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Cheesy broccoli casserole is one of my favorite broccoli recipes to make year round! It’s the perfect side dish that’s impressive enough to add to a holiday table, yet quick and easy enough to serve for a weeknight, party, or potluck. This easy broccoli cheese casserole recipe was actually inspired by my popular (and just as easy) 5-ingredient broccoli cheese soup. The ingredients are almost identical — it’s just (much) thicker, so it’s in casserole form.
I originally made this dish using my pressure cooker, but have since updated the recipe to include an option using the stovetop and oven, which doesn’t require any special equipment. Both versions of broccoli and cheese casserole are included below!
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Broccoli Casserole Recipe
- Cheesy, creamy sauce
- Perfectly crisp-tender veggies
- Just 6 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Ready in just 15 minutes
- Thick without any flour, thickeners, or cream of chicken soup needed
- Easy to make ahead and freeze
- Naturally gluten-free, low carb, and one of the easiest healthy side dishes

Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this broccoli cheese casserole recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter – Used for sauteing the garlic and adds flavor to the casserole. Cheddar cheese is fairly salty, so I prefer unsalted butter for this recipe. You can substitute olive oil if you like.
- Garlic – Fresh is best, but you can also use jarred minced garlic. If you don’t have either on hand, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder; just add it at the same time of the cream cheese.
- Broth – I used reduced sodium chicken broth, because otherwise the cheesy broccoli casserole turns out too salty. Use vegetable broth instead if you want to keep it vegetarian. Otherwise, bone broth also works great for extra nutrition.
- Broccoli Florets – Obviously you need broccoli for a broccoli cheese casserole recipe! Chop it into equal, bite-sized pieces, but not too small or they’ll break apart when stirring later. I used fresh broccoli florets, but you could also use frozen broccoli with the same cook time (it will cook up softer).
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – A must for flavoring the veggies.
- Cream Cheese – Regular or low fat works. For easier blending, let the cream cheese soften to room temperature before using, but it’s okay if you forget. You’ll need 8 ounces of cream cheese, but if you don’t have enough, you could substitute half of that with 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese brings out the best flavors in this dish, but you can use any melting cheese you like. Monterey jack, parmesan, or mozzarella would make delicious substitutes.

How To Make Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
This section shows how to make broccoli cheese casserole, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute garlic. Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven on the stovetop, or in a pressure cooker. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Cook broccoli. Add chicken broth and broccoli florets. Stir. Cook until the broccoli is bright green and tender. (For the stovetop, bring the broth to a boil and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally. For the pressure cooker, cook under high pressure.)


- Melt cheeses. Stir in cubed cream cheese and shredded cheese. Mix until smooth.
- Bake. Transfer the broccoli cheese mixture to a baking dish (this one is the perfect size). Sprinkle more shredded cheese on top. Bake cheesy broccoli casserole in a preheated oven until melted.


Recipe Variations
This easy broccoli casserole recipe with cheddar cheese stands on its own as a hearty side dish (or even a main dish!), but you can always change up the flavors with these additions:
- Add Rice – Add 4 cups of cooked rice (or cauliflower rice) to the pot at the same time as cream cheese. You’ll want to double the amount of cream cheese and cheddar, and use a bigger casserole dish.
- Add Other Veggies – Change up this recipe for broccoli cheese casserole by adding cauliflower florets, asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, or green beans. Just replace some of the 8 cups of broccoli (as much as you want) with one of these other veggies.
- Add Protein – Diced ham, shredded chicken, or ground beef or sausage can transform cheesy broccoli casserole into a hearty main dish. Cook raw meats in the pot before adding garlic in the first step. You can also try my chicken broccoli casserole, chicken divan, or chicken bacon ranch casserole, which have similar flavors.
- Toppings – Besides extra cheddar, this dish would taste great with crumbled bacon (I use any leftover bacon in the oven for this!), green onions, or a drizzle of ranch dressing.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Meal prep: Make the cheesy broccoli casserole ahead and cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. When you are ready to serve it, uncover and heat in the oven.
- Reheat: Warm portions in the microwave for about 1 minute, or the entire casserole in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Stir if any separation occurs.
- Freeze: Let the broccoli cheese casserole cool completely, then cover with plastic flush against the top (to prevent freezer burn), followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or reheat right from frozen.
What To Serve With Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
There are so many ways to serve broccoli and cheese casserole. I like to keep it simple with an easy protein:
- Beef – Try this dish with prime rib roast for a holiday dinner, or try a simple sirloin steak or air fryer steak for everyday meals.
- Seafood – This cheesy dish tastes great with air fryer shrimp or baked salmon, or for special occasions, lobster tails or halibut.
- Chicken – Crispy roasted chicken thighs, irresistible garlic butter chicken, or baked chicken leg quarters would add more comforting flavor alongside this casserole.
- Pork – Try pan seared pork chops or Crock Pot pork tenderloin, or stir pulled pork right into the broccoli cheese casserole.
