Better Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli casserole made better with roasted broccoli, cheddar cheese, creamy quinoa and toasted bread crumbs. This healthy broccoli casserole is delicious!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Did you know that cheddar cheese isn’t actually orange? It’s really white, and they add orange coloring to make it orange. We’ve been duped all along. I know.
I opted for cheddar without coloring, so this broccoli cheddar casserole may not look like the kind you grew up eating. It’s also more redeeming than typical Midwestern broccoli cheddar casseroles, while still being gloriously cheesy and creamy.
You won’t find mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, or annoying Béchamel sauce to make in this healthy broccoli casserole recipe. You don’t need it!
Casseroles aren’t my typical fare, but they do hit the spot on cold, gray winter days. Plus, they make for great leftovers. Hooray for meals that keep on giving!
Watch How to Make Broccoli Casserole
The Best Broccoli Casserole
- My broccoli cheddar version here features tons of caramelized roasted broccoli for extra flavor, plus some milk and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Nutritious quinoa magically blends into creamy oblivion while it’s in the oven.
- Top all of that with some garlicky breadcrumbs and you have one amazing dish that makes for great leftovers.
You can be fancy and call it a “grah-tahnnnn” in your best French accent, or announce it as a “hot dish” in your finest Minnesotan. Either way, it’s a stellar broccoli casserole.
Please let me know how this broccoli casserole recipe turns out for you in the comments! I always love to hear from you.
Craving more lightened-up comfort foods? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Real Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Spaghetti Squash “Pizza” Bowls
- Best Vegetable Lasagna
- Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
For even more hearty dinner recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook!
Better Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli casserole made better with roasted fresh broccoli, cheddar cheese, creamy quinoa and irresistible, garlicky whole grain bread crumbs. This healthy casserole is easy to make and tastes amazing! Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup quinoa (any color), rinsed under running water in a mesh sieve for a minute and drained
- 16 ounces broccoli florets, either pre-packaged or sliced from 2 large bunches of broccoli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit if sensitive to spice
- 8 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) freshly grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup low-fat milk (cow’s milk tastes best but unsweetened plain almond milk works, too)
- ½ tablespoon butter or 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 slice whole wheat bread (substitute gluten-free bread for a gluten-free casserole)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- To cook the quinoa: Bring the vegetable broth or water to boil in a heavy-bottomed, medium-sized pot. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 17 to 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Cover and set aside to steam for 10 minutes.
- To roast the broccoli: Slice any large broccoli florets in half to make bite-sized pieces. Transfer the broccoli to your prepared baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, until lightly coated on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and arrange in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and starting to caramelize on the edges.
- To make the breadcrumbs: Tear your piece of bread into bite-sized pieces and toss them into a food processor or blender. Process until the bread has broken into small crumbs. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, stirring often. Add the bread crumbs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly browned and crisp. Set aside to cool. (If you cooked your bread crumbs in a cast iron skillet, transfer them to a bowl to prevent them from burning.)
- Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the pot of quinoa, and stir to combine. Set aside ¾ cup of the cheese for later, then add the rest of the cheese to the pot. Pour in the milk and stir until the cheese and milk are evenly incorporated in the quinoa.
- Pour the cheesy quinoa into a 9-inch square baking dish and top with the roasted broccoli. Stir until the broccoli is evenly mixed in with the quinoa. Sprinkle the surface of the casserole with the reserved ¾ cup cheese, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the top is golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my creamy roasted Brussels sprout and quinoa gratin, which was originally adapted from The High-Protein Vegetarian Cookbook by Katie Parker of Veggie and the Beast.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Delicious!
Sorry I don’t have a picture to share at the moment as it was gobbled up by me, my daughter, and my hubby! Another great recipe that is truly tried and true!
Just wondering about the nutritional info. I see it is listed but the numbers seem unrealistic. 1504% Vitamin D?
Hi there! I’m not a nutritionist, but I do my best to offer accurate information. I use a nutrition calculator and just double-checked the ingredients were entered properly by weight. Previously, the milk was entered as “fortified with vitamin D.” I switched to an unfortified milk. I re-entered cheddar cheese and the vitamin D content dropped to nothing. I’m honestly not sure what was going on there! Just goes to show that reputable calculators can be wrong sometimes. Thank you for asking!
