Broccoli Ritz Casserole is a creamy, cheesy broccoli side under a crunchy, golden layer of buttery crackers, made for Sunday supper or a holiday table. Steamed broccoli goes into a thick filling of sharp cheddar, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and mayonnaise, and the cracker crumbs go on near the end. It serves 10 and takes 45 minutes.
How to make broccoli Ritz casserole: Steam and drain the broccoli, stir it into the cheddar filling and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Then scatter crackers tossed in melted butter over the top and bake 10 minutes more, until golden.
Why You’ll Love It
- Pantry ingredients: a can of soup, a sleeve of crackers, sharp cheddar and fresh or frozen broccoli.
- 45 minutes start to finish: the broccoli steams in the microwave while the oven heats.
- Creamy and cheesy: a full 8 ounces of sharp cheddar goes into the filling, under a crunchy top.
- Made for a crowd: one 9×13 dish covers a potluck or a holiday dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Broccoli: Two bunches of fresh broccoli, cut into florets. Frozen works too: use 32 ounces in place of the fresh.
Cream of chicken soup: One 10.5-ounce can of condensed soup. It goes into the filling as is, straight from the can.
Mayonnaise and sour cream: Half a cup of each. Together with the soup and one lightly beaten egg, they make the creamy base that holds the broccoli.
Sharp cheddar: Eight ounces, shredded. All of it goes into the filling rather than on top, so the crackers sit right on the creamy layer.
Onion: Half a small onion, chopped.
Butter crackers: One sleeve, about 32 crackers, crushed and stirred with 2 tablespoons of melted butter for the topping.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccoli, fresh, cut into florets (or 32 ounces frozen broccoli)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 sleeve butter crackers, crushed (about 32 crackers)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
How to Make Broccoli Ritz Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Steam the broccoli. Wash and dry the broccoli and cut it into florets. Put them in a large microwave-safe bowl with the water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes, then drain well. For frozen broccoli, steam it for half the time on the package, then drain.
3. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, stir together the egg, soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar, onion and salt. Add the broccoli, mix to coat and spread it in the dish.
4. Bake. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Butter the crumbs. While it bakes, stir the crushed crackers and melted butter together in a small bowl.
6. Top and finish. Take the casserole out, sprinkle the cracker topping evenly over it and bake 10 minutes more, until the crumbs are golden brown and the center reaches 165°F.
The Secret to a Good Broccoli Ritz Casserole
A good broccoli casserole comes down to two things: dry broccoli and a topping that goes on late. Get both right and you get a thick, creamy filling under a crisp, buttery crust instead of a soupy dish with soggy crackers.
Drain the broccoli really well. Broccoli holds water, and frozen broccoli holds a lot of it. After steaming, drain it and press it a little to push out the extra liquid. That one step is the difference between a creamy casserole and a watery one.
Butter the crumbs before they go on. Stir the crushed crackers into the melted butter with a fork until they are all moistened, then sprinkle them in an even layer.
Add the crackers late. The filling bakes on its own for the first 20 minutes. The buttered crumbs go on for the last 10, until they turn golden brown.
Never top it ahead of time. You can stir the filling together earlier in the day and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the cracker topping right before the dish goes into the oven: topped and baked ahead, the crackers turn soft instead of staying crisp.
Tips for Success
Should I use the broccoli stalks?
Use the crowns. Cut them into bite-sized florets and save the stalks for another dish.
Do I need to cook the onion first?
No. Chop it and stir it straight into the filling with the soup, mayonnaise and cheese. It cooks in the oven along with everything else.
Variations
- No sour cream: make the filling with 1 cup of mayonnaise, the can of cream of chicken soup, 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of diced white onion and 2 eggs. Use 1 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup in the filling and the rest scattered over it before the crackers, and bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Seasoned filling: stir 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and paprika and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into the filling with the salt.
- Crackers inside and on top: mix half the crushed crackers into the broccoli and cheese, then toss the other half with the melted butter and sprinkle it over the top.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven until they reach 165°F; the microwave works in a pinch, but the cracker topping will be softer. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker. Skip the freezer for this one: FSIS lists mayonnaise and cream sauces among foods that don’t freeze well.
What to Serve With It
This side is right at home on a holiday table next to easy creamy corn casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows and smothered green beans. For more broccoli and cheese, make baked broccoli cheese balls. If you want the same buttery cracker crunch on a main dish, try broccoli rice cheese and chicken casserole or this cracker-topped chicken casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make an old fashioned broccoli Ritz casserole?
Fold steamed, well-drained broccoli into a creamy base of cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, an egg, onion and sharp cheddar. Bake it in a 9×13 dish at 350°F and finish it under buttered cracker crumbs.
Does broccoli need to be cooked before putting in casserole?
Yes. Besides the microwave method in step 2, you can steam or boil the florets on the stove until soft, or blanch them in boiling water. Drain them well either way.
How many crackers do I need?
One sleeve holds about 32 crackers, and that is all a 9×13 casserole needs. If you like a heavier crumb layer, use two sleeves.
How fine should I crush the crackers?
Coarsely crushed is enough. As a guide, 36 crackers make about 1 1/2 cups of coarse crumbs.
Final Notes
Crush the crackers while the filling bakes so the topping is ready the moment the timer goes off. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Broccoli Ritz Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccoli fresh, cut into florets (or 32 ounces frozen broccoli)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 sleeve butter crackers crushed (about 32 crackers)
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Wash and dry the broccoli and cut it into florets. Put them in a large microwave-safe bowl with the water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes, then drain well. For frozen broccoli, steam it for half the time on the package, then drain.
- In a large bowl, stir together the egg, soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar, onion and salt. Add the broccoli, mix to coat and spread it in the dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- While it bakes, stir the crushed crackers and melted butter together in a small bowl.
- Take the casserole out, sprinkle the cracker topping evenly over it and bake 10 minutes more, until the crumbs are golden brown and the center reaches 165°F.
