Broccoli Cheese Casserole with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter pastured butter is best
- 1/2 cup flour unbleached organic all-purpose flour or I use einkorn flour mostly now
- 3 cups milk read about the best milk options here
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces organic can cream of mushroom soup or homemade cream of mushroom soup This can actually be left out, the last few times I've made this I just used the cheese sauce and it was still great!
- sea salt
- pepper
- garlic either chopped fresh or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or other natural sugar read more about best sugar options here
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs along with some herbs to your taste if desired – I’ve done it with and without and like both.
- About 4 cups of vegetables
Instructions
- Start by making a white sauce or “roux” by melting 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan and then add in 1/2 cup flour. Cook and stir for about a minute.
- Then add in milk, pouring it slowly to avoid lumps, and keep stirring as it thickens. Once blended well, add in cheddar cheese, mushroom soup, salt, pepper, garlic and sugar – taste test as you go to see what it needs. If you get this cheese sauce right, the whole recipe will be delicious.
- Remove from heat so it doesn't burn.
- Meanwhile, get your broccoli cleaned and ready – I usually cut parts of the stems off.
- Often I will also add in cauliflower and/or carrots, which I will lightly steam before assembling to bake, just until they are crisp-tender. Frozen broccoli doesn’t need to be steamed first because it gets done enough just in the oven – if it's fresh broccoli or if you like it really soft, you could steam it for a couple minutes; I like my carrots to still be just a smidge crunchy when they’re done, so I only steam them for a short time, too.
- Butter a 8 1/2 x 11 glass baking dish. Place vegetables in the bottom and pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350*. Meanwhile, melt 8 Tablespoons butter (or more if so desired!) and stir in about 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs or cracker crumbs. When the casserole has about 10-15 minutes left, sprinkle this on top and finish baking until crumbs are golden. Enjoy!