Broccoli and Cheese Casserole is a family favorite meal filled with pasta, ham (or chicken), and of course broccoli in a rich cheesy sauce!
The sauce is extra easy to make from scratch (no roux required) and full of flavor for a quick weeknight meal.
The Best Broccoli Casserole
My family absolutely LOVES broccoli rice casserole but I have to say we love this pasta version just as much! It’s filled with all of the things we love best, but it’s versatile enough for mix-ins and substitutions!
Ingredients
BROCCOLI This recipe is full of fresh crisp broccoli of course! Frozen broccoli florets will work too. Add in some asparagus if you’d like.
PASTA We used penne in this casserole because we love how it holds the cheesy sauce but any medium-sized pasta can be used.
HAM It’s easy to add some flavor (and protein!) with chunks of ham. If you don’t have ham, use rotisserie chicken, or even Italian sausage.
SAUCE This is an extra easy sauce made with broth and light cream. Sharp cheddar and Parmesan make this casserole so cheesy. Sub in your favorite cheeses but make sure at least one of them has a big bold flavor.
How to Make Broccoli Casserole
- Cook pasta until al dente, adding broccoli to the pasta water during the last 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Soften the onion in butter. Add broth, cream, cornstarch, & seasonings (per the recipe below) and cook until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until creamy.
- Combine pasta/broccoli, ham, and sauce in a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Top with cheese and bake until bubbly.
To Make Ahead
Broccoli casserole can be assembled ahead, covered, and kept in the refrigerator up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 10 minutes to the cook time because the casserole will be cold.
How To Freeze Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli casserole can be frozen before or after baking with these simple tips!
- Before assembling the casserole, cover the bottom of the casserole dish with aluminum foil that overlaps by 6” on both sides.
- Prepare the casserole raw or bake it. Cool completely and fold the aluminum foil over the casserole.
- Once frozen, lift the casserole out and wrap in plastic wrap with the date labeled on the outside. This allows you to use the casserole dish for other purposes.
- Whether baked or unbaked, broccoli casserole will stay good for about 3 months.
Leftovers
- Keep leftover broccoli casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave & refresh with salt & pepper.
Got Broccoli?!
- Quick Broccoli Pasta
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Potato Broccoli Soup
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Beef and Broccoli
- 20 Minute Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli
Did you try this Broccoli & Cheese Casserole? Be sure to let us know how you liked it by leaving a rating and a comment below!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups medium pasta uncooked
- 8 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 cups diced ham or cooked chicken, optional
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente, adding broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain very well and set aside.
- While pasta is boiling, cook onion and garlic in butter in a frying pan over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, combine broth, half and half, cornstarch, and basil. Add the onions and mix well. Bring to a simmer over medium heat while whisking until it comes to a boil and thickens.
- Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in ham, 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Combine the pasta, broccoli, and ham and spread into the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese and bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Air Fryer, Casserole, Dinner, Ham, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I loved this! I only used 6 cups of broccoli because that’s all I had, and I think it was just the right amount. I also crushed some Ritz crackers and sprinkled those on top with a drizzle of melted butter before I put it in the oven. It was delicious and we look forward to eating the leftovers for lunch today.
Yay I’m so happy it was a hit for you, Kathleen!
This is delicious! I’m a big fan of this recipe! I’ve made it twice now and it has turned out great. Our taste is on the saltier side so I add salt into the cream mixture and also in the final stir before pouring into the casserole dish. I have also successfully substituted tapioca flour in place of corn starch (just double the amount called for!). This recipe was also so good with leftover rotisserie chicken instead of ham. It’s a delicious recipe as written! and it also turned out great with these slight modifications based on what I had on hand. And yes I did use 8 cups of broccoli :) now save this page so you can make this for dinner!
So glad you enjoyed this casserole, Janelle!
Giving 4 stars ahead of time because I love everything in the casserole. However, 8 cups of broccoli is a huge amount even for a 9×13 pan. Are you sure about that?
We used 8 cups of broccoli in this casserole and it turned out perfect, but you can always add less depending on your preference!
Made this a couple times for the family and our picky 6 year old loved it!
That is great, Jenny! So happy to hear that.
This was easy to make, and looked like it would serve more than the listed 6 servings. I think the sauce would provide a nice base to work with for other recipes. This particular combination was a bit bland and neither of my kids liked it.
Glad you enjoyed the sauce, Ami. You can definitely increase the spices to suit your preference.
Wow, this was delicious with ham and we didn’t need to add ANY salt or pepper. Look forward to making again with the optional breadcrumb topping.
This was delicious, we used ham. My husband says this us a repeat. Thanks for all your great recipes!
You’re welcome Ann!