Broccoli and cheese is a quick and tasty side dish that pairs together two well-loved and amazing flavors! Not only is the cheese sauce easy to make, but it is so good that even the pickiest eaters will want to try it! It is warm, cheesy, and ready in just 15 minutes.
Quick Broccoli & Cheese Recipe
Cheese makes everything better, right? Well, this tasty melted cheese sauce takes your standard broccoli and elevates it to make an extra yummy side dish that everyone will enjoy!
Not to mention, adding a rich cheese sauce is a great way to get the kiddos to want to try out some broccoli. And adding the cheese does not take away the health benefits of the broccoli, so it is still completely nutritious!
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For some more easy and delicious recipes, take a look at all of my favorite vegetable side dishes!
🥘 Broccoli And Cheese Ingredients
For this easy side, you'll just need some broccoli, cheese, milk, cornstarch, and some seasonings. I recommend grating your own cheese as it melts better than prepackaged shredded cheese!
- Broccoli - 4 cups of broccoli, plus water for steaming. I used fresh broccoli, but you could also easily make this recipe using frozen broccoli!
- Whole Milk - 1 cup of whole milk (or half & half, or heavy cream).
- Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or a cornstarch substitute.
- Garlic Powder - ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Salt & Pepper - ⅛ teaspoon of both salt & pepper (to taste).
- Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup of freshly grated cheddar cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese - 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Stovetop Broccoli & Cheese
This dish is so easy, you just have to steam the broccoli and then make the sauce! You will need a saucepan, a cheese grater, and a whisk.
This recipe will make enough broccoli and cheese for 4 servings.
- Cook the broccoli. Wash and trim 4 cups of broccoli, then place florets into either:
1) A microwave-safe dish with ¼ cup cold water. Cover and steam in the microwave until fork tender, about 6-8 minutes.
2) A saucepan with a steamer basket insert and 1 cup water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and steam, about 5-6 minutes.
3) A skillet with 1 cup water, simmer over medium heat, covered. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until fork tender. - Drain. Once the broccoli is cooked, remove it from the heat and drain the water as needed. Cover and keep warm while the sauce finishes.
- Thicken. Add 1 cup of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a saucepan and whisk to combine. Heat at medium, occasionally whisking, until thickened.
- Melt the cheese. Remove from heat and whisk in the seasoning (¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon of both salt and ground black pepper), then add 1 cup of cheddar and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.
- Serve. Serve immediately over the broccoli.
Serve your broccoli and cheese alongside some rice, baked cheeseburgers, or stovetop meatloaf! Pair it with some of your kid's other favorite sides, like yellow mashed potatoes or creamed corn! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- You will need water for steaming the broccoli, from ¼ cup for microwave steaming to 1 cup for basket steaming on the stovetop.
- I prefer to toss the cooked broccoli in the cheese sauce for an even coating. Optionally, additional shredded cheese could be sprinkled over the broccoli with cheese at serving.
- You can easily mix up the seasonings to suit your tastes. I like to add in some Cajun seasoning for a kick!
- For a tangier and creamier sauce, mix in ¼ cup of sour cream after the cheese has melted.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. I don't suggest freezing the cooked broccoli and cheese as the sauce does not stand up to freezing well and will separate.
Reheating Broccoli And Cheese
Heat in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel. Use short 30-second increments on high power, stirring in between, until warmed to your satisfaction. Alternatively, you can return the broccoli and cheese to a saucepan over medium-low heat to cook until heated through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Broccoli can be cooked in a variety of different ways. It can be boiled, steamed, pan-fried, roasted, or sauteed. For this recipe, I recommend steaming it. However, use the method that works best for you!
Cheddar, fontina, havarti, and gruyere are all types of cheese that melt really well! I use cheddar in this recipe, but you can easily switch it up with another type of cheese. For more information, I have an entire post about the best cheeses for melting!
If your cooking over a heat that is too hot, the water could separate from the cheese and cause the protein to turn into curds. If you noticed that your sauce looks lumpy, remove it from the heat, add a few drops of milk, and then whisk quickly for about 10 seconds.
🥦 Easy Vegetable Side Dishes
- Baked Cauliflower With Cheese - If you prefer cauliflower, try out this cauliflower and cheese side dish!
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes - Bite-sized potatoes are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside!
- Baked Buttercup Squash - A sweet and savory side dish that is both nutritious and delicious!
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes - An easy and quick recipe for enjoying some sweet potatoes!
- Roasted Yellow Squash - Yellow squash rounds are drizzled with olive oil, cheese, and seasoning before being baked in the oven!
- Sauteed Green Beans - Green beans are sauteed until tender with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder!
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📖 Recipe Card
Broccoli And Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli (plus water for steaming)
- 1 cup whole milk (or half & half, or heavy cream)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (grated)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Wash and trim the broccoli then place florets into either:1) A microwave-safe dish with ¼ cup cold water. Cover and steam in the microwave until fork tender, about 6-8 minutes.2) A saucepan with a steamer basket insert and 1 cup water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and steam, about 5-6 minutes.3) A skillet with 1 cup water, simmer over medium heat, covered. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until fork tender.
- Once the broccoli is cooked, remove from heat and drain water as needed. Cover and keep warm while the sauce finishes.
- Add the milk and cornstarch to a saucepan and whisk to combine. Heat at medium, whisking occasionally, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the seasoning (garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper) then add the cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.
- Serve immediately over the broccoli.
Notes
- You will need water for steaming the broccoli, from ¼ cup for microwave steaming to 1 cup for basket steaming on the stovetop.
- I prefer to toss the cooked broccoli in the cheese sauce for an even coating. Optionally, additional shredded cheese could be sprinkled over the broccoli with cheese at serving.
- You can easily mix up the seasonings to suit your tastes. I like to add in some Cajun seasoning for a kick!
- For a tangier and creamier sauce, mix in ¼ cup of sour cream after the cheese has melted.
- To store: Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. I don't suggest freezing the cooked broccoli and cheese as the sauce does not stand up to freezing well and will separate.
- To reheat: Heat in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel. Use short 30-second increments on high power, stirring in between, until warmed to your satisfaction. Alternatively, you can return the broccoli and cheese to a saucepan over medium-low heat to cook until heated through.
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