS DELICIOUS! I will be making this to bring to our Thanksgiving potluck. 🙂
I added chopped ham and a can of roasted cream corn. Also, I was out of cream of mushroom /chicken so I had to make it from scratch.
My Aunt used to make this for every holiday when I was a kid. I’ve taken over the tradition now. I also add chopped up ham to it and just serve it as a meal. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!
Can you use saltine crackers instead of the Ritz ?
This is a recipe my family has used for years minus the butter mixed in with the ingredients. We put all the cheese in the mixture and top the dish with crushed Ritz crackers dotted with butter. What makes our dish different is that we use frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained, and put everything except the crackers and butter in the blender. It comes together like a soufflé
and is delicious.
Very good! Will never make it the old way again!
I made this today and was super dissaponted! I bought a bag of broccoli and boiled for 5 minutes since I don’t have One of those baskets. I think that was my mistake, the brócoli got too soft Therefore the casserole
Was super runny and wet! Is it better to buy the fresh raw brócoli ? How long should I cook it in microwave or stove??
You want it to just be tender, but not be soft or mushy. It can even still be slightly crisp. If you have to boil it, drain it well and let it dry a little on some paper towels.
Thank you! Made me upset because I tried your recipe during thanksgiving at a friends house and tasted so good! I will try again maybe buying raw fresh brócoli and boiling less time! It was delicious and want mine tasting as good! Thanks for sharing!!
I’ve tried making broccoli casserole every way possible, and I’ve decided that steaming the broccoli is definitely the best way. Boiling takes some of the flavor out and always makes my casserole too wet. Try steaming them next time until they tender enough for a fork to pass through without much resistance.
Could you make this without the mayonnaise?
I would think if you’re using frozen broccoli you wouldn’t have to steam or boil at all. Let it thaw and drain the excess water. Then proceed as per directions.
I have been looking for a low carb side dish and by omitting the crackers this recipe fit the bill. It was delicious and my family loved it. Thank you.
So glad everyone enjoyed it Carleen!
I made this and notice a lot of liquid at the bottom of the casserole? Why….do u know
When I saw this recipe I wanted to try it. I did however make a few changes. I hate raw onions and knew with the short cooking time they would still be crunchy so I grated the onion in with the soup mixture. I totally eliminated the 1/2 stick of butter as I really saw no need for it. I also used 1 3/4 cups of sharp cheddar cheese in the mixture. For the topping I melted 2 Tablespoons of butter and mixed in 3/4 cups of Panko Bread Crumbs and sprinkled it over the top. Delicious and hubby loved it!
So you didn’t make this recipe?
Right?
I just noticed that we’re being smart a**es on a 5 year old recipe
Hi ! I’m planning on making this tonight but someone is allergic to eggs , do you think it would be ok to omit the eggs and use sour cream instead of mayo ??
I haven’t made it that way before so I really can’t vouch for how it will turn out. Sorry and good luck!
I have made it with and without the eggs and did not notice much difference. I also use plain nonfat greek yogurt and/or light sour cream instead of mayo, which is something I do on any recipe calling for mayo. Tastes great for less fat… and healthier, too.
I added left over turkey to this, very good.
That sounds wonderful!
I love this recipe!! I think that all of the ingredients are well-balanced, and I think that it is DELICIOUS!! I just use frozen bags of broccoli florets, the kind that are meant to be popped in the microwave, and steamed, and it works great! I’ve made this twice now, and both times I’ve used a smaller cake pan, and it turns out fine. My whole family loves it, and I will definitely be making it again in the future. Great recipe!! Thank you for sharing!!!!
I have cooked this casserole for the past 20 years
Did a quick Internet search on Easter Sunday for a broccoli casserole recipe and found this one. I must say it was very tasty! Even my daughter loved it. I’m printing this one to use as my go-to broccoli casserole recipe from now on.
I’m so glad you found this broccoli casserole and enjoyed it Steve! Hope you and your family had a wonderful Easter!
Would it be okay to use miracle whip instead of mayo? I’ve never been a fan of mayo..
It would definitely be ok to use, but it might taste too sweet.
Amazing recipe! I can wait to share this delicious dish at Thanksgiving!!
Thank you Tiffany. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!