I tried this recipe. I thought it was good, but felt there was something missing. After rereading the ingredients and directions, I wonder where the 10 twists of pepper should have been used.
I also tried a trick I read somewhere else – I added some lemon juice tio the broccoli before roasting. I’ve found that it does give the broccoli a little jump in flavor.
But, still wondering where the pepper goes in.
Hi Bob, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. The pepper should be added in step 5 :)
This is such a comforting (sneakily sorta healthy!) recipe. I omitted the bread crumb topping, and used pepper jack cheese instead. My husband and I loved it. Such a filling and delicious side dish (or literally on its own because it’s that good). Can’t wait to make this for when I host lunches and dinners again. :( I’m sure my guests will all be super impressed!
This dish was amazing!!! One of my favorite dishes! So flavorful, and loved the texture. My two kiddos gobbled it up
Love this, just never know what to serve with this when It is the main course. Might you have a suggestion for a side?
How bout a fruit salad?
Hi Cheryl! A fruit salad would be nice. Maybe try my fruit salad!
I found this dish pretty bland and uninteresting. Easy to make, healthyish but where’s the taste?
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. Did you add the garlic breadcrumbs?
My whole family loves this! Especially my young kiddos. I used Panko for the bread crumbs but followed everything else exactly. It’s a wonderful weeknight meal.
Thank you for sharing, Anna!
I just made this, as I have a big bag of broccoli florets to use up. Since I’m trying to reduce the number of trips to the store I adapted the recipe to use things I had on hand.
I added frozen roasted carrots and onions
Instead of quinoa, I used a brown rice/quinoa instant rice bag
I had some leftover garlic butter, which I mixed with ready made bread crumbs
It’s in the oven now. I’ll try to remember to comment again after I eat it!
Added some sautéd purple cabbage I needed to get rid of which took some of the moisture I think maybe..but Followed the recipe exactly otherwise. Very filling with Great flavour, will make again for sure!
Can you use frozen broccoli?
Hi Kiki! Fresh is best here, but frozen will work. Be sure to follow the thawing instructions prior to baking.
I’m new to cooking quinoa but this recipe has made me a believer! The ingredients are perfectly balanced, and roasting the broccoli takes it a level. Thanks for the recipe. Making it again ASAP!
I’m new to cooking quinoa but this recipe has made me a believer! The ingredients are perfectly balanced, and roasting the broccoli takes it up a level. Thanks for the recipe. Making it again ASAP!
I made this using 4 slices of diced chao vegan cheese and unsweet almond milk in the sauce. I also added a can of waterchestnuts for some needed crunch factor (this is a key ingredient in traditional broccoli rice casserole). And I pan toasted pecans with cayenne pepper, salt and a teaspoon of brown sugar and added them on top after baking instead of the bread crumbs. Next time I will dice a little fresh jalapeno to add to the quinoa. My family enjoyed this and it’s the first time they haven’t complained about quinoa on their plates.
Made tonight. Definitely a hit. Ate as our main course so not many leftovers. Could have used a tad more salt/seasoning and I won’t cook the broccoli as much next time so it retains some crispness.
This is probably my 10th recipe I have tried. I just want to say Thank you! My wife is a nurse and works long hours. I am a teacher and have been working from home; so I started making the majority of the meals. All of your recipes besides being healthy are absolutely delicious. Your have restored my passion for cooking.
If I use frozen broccoli for this recipe, should I thaw it first?
Hi Eliane! Yes, thaw first and drain any excess water.
This is a great recipe! I’m a budget-cook college student, so I had to substitute a lot.
I used white rice instead of quinoa, but kept the same measurements for the milk and liquids. Used soy milk and two types of cheese – a Mexican blend and an Italian blend. I chopped up and pan grilled a tortilla instead of bread for breadcrumbs. Also added slices of grilled zucchini and yellow squash before topping the casserole with cheese and tortilla crumbs.
Pre-baking the broccoli helped the flavor and made it crispy and crunchy. Putting the breadcrumbs on after adding the second handful of cheese kept the cheese from burning. Substituting with rice worked great! It wasn’t soggy at all. You could use a lot of different spice blends for this – I went with garlic & onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Thanks for such a yummy casserole!
