Broccoli Casserole Recipe With Velveeta Cheese and Ritz Crackers

Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers is a comfort food classic! This cheesy, and easy, casserole is always a crowd pleaser, from busy weeknight meals to special holiday dinners. Even the pickiest eaters can't resist their green veggies when you serve them in this creamy, cheesy broccoli casserole.

Reasons You'll Love This Recipe

Buttery Ritz Crackers, combined with cheese, will turn everyone in the family into broccoli fans.
Made with frozen broccoli, you can make this without having fresh broccoli on hand.
It takes just minutes to prepare this dish, and it bakes in 30 minutes or less.
The leftovers for this recipe are almost shockingly delicious. It can be a great make-ahead dish.

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers

I won't go so far as to say this cheesy broccoli casserole is magical, I will say it has an almost magical ability to make everyone love broccoli! If you have kids, or even a spouse, who doesn't exactly love broccoli, this is your gateway dish to getting your family to not only eat those veggies – but to love them! After this, give Green Beans Almondine a try, it's another picky eater approved veggie!

How To Make Broccoli Cheese Casserole

This dish is so quick and easy to make, it's a great one to add to your vegetable line up. I love to serve this with Air Fryer Meatloaf, Brown Sugar Glaze Spiral Ham and Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks. Because it conveniently uses frozen broccoli, it's great when I'm running low on fresh produce or just didn't plan ahead all that well.

Let's discuss how to make this Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers, as well as the ingredients that are needed for it. Please take note that below you will find discussion, expert tips, and answers to frequently asked questions about this recipe to help you recreate it in your kitchen.

Broccoli Casserole Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need to have on hand, as well as some substitution options. If you *just* want the recipe itself, scroll down.The full printable recipe itself, with exact measurements and instructions, is found at the bottom of this page

Broccoli – This recipe is made with frozen broccoli florets. You can however make this with fresh broccoli if you have it on hand. Boil your fresh broccoli until it's fork tender, then follow the recipe as written.
Garlic – Make sure you are using garlic powder, not garlic salt.
Salt – I prefer a Kosher or sea salt, but table salt will work as well.
Pepper – Fresh black pepper is great if you have a grinder on hand.
Onion powder – You can also use freeze dried minced onions if desired.
Velveeta cheese – When it comes to getting that melty, creamy, cheese broccoli we all love, it's hard to beat Velveeta. Make sure your Velveeta is at room temperature before beginning this recipe. If you use cold Velveeta, you may find large pockets of it in your casserole after baking.
Cheddar cheese – I highly recommend that you grate your own cheese. The pre-grated cheese is coated to keep it from sticking to itself, but this means it doesn't melt quite as smoothly and easily.
Ritz crackers – While the buttery Ritz crackers are the perfect match for this dish, you could also use Town House or Club Crackers.
Salted butter – If you only have unsalted butter on hand, don't worry, it's fine. If you like, you can add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dish.

Steps To Take

Here are the steps to take to make your broccoli cheese casserole. Remember the full printable directions are found at the bottom of the page.

Begin by preheat the oven and preparing a 9×13 inch baking dish. Next boil the frozen broccoli florets for 3 minutes, then drain them and transfer to a large mixing bowl. At that point add the seasonings and cubed Velveeta cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and evenly distributed.

The broccoli mixture is then transferred into the prepared baking dish. Then the grated cheddar, Ritz crackers and melted butter are added to the top of the broccoli. All that's left to do is pop it into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is nice and bubbly.

Expert Tips

This can be stored for 5 days in the fridge or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

It is good reheated in the oven or even better, this casserole reheats really well in the air fryer – just like fresh! Just fill a small glass bowl or casserole dish with the leftovers and pop it in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees. The crackers will be crunchy again and the broccoli tender and cheesy!

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

I don't have velveeta cheese – what could I use instead? You could use 8 ounces of cream cheese (or 1 cup of sour cream), and an extra cup of shredded cheese as a substitute.
Is there another type of cheese, besides cheddar? Colby cheese would be a great substitute. Or you could try pepper jack if you'd like something with a bit of heat. All would be a delicious addition to this broccoli casserole with Ritz crackers.

More Cheesy Recipes

If you love a good cheesy dish, I've got more recipes I think you'll enjoy. Here are some of my top recommendations.

Instant Pot Cheesy Potatoes
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Easy Mac and Cheese
Cheesy Garlic Rolls

More Side Dishes To Try

A close up of a broccoli casserole with ritz crackers

Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers is a comfort food classic! This cheesy, and easy, casserole is even a hit with picky eaters!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 10 servings

32 ounces frozen broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
16 oz Velveeta cheese cut into small cubes no larger than 1" in size
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1 sleeve Ritz Crackers crushed
2 tablespoons salted butter melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9X13 baking dish by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Boil the broccoli florets in salted water for 3 minutes, drain them, and put them into a large mixing bowl.
Season the broccoli with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Stir the Velveeta Cheese into the broccoli until fully incorporated and all the cheese is melted.
Pour the broccoli cheese mixture into the casserole dish and distribute evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly on top of the broccoli.
Mix the crushed ritz crackers with the melted butter then sprinkle on the top of the casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheeses are bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

This can be stored for 5 days in the fridge or for up to 3 months in the freezer. It is good reheated in the oven or even better, this casserole reheats really well in the air fryer – just like fresh! Just fill a small glass bowl or casserole dish with the leftovers and pop it in the air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees. The crackers will be crunchy again and the broccoli tender and cheesy!

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Broccoli Casserole Recipe With Velveeta Cheese and Ritz Crackers

Source: https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/broccoli-casserole-with-ritz-crackers/

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