More Cheesy Casserole Recipes
Cheesy casseroles can turn the veggie-afraid into veggie believers! Try these other favorites:
Recommended Tools
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven – If you are using the stovetop method, use one of these for the first part of the recipe.
- Pressure Cooker – For the pressure cooker method.
- Casserole Dish – The perfect size for this broccoli cheese casserole recipe. Plus, it goes beautifully from oven to table.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Cheesy Broccoli Casserole (15 Minutes!)
This easy, cheesy broccoli casserole recipe takes just 15 minutes! Make it with 6 simple ingredients like broccoli, garlic, broth and cheddar.
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop, or using the Saute setting on the Instant Pot, melt the butter. Add minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the chicken broth right away once the garlic is done, to prevent burning it. Then, add the broccoli florets. Stir.
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For the stovetop method: Increase heat to bring the broth to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 4-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
For the Instant Pot method: Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and turn the dial to the Sealing position. Press the Steam button and select 1 minute. Press Start. The pressure cooker will come up to pressure (about 5 minutes) and then cook for 1 minute. Use the Quick Release right away to stop cooking. Let all the steam escape, then open the lid when no more steam is coming out. (The lid should twist open and release easily.) Broccoli will be bright green and tender.
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Turn off heat. Gently stir in the cubed cream cheese and 2 cups (256 grams) shredded cheese, until smooth.
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Transfer the broccoli mixture to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup (64 grams) shredded cheese on top.
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Bake broccoli cheese casserole in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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56 Comments
JD
0Didn’t turn into a casserole very watery so I turned it into broccoli cheddar soup the next day. Added more spices other than garlic like salt, pepper and a little Dijon mustard.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi JD, Sorry to hear it turned out watery. It sounds like the broccoli was undercooked, so released more water once it was mixed with the other ingredients to form the casserole. I’d cook the broccoli for a bit longer next time. Glad you were able to salvage it to make soup!
Myrna
0My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe. It reminds me of a casserole my friend’s Mom made. Very tasty and easy!!
Monta Ramirez
0This will be a welcome healthy substitute for boxed Mac and cheese.
Natalie
0Made this last night – delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Joy
0This was a quick and easy recipe, a welcome way to use the broccoli I had overbought. My husband who isn’t fond of this vegetable loved the taste. However we both felt the cheese overwhelmed the taste of the broccoli. In future I will skip the cream cheese and reduce the shredded.
Andie
0Oh my my my! I will be making this delicious recipe again and again and again! Loved it so much.
Andie
0This was so good! I love finding delicious ways to help my kiddos eat more veggies!
Teresa F
0Amazing! My husband asked me to make it again tonight 🙂
Cindy
0Delicious! I made the stove top method. The family loved it. Said it wast the best broccoli and cheese casserole version! This will be on a regular rotation in our house.
SANDY
0I must not have hit enter. Thanks so much for answering quickly.
Sandy Bender
0How do you make it for only 8 servings? I changed the number of servings, but nothing changed. I only have an 8-quart instapot. Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sandy, When you adjust to 8 servings the ingredients amount in the recipe card will recalculate.
Donna
0Made this tonight and it was delicious…
Jenny
0Can you make this casserole in another way without using crock pot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jenny, This recipe has been updated to include a version using the stovetop and oven.
Jr
0I don’t have an instant pot ????
I have a slow cooker and/or stove.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jr, This recipe has been updated to include a version using the stovetop and oven.
Debra Patrick
0This is absolutely a wonderful tasting casserole! So glad that you use cream cheese and not sour cream.
Danielle
0I do not have a pressure cooker, here is what I did. It turned out FANTASTIC! I steamed my broccoli in the microwave. In a pot, melt butter. Once melted add garlic until fragrant. Add chicken broth. Add in broccoli. Add cream cheese & shredded cheese. Add salt & pepper. I mixed it until just combined. Put it in a glass pan and topped with bread crumb mixture (bread crumbs, melted butter, shredded cheese) in a 350 degree oven for 10 min. SO GOOD!!!!
Mary
0I love this recipe! And my family does too! I have made this several times since finding it a few months ago. I don’t have a pressure cooker, but was easily able to modify for the stove/oven. Thank you so much for posting this yummy recipe!
Cathy Enderby
0The broccoli becomes mushy, but I really like it that way. It was super easy to make. I made this ahead of time and bake it later. It tasted great. I would recommend you steam your broccoli on the stovetop to your liking, add all the ingredients and bake in the oven.
Anne
0For those of us without a pressure cooker slow cooker, how is it made in the oven?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Anne, This recipe has been updated to include a version using the stovetop and oven.
Jan Mowbray
0This was very good. I added cooked chicken to make it a meal on its own and I prepared the dish using the stove top and finishing it in the oven. I’ll make this again.
Susan
0Delicious! But because my instant pot requires 1 1/2 c of liquid to come to pressure, I used more chicken broth than the recipe called for. Instead of draining some off I left it, and ended up with more of a broccoli soup than a casserole. But no worries, I served it in bowls 🙂 along with the meal. I will eat the leftovers as broccoli cheddar soup!
