Broccoli cheese casserole is one of those side dishes that gets gobbled up every time. It’s so creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. Even your picky eaters will devour this broccoli.
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Would you believe that my parents never made me eat broccoli as a kid?
I honestly don’t think I ever even tasted broccoli until I was a teenager.
Which, hey, I’m not complaining. Broccoli was scary and green looking and I was super picky. My parents picked their battles and broccoli was not one of them.
But now? I LOVE broccoli. It’s probably my favorite veggie and I often eat it steamed with just a sprinkling of salt. No butter, no cheese, just good ol’ broccoli.
Sometimes, though, you’ve got to get a little fancy with your vegetables, whether that’s for Thanksgiving dinner or just a weeknight and a craving hits, and that’s where this easy broccoli cheese casserole comes into play.
Y’all are going to love the decadent cheese sauce that coast the tender broccoli in this low carb broccoli casserole recipe is!
🍗 Variations:
Make it a Meal – Add cooked, shredded chicken or sliced and seared smoked sausage right into this dish to make it a meal.
Add Veggies – Swap half of the broccoli for cauliflower and proceed as directed!
Get Cheesy – Swap the cheddar for a different cheese of your choice, such as gruyere, colby jack, or mozzarella!
Crunchy Topping – Traditional broccoli casserole often has Ritz crackers or other cracker crumbs over the top. Instead, try crumbling up some pork rinds and sprinkle them over the top to add a little crunch!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 20 ounces fresh broccoli florets
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the broccoli to a large microwave safe bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. Let sit, covered, for 2 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and mix well to combine.
- Stir the cream cheese mixture into the steamed broccoli until well combined.
- Transfer broccoli to an 8×8 baking dish and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
👩🍳 Ingredient Notes:
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Fresh Broccoli – You’ll note that I’m a fan of the fresh broccoli over the frozen! It just tastes better, but I do understand the convenience of the frozen kind. If that’s what you’ve got, it should work. I’ve just never made it myself in this recipe.
Cheese – This broccoli and cheese casserole is loaded up with rich cream cheese, freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, and some grated Parmesan cheese! That’s going to add tons of creamy, decadent cheesy flavor to this casserole.
Mayo – It’s going to add even more creamy flavor to this keto casserole.
Seasoning – You don’t need many seasonings for this casserole. The rich, cheesy flavors with the broccoli pretty much do most of the work but we do like to mix in some garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper!
Broccoli and cheese is a classic recipe that just about everyone can enjoy, including the kids!
It’s an easy casserole recipe that you can put together in no time.
With all that rich, creamy cheese nobody will even notice that this is a keto version of broccoli casserole.
How To Make Broccoli Casserole:
Broccoli – We’re starting with fresh broccoli for this recipe, because I personally think it has the best taste and texture. I do usually buy pre-cut broccoli florets in the produce section, but a head of broccoli works just as well. Chop the broccoli into small florets.
Steam – You’ll start out by steaming the broccoli lightly, either in a stove top steamer or in the microwave. For this recipe, I nearly always opt for the microwave, just because it’s easy. Pop your broccoli into a large bowl with two tablespoons of water, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave for 2 minutes.
Cheese – You’ll mix together cream cheese, grated cheddar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Mix – Scoop that mixture right on top of your hot and steamy broccoli and start stirring. The mixture should melt right into the broccoli pretty quickly as you stir.
Bake – Transfer this to a baking dish and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Bake it up and you’ll have this decadent broccoli and cheese casserole that the whole family will love! This easy broccoli casserole is ready to go in just about 20 minutes. Serve alongside our stuffed chicken breast along with our keto coleslaw.
If you love this keto broccoli casserole recipe, be sure to try my broccoli salad or cauliflower potato salad!
❔ FAQs:
You can keep this low carb casserole stored in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight or well sealed container.
This casserole should freeze well for up to few months. Keep it in a freezer safe container or wrapped in some foil and plastic.
I’ve never tried it in this recipe and would definitely recommend using fresh broccoli, but I think it would work fine with frozen.
Keto Broccoli Casserole for a Crowd:
This recipe is perfect for a family dinner and the leftovers will reheat well the next day.
If you’re serving a crowd or want to make this for a larger gathering, we recommend doubling the recipe!
Double all of the ingredients and bake for the same length of time in a 9×13 baking dish.
