Martha Stewart Broccoli Cheese Casserole With Crackers

Martha Stewart broccoli cheese casserole with crackers is a creamy baked side dish made with fresh broccoli, mushrooms and smoked Gouda sauce, ready in 105 minutes. Try this cozy comfort food side dish for Thanksgiving or Sunday dinner, since it feeds 8 and bakes up bubbly with a buttery saltine crust.

Cool the blanched broccoli under cold water and drain it really well, because that keeps the casserole from turning watery. Skip it and the extra moisture thins the cheese sauce and leaves the crumb topping soft instead of crisp.

Martha builds the sauce on sauteed onions and cremini mushrooms, then stirs in Dijon, Worcestershire and a pinch of cayenne for depth that plain cheese sauce never has. She also swaps the usual canned soup for a real milk-and-flour base finished with sour cream, so the Gouda tastes rich instead of heavy.

Martha Stewart Broccoli Cheese Casserole With Crackers

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

360

kcal

A thick mushroom and Gouda sauce coats tender broccoli under a golden, buttery saltine crumb. It bakes until bubbling at the edges and crisp on top, so every scoop gets creamy filling and crunch.

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli (2 ½ pounds), cut into florets, stems peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted
  

• 1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
  

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  

• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  

• 3 cups milk
  

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  

• 1/2 cup sour cream
  

• 8 ounces shredded Gouda cheese (about 3 cups)
  

• 30 saltine crackers, crushed (2 ¼ cups)
  

• butter
  

Directions

• Preheat and blanch broccoli: Preheat the oven to 400°F, then boil the broccoli in a large pot of salted water in two batches for about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then drain again until it's very dry.
• Cook onion and mushrooms: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion and sliced cremini mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes until tender and starting to brown.
• Thicken the sauce: Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the milk in a slow, steady stream, then keep stirring for about 9 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
• Add cheese and flavorings: Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Dijon, Worcestershire, cayenne, sour cream and shredded Gouda. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the cooled broccoli.
• Top and bake: Transfer everything to a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Toss the crushed saltines with the 2 tablespoons melted butter, sprinkle them over the top, and bake for about 20 minutes until bubbling and browned.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?

Fresh is better here, since frozen broccoli holds a lot of liquid and can turn mushy and make the casserole soggy. If frozen is all you have, thaw it fully and drain off every bit of liquid first. Pressing it between paper towels helps too.

What mushrooms can I use besides cremini?

Sliced white mushrooms work as an easy swap, in the same amount. Portobellos also work if you slice them thin and then chop them so the pieces match the size of the sliced mushrooms. Shiitakes are fine too if you have some to use up.

Is this a main dish or a side?

It works as either one. For a smaller crowd it makes a cozy weeknight dinner on its own, and for a bigger table it's a great side next to roast turkey or ham. This one serves 8 as a side.

Can I make broccoli cheese casserole ahead of time?

You can assemble it through the sauce and broccoli step, cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to a day. Add the buttered cracker topping just before baking so it stays crisp. Plan on a few extra minutes in the oven since it starts cold.

What's the most common mistake with this casserole?

Leaving the broccoli wet is the biggest one, because the extra water thins the sauce and softens the topping. Draining it well after the cold rinse fixes that. Also crush the saltines coarsely rather than to dust, so the crust stays crunchy.