Cheddars Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Recipe

Cheddars Scratch Kitchen is famous for exactly what its name says, for make good food from scratch. From their beloved honey butter croissants to a chicken pot pie, they can turn a few basic ingredients into delicious meals that the whole family can enjoy.

There is one dish in particular that anyone looking for a low carb but rich and filling meal will love, and that is their Broccoli and Cheese Casserole. The preparation of this dish is extremely simple.but it continues to provide a rich flavor and a lot of nutrition.

Today we share with you this wonderful Broccoli Cheddars Casserole copycat recipeso you can prepare this classic dish at home, whenever you want.

How to Make Broccoli Cheddars Casserole

All we need are a few simple ingredients that can be found in all the usual grocery stores. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you start.

First, you have to cut the broccoli beforehand (unless you specifically like full florets, which most people don’t). If you’re not sure, be cautious and cut them into smaller pieces.

The second thing to do is make sure your baking sheet has been sprayed with nonstick spray, or you can also grease it with butter. This will ease the baking process and ensure nothing sticks to the bottom when serving.

Ingredients:

(8 servings)

• cooking spray
• 1 egg
• 15-16 ounces fresh broccoli, cut to taste
• 1 package mushroom soup mix
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:

The basics of the recipe only call for broccoli, cheese, butter, and mushroom soup. Everything else is considered flavoring and as such is wide open for you to play around with.

Broccoli goes great with anything from garlic to extra butter, so feel free to add all of your favorite seasonings that you would traditionally serve with broccoli, and you can bet it will work wonders!

Step 1:

Take a large mixing bowl and beat the egg well in it.

Step 2:

Once the egg is fluffy, we can add the soup mix and the chopped broccoli.

Step 3:

Stir everything well, paying special attention that the broccoli florets are completely covered by the soup-egg mixture.

Step 4:

Next, we can add the onion and cheddar cheese on top and continue mixing all the ingredients.

Step 5:

Finally, we can add the chili powder and the mayonnaise. Keep stirring a little more until it’s quite creamy, it should also be a little fluffy.

Step 6:

Now we have to bake it, the first thing to do is start preheating the oven to 350°F.

Step 7:

Grease a large enough baking tray with cooking spray, if not, use oil and a kitchen towel to paint a thin layer around the tray.

Step 8:

Transfer all the ingredients to the oven tray, now greased, and put the 2 sticks of butter on top. You can dice them and sprinkle them on top before baking.

Step 9:

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the outer layer is nicely crisp and golden. It is now ready to serve!

Ingredient Substitution

Most of the secondary ingredients (i.e. anything other than broccoli) are there to help the flavor and texture of the dish. Fortunately, there are many substitutions and alternatives to these. You are also free to add some new ingredients to spice up the flavor a bit, if you wish.

1. Sour cream

One of the most popular substitutions for mayonnaise, mostly because it has a similar flavor and texture. It can easily be used as a good and simple 1:1 substitute.

It’s also slightly healthier than mayonnaise, with slightly less fat and more vitamins, including vitamin A and B12.

2. Olive oil

Although not as effective a substitute for mayonnaise as sour cream due to its slightly different flavor, it is a great vegan-friendly substitute. It is considerably healthier thanks to the “good” fats.

The final product will be slightly less creamy, but still just as delicious.

Olive oil can also substitute for butter. However, we do not recommend using it as a substitute for both mayonnaise and butter or it will affect the flavor too much.

3. Cauliflower/Brussels sprouts

This works as both a substitution and an addition. The recipe calls for a lot of broccoli, so if you don’t have enough or just want to make the recipe more interesting, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are fantastic alternatives.

They can be baked the same way and in the same amounts, to try to get to 15-16 ounces of green vegetables in total, but feel free to divide them up among the different vegetables as you see fit!

What to Serve with Cheddars Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

In general, a casserole is designed to be a “complete meal” on its own, so there is usually some combination of vegetables and meat, such as fish or chicken.

However, in this case, it is a predominantly vegetable dish where the only protein comes from the cheese/dairy ingredients.

Therefore, some type of high protein/meat side dish works very well here, helping to round out and complete the meal package.

Grilled chicken

It is one of the cleanest types of meat with the lowest fat and protein content. If you’re going to make a broccoli casserole, there’s no need to spoil the healthy qualities of the food by introducing some type of high-fat red meat into the mix.

A simple grilled chicken breast with your favorite seasoning will be perfect in this case.

firm tofu

Can you increase the protein content of the meal without introducing meat and keep it vegetarian?

Absolutely, tofu has long been a wonderful protein-rich alternative to chicken or any meat. Its flavor is quite mild, which means you can season it however you like, and thanks to its “firmer than normal” texture it will also taste very similar.

How to Reheat Cheddars Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This is a fantastic dish to make in bulk, as it keeps very well. So when you get home after a hard day at work, you just have to reheat a little and you’ll have a tasty and healthy meal cooked in just a few minutes.

How to Reheat Cheddars Broccoli Cheese Casserole in One Pot

Pour some water into a pot (or if you still have some of the mushroom soup, a little of that will do as well). Heat over medium heat and place the casserole in the pot, then cover with a lid.

Let it sit in the hot steam for about 8-10 minutes and it should be piping hot.

How to Reheat Cheddars Broccoli Cheese Casserole in the Microwave

Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of water first to prevent the casserole from drying out. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes and it will heat up properly.

How to Reheat Cheddars Broccoli Cheese Casserole in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 305°F and simply bake it again for 20-30 minutes (depending on what you have to reheat). If you want to help it retain moisture, you can cover the dish with aluminum foil first.

How to Reheat Broccoli Cheddars Casserole in an Air Fryer

A faster method than cooking in the oven, preheat your air fryer to 400°F, place leftovers in the cooking basket, and fry for just 3-4 minutes. It will be piping hot and also a bit crunchy.

How to Preserve Cheddars Broccoli Cheese Casserole

The practical thing about this casserole is that you can refrigerate it using the same dish in which you baked it. You just have to make sure to cover it with aluminum foil beforehand.

Store in the fridge

Make sure it cools to room temperature first and put it in the fridge. Once refrigerated, it should keep for 3-4 days.

Store in the freezer

If you want to freeze it, you have to transfer it to an airtight container or a freezer bag. Once frozen it will keep for 6 months.