🥘 More Keto Casserole Recipes:
- Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
- Meatball Casserole
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- Spinach Casserole
- Keto Taco Casserole
- Big Mac Casserole
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Matt says
This is amazing! Making it again tonight. Great for Keto!
Julia Stearns @ Healthirony says
That broccoli cheese casserole looks delicious, I just want to devour it off the screen! Thanks for sharing, Karly!
gia says
Can you make this ahead and just throw it into the oven before guests arrive? Thinking about doing this for a party!
Karly Campbell says
I think that would be fine, though I haven’t tried it. 🙂
Sarah says
Hi! Wondering if you did end up making ahead and how it turned out. Thanks 🙂
Jenni says
This dish was very cheesy and rich. I love it! Thank you for this recipe.
Allison Smith says
Hi, my niece( 18 and eager to learn how to entertain) found and made your Broccoli Casserole recipe.
She added a hand full extra of frozen florets ( what could it hurt, right?) because we had only frozen. Frozen tend to soften a bit more than a fresh crown of broccoli does when steaming then follow that up by a good baking.
It was absolutely Lovely! She was tickled that everyone remarked on her dish!
Thank you so much for posting and helping to inspire others!
Karly Campbell says
So glad she gave it a try and loved it! 🙂
Christy says
Love this recipe! I add a little Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning for a little kick.
Wendy says
Never microwave veggies, you are ruining the nutrition.
Stine says
Actually, microwaving preserves more nutrients than most cooking methods because of the shorter cooking times and lower temps https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/health/17real.html
Evelyn says
If someone has comments that aren’t nice … keep to yourself. I appreciate the recipes SO MUCH! this is my first time making this and it’s delicious!! I did a little variation and added some cauliflower, bacon and onion. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. do you know if the carbs you listed are net?
Thanks!
Karly Campbell says
Hi Evelyn! Thanks for the kind words! If net carbs are listed, it will be clearly stated that I’m talking about net carbs, so there isn’t any confusion. I generally list carbs and fiber together so you can decide to count net or total yourself. 🙂
Lisa says
I am going to put crushed pork rinds on top!!
Brandi says
This is now one of my favorite sides. Turned out perfect and my 7 yr old ate it with no complaints. I recommend broiling it for a few minutes towards the end.
PJ says
Unfortunately, my husband and I felt like this was just meh. Just a little boring. Looking for a keto-friendly broccoli casserole to replace my traditional Easter version.
DownSouthDiva says
Quick, easy and tasty! I ususally have all these items on hand all the time so I`m sure this will be on my menu often. Thanks!
Russ D says
FYI – I threw it under the broiler for about 3-4 mins after baking. Gave a nice browned top and some crunch!
melissa waite says
Has anyone used frozen broccoli for this? Directions say use fresh florets. If I use frozen how does that change the prep?
Dr. D. says
I used 2 packs of frozen steamed broccoli. Just microwave in bag according to package then proceed. Works fine!
Michelle L Fusilier says
Question?! How would you make this in the Instant Pot? Just bought one trying to use it for everything. lol
Karly Campbell says
I don’t think I’d make this one in the Instant Pot. Fresh vegetables don’t hold up super well and neither does dairy. If you do try it, I’d probably do it at 1 minute pressure only or your broccoli will be mush.
Ryan says
Made this yesterday…we loved it. I used 2 a average size crowns of broccoli but think I’ll use 3 next time so it’s not quite as rich. This recipe was definitely a keeper though.
Fabby Zama says
Have this currently in the oven, mixed in some leftover chicken thighs and bacon! Thank you so much
Tdubbs says
This was fantastic! I was trying to find a keto recipe that I could make with what I had in the house. I modified it to what I had. Switched fresh broccoli for frozen, jalapeño cheddar cheese instead of regular cheddar, I had no Parmesan cheese so I put in bacon bits and instead of plain cream cheese I used herb and garlic. It was so good I could eat it everyday. Thanks for the recipe!
Bari says
I was excited for this, but it was just kind of…too much. Like way more dairy than necessary. But I actually like the taste of broccoli. I also love fresh, firm veggies but for me, it didn’t work in this recipe. Needed way more cooking time (like 3x) because the texture was weird. Ironically, I think frozen would’ve worked much better. LOL! Different strokes for different folks, tho! (Positive note, I LOVED the cauliflower bake)
Karly Campbell says
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you!
Joanne says
Took this to a party full of non-low carbers, both vegetarians and carnivores, and everyone, including kids, loved it!