Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers is a delicious and easy comforting casserole to make for an every day dinner, Sunday supper, or even a holiday. The entire side dish comes together in a half hours time.
If you love broccoli and cheese you are going to love this 30 minute side dish recipe for Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers. I was introduced to this delicious side dish well over a decade ago from a co-worker. It was a family recipe of hers. So naturally, I went home and made it for Easter. Everyone loved it so much that I began making this casserole for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The only down side was that it had so much butter. So over time I worked on making it a smidge healthier by eliminating the 2 sticks of butter that it originally called for, all while still keeping the same great flavors in tact. This broccoli and cheese casserole is very easy to make and even the most novice cook can whip this together and impress!
Why this Recipe Works
The entire recipe only has 5 ingredients.
You can make ahead the casserole and bake when it’s closer to dinner time.
This side takes 30 minutes to make and not a lot of hands on time.
Ingredients
Ingredients are pretty basic for this casserole making this a great beginner recipe for even the novice cook. You will notice all the ingredients can be found either in your pantry or fridge/freezer.
- Broccoli – I use frozen chopped broccoli
- Velveeta – Yes, this recipe requires Velveeta cheese loaf. I’ve honestly never made it another way, so try at your own risk if you decide to use a fresh cheese.
- RITZ Crackers – 1 sleeve is all you need. You can use two sleeves if you want a lot of buttery topping. I know I have two sleeves pictured. This is optional if you want a lot of cracker topping or not.
- Butter – The original recipe called for 2 sticks of butter. I found it was way too much and have since reduced the butter down to just a half stick.
- Water – I have used water to help replace some of the butter.
Directions
PREHEAT – Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook broccoli according to package instructions, remove any and all water, and set aside.
While broccoli cooks; in medium saucepan melt ¼ stick butter with the block of Velveeta cheese until smooth. Then, add broccoli and mix well. Place the broccoli mixture into a lightly oiled casserole dish.
In small bowl (using the microwave), melt ¼ stick butter, add water, and mix into cracker crumbs with fork. Sprinkle cracker crumb mixture over the broccoli and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown.
FAQs
Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions when making Broccoli casserole with Velveeta cheese.
Yes, if it’s frozen broccoli it needs to be cooked fully and if it’s fresh you need to blanch the broccoli first.
You can freeze this broccoli cheese casserole if you want to save it for future use. I would recommend leaving the RITZ cracker topping off. Make sure to store it properly to avoid freezer burn, by using an airtight freezer container. The casserole will keep for 1 month in the freezer. When you’re ready to reheat the casserole, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then add RITZ topping and bake.
3-5 days
The leftover broccoli casserole will be good for up to 3-5 days if store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
There are 32 RITZ crackers in a sleeve.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks when making Broccoli Cheese Casserole.
- Fresh Broccoli – You can use fresh broccoli for this reicpe. You will need to rinse and chop the fresh broccoli. Then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and immediately place in cold water to stop the cooking process. Then drain and set to the side.
- Cheese – I have never made this casserole without using Velveeta. So I can’t tell you how it will turn out with any other type of cheese.
- Crumb Topping – The buttery RITZ crackers are what make it so delicious. Don’t skimp on these; however, one sleeve is enough.
Main Course Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite main course recipes to serve along side Broccoli and Cheese Casserole.
- Oven Roasted Turkey
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker Ham with Apple Sauce
- Roast Beef
- Pork Shoulder Roast
If you make this Broccoli Cheese Casserole with Ritz Crackers recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Equipment
- 1 Microwave
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 Sauce Pan
- 1 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 28 ounces Frozen Chopped Broccoli
- 8 ounces Velveeta Original Loaf
- 1 sleeve RITZ Crackers crushed
- ½ stick Butter divided
- 2 tablespoons Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook broccoli according to package instructions, remove any and all water, and set aside.
- While broccoli cooks; in medium saucepan melt ¼ stick butter with the block of Velveeta cheese until smooth. Then, add broccoli and mix well. Place the broccoli mixture into a lightly oiled casserole dish.
- In small bowl (using the microwave), melt ¼ stick butter, add water, and mix into cracker crumbs with fork. Sprinkle cracker crumb mixture over the broccoli and cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown.
Notes
- Fresh Broccoli – You can use fresh broccoli for this reicpe. You will need to rinse and chop the fresh broccoli. Then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and immediately place in cold water to stop the cooking process. Then drain and set to the side.
- Cheese – I have never made this casserole without using Velveeta. So I can’t tell you how it will turn out with any other type of cheese.
- Crumb Topping – The buttery RITZ crackers are what make it so delicious. Don’t skimp on these; however, one sleeve is enough.
Nutrition
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Rachael
This is a Thanksgiving staple in our family… Seriously the best broccoli casserole and the one time a year I eat Velveeta… which BTW you will find in the aisles not the dairy section of the grocery store… and don’t try to make it healthier with real cheese or light Velveeta… the results will not be good.
Katie
Hi Rachael, So happy you and your family love this casserole. Mine do too. I’m also right there with you–very few times I’ll eat velveeta, but it’s a must in this casserole!
Jennifer
I'm OBSESSED with broccoli! For a super-quick verison of this, you can sub a bag of the broccoli in a light cheese sauce from the birds eye or green giant (in the steam-able bags) soooo good!
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons