When you see a recipe with the name Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole you expect it to be, well, something pretty spectacular, and this delicious casserole loaded with cheesy goodness lives up to its name!
With lots of healthy broccoli covered with a yummy sauce made with tangy sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese, and then topped with a crunchy crushed Ritz cracker crust, Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole, really is the ultimate side dish! This delicious, iconic casserole pairs well with just about any entrée and is the perfect accompaniment to Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham and Southern Potato Salad for your Easter dinner. It’s also perfect for other holiday dinners, potlucks or really any meal where you want to impress your family or guests!
And guess what? This crowd-pleasing side dish only takes about 5 minutes to mix everything together, and yes, you can make it a day or so ahead of time, so all you have to do is pop it in the oven on the big day.
Looking for more Easter menu ideas? Check out my posts 33 Dazzling and Delicious Easter Desserts or 38 Easy Easter Dinner Recipes! Or, if you are looking for other popular recipes from the South, check out these delicious favorites: Southern Potato Salad, Southern Pecan Praline Cake, Southern Style Crab Cakes, and Easy Classic Southern Tomato Pie. Intrigued? Check out, even more, Southern Recipes.
To make Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole you will need fresh or frozen broccoli, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, Kosher salt, ground black pepper, Ritz crackers, and unsalted butter.
When you are ready to get started, gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and grated cheese in a large bowl.
Mix well and add the broccoli!
Place the Ritz crackers in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process. Add the melted butter and pulse a few times to combine. Or, manually crush the Ritz crackers and mix with the melted butter.
Liberally spray a 2-quart baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray and add the broccoli mixture and spread out. Top evenly with the cracker crumbs. *If you are making ahead, at this point cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Bake the casserole uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cracker crust is lightly browned. Let sit for about 5 minutes and serve.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 35 minutes |
| Passive Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings | 6 servings |
- 16 oz frozen broccoli cuts or fresh broccoli but into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise recommend Dukes
- 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers about 30 crackers
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and grated cheese in a large bowl. Add the broccoli and mix well.
- Place the Ritz crackers in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process. Add the melted butter and pulse a few times to combine. Or, manually crush the Ritz crackers and mix with the melted butter.
- Liberally spray a 2-quart baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray and add the broccoli mixture and spread out. Top evenly with the cracker crumbs.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cracker crust is lightly browned. Let sit for about 5 minutes and serve.
To make ahead, cover the assembled casserole and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then, bake as directed when you are ready.
Thank you for this recipe and also the ability to adjust the servings!!!
You are very welcome. I hope you enjoy it!
if you are using fresh broccoli do you have to steam before?
Hi Candace, I usually don’t cook it before hand because I like my broccoli crisp. It’s going to cook for about 35 minutes in the oven. But if your family likes it soft, by all means, steam or microwave it for a few minutes. I hope you enjoy it!
Sharon
I made this yesterday for Easter & it was a hit! Everybody liked the crisp broccoli (I used fresh) but, next time I will either steam a little before hand or, bake a little longer than the 35 minutes. Otherwise, the taste was great!
Hi Shannon, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it. I actually served it for Easter too and it’s one of my family’s favorites. I had another lady ask about steaming or blanching the fresh broccoli first and I’ve never done it, but by all means, if you like your broccoli a little softer I would definitely try that next time!
Thanks so much for sharing!