This was delicious! As the only non meat-eater(and cook)in the house I’m always looking for something that will please everyone. During lockdown the family have been unable to get their meat fix elsewhere so I’ve tried to make some new veggie dishes. Served with a crisp green salad this was a real winner! I also made your roasted veggie enchilada casserole with brown Mexican rice which are also now added to our list of favourites!
OMG this was delicious!!! I never really liked quinoa but in this casserole it was amazing!! I love the toasted broccoli and it gave the casserole such a great flavour!! I will be adding this to my family cookbook! Thank you!☺️
Is there a way I could use less cheese to make it a bit less caloric? Do I need to replace the cheese with something else?
Hi Stacey, I’m not sure replacing the cheese with something else will change much. You can always have a smaller serving. This one is pretty filling.
My partner thought I was serving up mac and cheese, so it was a surprise to get something resembling healthy instead. I used a combo of broccoli and cauliflower. I think you can use substantially more than 16 oz because it shrinks in the oven. I used more than 2 Tbsp of olive oil for the veggies because they don’t really brown up without enough oil. My partner really enjoyed it and went for seconds. A win in my book.
Tried the recipe as written with the only difference being I had homemade bread to use for the breadcrumbs. This recipe is wonderful. Great flavor, no canned ingredients, and I didnt feel heavy or gross. It’s one of my favorite recipes! Thank you so much!!
Homemade bread sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing, Ashley.
Made this with frozen broccoli and some frozen green beans and it turned out shockingly well. I rinsed the frozen veggies to get off extra ice, then dried them out on paper towel. Then followed recipe but baked the veggies for 30 mins and made sure they had lots of room on the tray to breathe! I cut cheese amount down a little bit too and it is still extremely cheesy and filling! The red pepper flakes are a great addition .
Great recipe! We loved this. Added to our dinner rotation!
I made and liked this. My husband and son thought it was too dry. It does have a LOAD of cheese, but I think it might need more milk. The quinoa absorbs some of the moisture.
This was sooo delicious. I Brought it to my friend’s house tonight and everyone loved it. A lot of flavor in this dish! Thank you for the recipe!
This was sooo delicious. I Brought it to my friend’s house tonight and everyone loved it. A lot of flavor in this dish! Thank you for the recipe and for writing everything out so clearly!
This looks so good. I just passed up a recipe I was emailed (from a different blog) that included cream of mushroom soup. I did a search for other broccoli recipes. I was happy to see Cookie and Kate pop up.
I can’t remember if I reviewed this in the past, so I’m erring on the side of leaving another review. (I’m getting old!) I have made this several times and it is delicious. In fact, I have always had success with any of your recipes that I have tried. Going to make the corn jalapeño salsa this evening to go with fajitas. Thanks for everything!
I’m glad you loved it so much you need to leave another review, Sus! I appreciate it.
Sooooo good!! I used the quinoa making recipe you suggested as well and added some seasoning salt, parsley, and mushrooms in there too. My quinoa was fluffy, the breadcrumbs (I used the panko ones) were epic with garlic, and the overall end result was delish!! Now that I’ve made it once I will prbly remake with even more veggies and even some vegan proteins. Awesome recipe, thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it, Ratna.
I don’t eat wheat or flour, so modified the recipe to skip the breadcrumbs (and the milk). I sautéed the garlic with butter. Then added the roasted broccoli and cooked quinoa with spices and half the cheese. After I sautéed that for a minute, I added more cheese. It was super good! Very warm and comforting.
The only critical comment I have is that the amount of broccoli didn’t seem to be enough. I only used half the cooked quinoa. I’ll just have to make it again!
This recipe was amazing! I also used bread crumbs, but eye balled it. I added some spices on the broccoli to add for a little kick in the flavour. Great recipe! Easy to make.
I’ve made this dish so many times I don’t even need to read the recipe anymore! Definitely one of my go to week night meals.
Played with the recipe a bit (used cream for one thing, don’t shoot me lol) but this is delicious! Great outline for cheesy quinoa with broccoli.
Made this tonight, as a friend generously gifted me broccoli from her garden. I search recipes for broccoli casserole and this title caught my eye.
