Wholesome Broccoli Casserole – Slender Kitchen

This scrumptious, lightened-up Broccoli Casserole is a mash-up of broccoli and inexperienced bean casserole you’ll instantly love. It is made with tender-crisp broccoli tossed in a home made mushroom gravy (no canned soup!) and topped with cheddar cheese and crispy onions. 

Rising up, my Mother made this superb broccoli casserole that was principally a mixture of frozen chopped broccoli, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and cream of mushroom soup, all coated in breadcrumbs. It was surprisingly scrumptious (on condition that ingredient checklist), however clearly, it is not the healthiest and freshest recipe.

I knew I needed to create a more healthy model of this dish this vacation season. Often, I’d begin from scratch to make this recipe, however let’s take a shortcut and get some inspiration from my absolute favourite: Healthy Green Bean Casserole.

I’ve been making this recipe for years, and it’s severely one of the best lightened-up casserole recipe. Nevertheless, I needed to vary just a few issues to include the cheddar cheese sometimes present in broccoli casserole.

It begins with recent broccoli as an alternative of frozen to retain as a lot crunch and texture as doable. That will get tossed with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce filled with mushrooms and loads of garlic. Lastly, all the pieces is completed with one other layer of cheddar cheese and tons of crispy pink onions. So so good! Nobody will ever consider this tasty broccoli casserole is definitely wholesome.

I am additionally dropping my recipes for Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese, Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Cheesy Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breasts right here as a result of cheese + veggies are so good collectively!

Why You’ll Love Wholesome Broccoli Casserole

• Make Forward for Holidays: Assemble your broccoli casserole the night time earlier than and bake it the subsequent day. This can take one dish off your cooking to-do checklist.
• No canned or frozen elements: We’re making all the pieces from scratch, from the thick cheese sauce to the fried onions and mushroom gravy. Nevertheless, be at liberty to make this wholesome broccoli casserole with cream of mushroom soup as an alternative if that is extra handy for you.
• Crowd-friendly: This broccoli casserole is all the time the primary to go throughout potlucks and gatherings. Even youngsters go for seconds!

In search of extra wholesome vacation or Thanksgiving veggie side dishes? Do not miss this Whole Roasted Butternut Squash, Crispy Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, or Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad.

Components and Straightforward Swaps

Right here is all the pieces you could make this lightened-up broccoli cheese casserole:

• Broccoli: Not like most broccoli casseroles, this recipe makes use of recent broccoli florets so the ultimate dish has some texture and crunch. No mushy casserole right here. For extra distinction, swap in some recent cauliflower florets for a few of the broccoli.
• Crimson onion: Crimson onion is milder than white or yellow onions. It additionally has an attractive shade. Be at liberty to swap in shallots, candy Vidalia onions, or conventional yellow onions.
• Panko breadcrumbs: For the crunchy topping, Panko breadcrumbs are the right choice. Use common or complete wheat. Common breadcrumbs or Ritz crackers additionally work, they only will not be fairly as crisp. Gluten-free breadcrumbs or sliced almonds is also used.
• Child Bella mushrooms: Contemporary mushrooms change the condensed mushroom soup normally used on this casserole. Any mushroom can be utilized. That is nice with button mushrooms, portobello, or a spread.
• Garlic: The garlic provides a pleasant punch of taste to the dish. Contemporary garlic is greatest however minced garlic or garlic powder can be utilized.
• Cheddar Cheese sauce: The cheese sauce on this recipe is made with complete wheat flour, hen broth, milk, and cheddar cheese. Vegetable broth can be utilized for a vegetarian model.

