Quick Broccoli and Cheese in the Oven
This quick Broccoli and Cheese side dish is easy to make and it’s full of those broccoli and cheese flavors that we know and love. The best part? It has only two ingredients!
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We haven’t eaten broccoli and cheese in our family growing up, but I do remember it being served for lunch in elementary school. Just steamed broccoli with that deep yellow cheese sauce.
Fast forward to when I get married. My second mom (MIL) has a simple way of making this. She took broccoli florets and placed them on a small plate. Then she covered them with a piece of square cheese (think American cheese, but without all the additives). Then she just microwaved it until the cheese was melted. Trying it once was enough for me to understand how good it was.
I couldn’t, however, make this recipe at home because we don’t have a microwave (Yay us!). So, I experimented and made this recipe in the oven. This Broccoli is seriously good! Maybe it’s the German cheese, but it’s hard to stop eating.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This broccoli and cheese combo is EASY to make! and I mean, easy. No making a separate sauce, no additional steaming needed. Just broccoli and cheese and still the same great taste!
Ingredients for Broccoli and Cheese
Fresh Broccoli – rinsed and cut into smaller pieces
Cheese – this is where it gets kind of complicated. The best cheese to place on the florets is American cheese because of how easy it melts and also keeps its sauciness. However, it is a very processed cheese, so here are some alternatives. Cheddar cheese (from which American cheese is made), Colby, Monterey Jack. Check out this post from Best Food Substitutes for more ideas on which cheese to use.
How to Make Broccoli and Cheese
Preheat oven to 180° C (356° F).
Wash your broccoli, and cut into small florets. Place the broccoli into a casserole dish spreading out in a single layer at the bottom. I also like to peel the broccoli stem and slice an use up as well so I don’t waste any part of the broccoli (plus I love how it tastes).
Bake the Broccoli in the oven for 7 minutes. Reduce the amount to 5 minutes if you’d like to have your broccoli even more crunchy.
Remove the broccoli from the oven.
Carefully place the cheese squares on the top of the broccoli making sure to cover all the florets. I used a sandwich cheese available here in Germany that is similar to American cheese. However, it is different as it has less preservatives and each slice is not separately wrapped (though we do have that kind of cheese around here as well).
Place the dish back into the oven and bake for another 7 minutes. Again, the time can be reduced if you’d like the broccoli to be more firm.
Remove from oven. Stir the broccoli as the cheese would have all melted to the bottom. Serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different cheese for melting on the top of the broccoli (Refer to the Ingredients section above for a link to some great substitutions). This will give your broccoli a different kind of taste than normal.
- Sprinkle some herbs on the top of the cheese before melting it for additional variation to the flavors.
What to Serve with Broccoli and Cheese
This broccoli and cheese is a side dish that goes well with meat dishes like these Grilled Chicken Thighs. It’s also great served with a soup and sandwich and also on it’s own as a snack (I just kept coming back for more and eating it as is, once I made this).
How to Store and Reheat
We usually don’t have any of this broccoli and cheese left over because we just finish it all. In fact, the last batch I made, I ate like half of it right away. But if some Broccoli should be left over, just store it in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until it is warmed through.
Recommended Tools
You just need a casserole dish for making this broccoli. Some storage containers with lids are also good for leftovers. I especially love these containers from Pyrex because they are oven safe. So just remove the lid and re-heat in the oven.
Other Side Dish Recipes to Try
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli and cheese, make sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating here! I’d love to hear back from you and will do my best to answer and respond to every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see the photos of the recipes you have made!
Broccoli and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1.1lb (500g) Broccoli
- 8 slices (133g) Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180° C (356° F).
- Wash your broccoli, and cut into small florets. Place the broccoli into a casserole dish spreading out in a single layer at the bottom. Use or discard the broccoli stem (I use it up).
- Bake the Broccoli in the oven for 7 minutes and then take it out.
- Carefully place the cheese squares on the top of the broccoli making sure to cover all the florets. Break the cheese into smaller pieces as needed.
- Place the dish back into the oven and bake for another 7 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Stir the broccoli as the cheese would have all melted to the bottom. Serve warm.
Notes
– The amount could serve up to 4 people if served with a main course and another side dish. Otherwise, it mostly likely will feed 2.