I used macadamia nut milk, which worked fine. GF Panko crumbs with butter and garlic. Easy.
I did mix the broccoli into my quinoa pan mixture, blend and then turned into my baking dish.
Thanks for the specific directions-will be making this again!
I made this tonight and it got mixed results, everyone agreed the broccoli / topping part was delicious but the quinoa slab divided the household (even me). I don’t know what I’ve done, I followed the recipe to the letter – almost – and I don’t see anyone else having his problem of a stodgy quinoa. I knew it as soon as I added the milk (and only 1/2 a cup at that, the only change I made). Should I try putting the broccoli in first and maybe 1/2 the quinoa quantity scattered on top to get a more light consistency like in the photos? Hubby had thirds but I’m slightly disappointed – I have perfected cooking quinoa thanks to you but somehow this just missed the mark. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Louise (London)
Hi Louise, I’m sorry to hear that you are disappointed by this one. I’m not sure how you got soggy quinoa if it turned out great when you cooked it, especially using less milk. How did it look once it was cooked? You used a low fat milk as well, I assume?
Thanks so much for your response. Perhaps my oven wasn’t hot enough to evaporate the milk after the 25 minutes.. the top looked (and tasted!) perfect, it was just the lower layers of quinoa that looked like tapioca. Don’t get me wrong, it did taste lovely but the consistency was a bit troubling. I used semi-skim milk, I hope that was low fat enough! Have you tried the recipe without the milk?
Hi Louise, Ovens can vary and impact the results. Was it on the middle rack? This one works best with milk as it otherwise is very dry, not creamy.
Oh my! What a delicious casserole! Thank you Cookie and Kate! I used homemade breadcrumbs that I had on hand already and I substituted plain, unsweetened almond milk, as suggested and it was perfect!
Hey,
Making this now – can you clarify the cheese quantity?
The ingredients state “8 oz (about 2 1/2 cups)”
From my understanding:
8 oz = 1 cup so 2 1/2 cups = 20 oz
In step 5, the directions state to set aside 3/4 cup of cheese, which would be 6 oz. Ok, fine.
So my question is, am I adding 2 oz or 14 oz of cheese in step 5?
Thanks
Hi! Volume of dry vs wet is different, so my recipe for how much cheese you need is accurate. For step 5, you want to set aside 3/4 cup cheese for later and add the remaining cheese to the pot. I hope that helps? You can just measure it out, ounces don’t need to exact.
This is fantastic. THANK YOU! We’re not quinoa fans so I used white rice. Hubby loved it, too, and we devoured the entire dish as dinner last night. It’s a keeper and I am grateful to you!
Can we freeze for leftovers?
Hi Karen, I personally haven’t tried it. But, I believe others have. The bread crumbs will likely get soggy. Let me know how it turns out for you!
After it was all gone I could barely wait to make it again!
I made this last night and it is so easy to make, and it tasted amazing! I think I may put some mustard in the cheese sauce next time instead of chilli flakes.
Thanks! Enjoyed it for dinner and leftovers for lunch. Used extra garlic (2-3 cloves). And it’s tomato harvest season here right now, so I layered some halved cherry tomatoes on top before sprinkling with extra cheese and bread crumbs. Looking forward to trying the Brussels sprout version too.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was the tastiest dish I’ve made in a while. Thank you!
Hi Kate, great recipe. I have a tip for all the people who dont use the cups etc., maybe you could have a built in calculator on your recipes?
Hi Alex! I wish it was just that simple. I haven’t found a plug-in I just love yet. I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
This was great! I used a bit more quinoa (and cheese!) and added some chopped leftover green beans and a can of garbanzo beans for even more protein and fiber. Kids and adults loved it. Thank you!
We loved this. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing this.
Hi there! I love broccoli casserole! Is there a substitute for quinoa? Can it still be made without it? Please let me know. As I was getting ready to make it I notice I dont have quinoa. Thanks so much! Everything looks delicious! Cristiane
Hi Cristiane! I think brown rice could be a good substitute. Let me know if you try it!
Hi Katie! Thanks for your quick reply! Brown rice works! Making it now! Will certainly let you know! Thank you! C
Great to hear!