Shawn
0I made this at 4 serving calculation. Added a bit of onion (because I had some to use up). It was very tasty but not very appealing visually because the cream cheese and cheddar cheese were too gooey when melted (like others have posted, mine became more like a dip than a casserole). When I reheat the leftovers I may try adding some pre-steamed cauliflower to use some of the extra sauce. As I said, the taste was very good so I will definitely try it again but next time will try finishing in the oven so that it is ‘drier’.
JoyM
0This is so yummy! Since I only had half of the broccoli called for, I also added fresh yellow squash and zucchini. I was concerned it wouldn’t have much flavor but it was VERY flavorful! We had it with tri-tip. Our family has been enjoying your recipes. Thank you
Anna
0My husband and I both loved this dish. I didn’t have the chicken broth when I started so instead of running to the store for one item, I made my own veggie broth with herbs I had on had. The recipe was quick and easy with great results!
arianak04
0Enjoy the recipe, nailed the dinner on a weekday! I had to adjust the amount of ingredients since I have one large Broccoli! Served with chicken breast!
Debbie
0Hi Maya! I love your recipes. So quick, easy and tasty! I have not found one yet that I didn’t like. I am wondering if I could use frozen broccoli for this recipe, or do you think it would go mushy? Thank you!
pam willetts
0Reminds me of a recipe made years ago that included rice and used frozen broccoli florets and was baked. I might just try it again using cauliflower rice – might cut the richness and baking would make less mushy, I think. It was a very popular potluck recipe and a family favorite.
Wendy
0New to the Keto/low carb world of cooking.. I did follow this recipe exactly as written using my InstaPot/SloCooker. It did turn out but we thought it was just too mushy and too rich. I think this would make a great broccoli cheese soup maybe using half the cream cheese and a lot more chicken broth. Maybe I’ll give it a try this winter! I did like that it was a FAST Prep and Cook recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wendy, It’s definitely a rich casserole. 🙂 It’s actually based on my broccoli cheese soup recipe here, if that’s more up your alley.
Brian
0Cooking instructions if you don’t have a pressure cooker?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brian, This recipe has been updated to include a version using the stovetop and oven.
Ronda
0Delish!! And easy to make. A definite repeat!!!
Thanks for sharing
Stacy
0The flavors were sooo tasty! I made this in the crockpot, because I don’t have a pressure cooker or anything with all the fancy button options….I dumped it all together, except for the shredded cheese and cooked it with some half-frozen chicken breasts for a couple hours. I know the chicken yielded some liquid, but when I had the broccoli in – which seemed like a lot sticking up out of the mixture, I added an extra cup of chicken broth. That made it rather soupy, but still very delicious. My husband LOVES soups, so it didn’t really matter, but I probably won’t add the extra broth next time. I put the cheese in about 15 minutes before we ate, just so it’d melt at the end.
Thank you for a great recipe – your website is one I’ve come back to many times since we started our Keto journey 2 weeks ago 🙂
Vicky
0Hmm…I made this in an Instant Pot and similarly used 1 minute on Steam for the broccoli, with the chicken broth and garlic. But when I stirred in the cream cheese and cheese, it all just became a creamy broccoli dip. It’s tasty, but it’s definitely not casserole-like.
Alisha
0Same thing happened to me! Pure mush with only one minute of steam.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vicky and Alisha, I haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot (I made it in the Crock Pot pressure cooker) so can’t 100% confirm, but it might be that the Steam setting works differently? You could try manual pressure instead next time. Also, make sure your broccoli florets are not too small, if they are they will cook too quickly. Hope this helps!
Darlene Sanchez
0I accidently left the broccoli in too long but, no regrets! It turned into an amazing broccoli cheese soup!
Matt Freund
0This looks really good.
Shinta Simon
0I’m all about casseroles in winter! This one is absolutely comforting.
Rebecca
0I love a good broccoli casserole, this is delicious!
Beth
0I love everything about this recipe: quick, easy, cheesy and family friendly!! Delish!
Cristina
0I don’t have a crockpot express easy steam pressure cooker. Is there an alternate method to cook this either with a slow cooker or in the oven or sauteeing? Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cristina, This recipe has been updated to include a version using the stovetop and oven.
Chryssi
0I don’t either but it’s just like doing it on the stovetop I’m sure, just longer cooking times. I’m going to make this soon and I plan on doing it in the stove and then moving it to a Pyrex to finish in the oven.
Kelly Anthony
0It’s so nice to have Thanksgiving recipes that won’t knock you off the diet track. Love this! Thank you!!!
Genevieve
0This recipe looks delicious!
Sadia Malik
0such an easy and quick recipe love it
Beth
0I think this is such a great idea making the side dish in the pressure cooker! Space is always a problem for us and this would solve it! Thanks!
Kelly Anthony
0What a great way to free up oven space and make a keto-friendly recipe for the upcoming holidays.
Nellie Tracy
0This recipe is so delicious! My family absolutely loves it!
Jamie
0I love how this all comes together in only 15 minutes! Definitely satisfying and full of cheesy flavors!