Easy methods to Make Wholesome Broccoli Casserole

It ought to go with out saying, that that is the right dish for Thanksgiving or any vacation serving. Right here’s whip up a wholesome model that also feels festive and indulgent:

1. Blanch the broccoli: Begin by blanching the broccoli florets in boiling water for 3-4 minutes till they’re brilliant inexperienced and simply starting to melt. Instantly take away them from the boiling water and place them in an ice tub to cease them from cooking. The broccoli will not prepare dinner fully within the casserole so this step ensures it’s fully cooked within the closing product.
2. Make crispy onion topping: Among the best components of this casserole is the crispy onion topping. Begin by cooking the pink onions in butter till they’re tender however nonetheless have a little bit of texture. Then prepare dinner the breadcrumbs in butter till they’re properly browned. Combine the browned, toasted breadcrumbs with the onions to make the topping.
3. Make the mushroom sauce: Begin by sauteing the mushrooms in butter and garlic. As soon as they’re tender, add the flour and prepare dinner for one minute. This helps to thicken the sauce. Then add the hen broth and stir till the flour dissolves. Be sure that it totally dissolves for a easy sauce. Add the milk and half the cheddar cheese. Simmer gently, stirring usually, till it thickens. Style and season with salt and pepper as wanted.
4. Assemble the casserole: Add the broccoli florets to a ready casserole dish. Pour the mushroom sauce on high and stir to coat the broccoli within the sauce. Then add a layer of cheddar cheese and the crispy onions and breadcrumbs.
5. Bake: Bake the casserole at 375 levels till the edges are effervescent and the onions are properly browned. If wanted, broil it for the final 2-3 minutes to get the highest properly browned.

Recipe Concepts

There are many methods to make this broccoli casserole distinctive and precisely what your loved ones will love.

• Strive a distinct cheese: Though I can not get sufficient of sharp cheddar cheese and broccoli, this will even work nice with Parmesan cheese, pepper jack (for one thing spicy), Swiss, or some other cheese that melts nicely. It’s also possible to use a mixture of cheeses. Principally, something that may work in macaroni and cheese is ideal right here.
• Add herbs or spices: Contemporary herbs are an amazing addition to this dish. Dried herbs work nice as nicely. Contemplate including some thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning. You would additionally add some warmth with pink pepper flakes, smokiness with cumin, or additional taste with onion or garlic powder. I discover this works greatest if you add the herbs and spices to the mushroom sauce.
• Use a distinct vegetable: In case you aren’t feeling the broccoli, you may make this with cauliflower, inexperienced beans, and even butternut squash. Simply be certain to par-cook any vegetable you utilize.
• Make it gluten-free: Simply substitute gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.
• With out onions: In case you aren’t an enormous onion particular person, simply depart them out. High the casserole with a layer of cheddar cheese and toasted breadcrumbs.

Can I take advantage of frozen broccoli?

Frozen broccoli can be utilized as an alternative of recent, however the texture shall be barely completely different and a bit mushy. Begin by cooking the frozen broccoli till simply cooked. Instantly run it underneath chilly water to cease the cooking. Dry it nicely to make sure your casserole is not watery. Then use it as you’ll the recent.

Can I add rice or pasta? What about hen?

You possibly can add some cooked rice, pasta, or hen to show this right into a foremost course. In case you plan to do that, double or triple the mushroom sauce. Then, fold the cooked pasta (cooked till al dente) or rice with the broccoli. In case you like, you may also add cooked hen.

What to Serve with Broccoli Casserole

This wholesome broccoli casserole recipe will match proper into any vacation unfold. It looks like a vacation meal however is simple sufficient for weeknight dinners. We like pairing it with these dishes particularly:

Storage and Reheating

Broccoli casserole is a dish that may be prepped the day earlier than to make vacation meal prep simpler. However leftovers additionally style nice the subsequent day so long as you retailer and heat it up correctly:

• To retailer: Cool your leftovers then switch into an hermetic container. It is going to hold for as much as 3-4 days, however attempt to end it earlier than then for one of the best texture.
• To reheat: You possibly can heat up your broccoli casserole within the oven or microwave. Cowl with foil and bake at 350°F for 10–quarter-hour, or microwave in 30-second bursts till sizzling.
• Make it prematurely: Assemble the casserole and canopy it with foil or plastic wrap and retailer it within the fridge. If doable, take away it from the oven 30-45 minutes earlier than cooking to take away the nippiness. If not, simply add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.