Broccoli Cheese recipe

 How to prepare

🥦🧀 Broccoli Cheese — Detailed Recipe

This is a creamy, cheesy baked broccoli dish with tender broccoli, a rich cheese sauce, and a golden melted-cheese topping.

Serves: 3–4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes
Total time: 40–45 minutes

🛒 Ingredients

For the broccoli

• 500 g fresh broccoli
• 1 litre water
• 1 tsp salt

For the cheese sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1½ cups milk, preferably warm
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder, optional
• ¼ tsp chili flakes, optional
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste

For the topping

• ½ cup grated mozzarella or cheddar
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs, optional
• 1 tsp butter, optional

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👩‍🍳 Step 1: Prepare the broccoli

1. Wash the broccoli thoroughly.
2. Cut it into medium-sized florets.
3. Bring about 1 litre of water to a boil.
4. Add 1 tsp salt.
5. Add the broccoli and blanch for 2–3 minutes.
6. Drain immediately.
7. Rinse with cold water or place the broccoli in cold water for a minute.
8. Drain very well.

Important: Don't overcook the broccoli at this stage. It will cook again in the oven.

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🧀 Step 2: Make the cheese sauce

1. Place a saucepan over low-medium heat.
2. Add 2 tbsp butter.
3. Once melted, add 2 tbsp flour.
4. Whisk continuously for about 1 minute.

The flour should cook but should not turn brown.

5. Slowly add the warm milk while whisking continuously.
6. Keep stirring to prevent lumps.
7. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the sauce becomes slightly thick.

Add the seasoning

Add:

• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• Salt to taste

Mix well.

Add the cheese

Reduce the heat to low.

Add the cheddar gradually and stir until melted.

Then add the mozzarella and mix until smooth.

Don't boil the sauce after adding the cheese, as excessive heat can make the cheese sauce oily or grainy.

The finished sauce should be smooth, creamy and pourable.

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🥦 Step 3: Combine broccoli and cheese sauce

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
2. Lightly grease a baking dish with butter.
3. Arrange the blanched broccoli in the dish.
4. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the broccoli.
5. Gently mix or leave it layered, depending on your preference.

Make sure most of the broccoli is coated with sauce.

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🧀 Step 4: Add the topping

Sprinkle ½ cup grated mozzarella or cheddar evenly over the top.

For a crispy topping, add:

• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• A few tiny pieces of butter

The breadcrumbs are optional but give the dish a lovely crunchy surface.

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🔥 Step 5: Bake

Place the dish in the preheated oven.

Bake at 200°C for approximately 15–20 minutes, until:

• The cheese is completely melted.
• The sauce is bubbling around the edges.
• The top becomes golden brown.

For a darker, more golden top, switch to grill/broil mode for 1–3 minutes at the end.

Watch carefully because cheese can burn quickly.

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🍽️ Step 6: Rest and serve

Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

This allows the cheese sauce to thicken slightly.

Serve hot.

🌟 Optional additions

Garlic broccoli cheese

Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves to the butter before adding the flour.

Spicy version

Add:

• ½–1 tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 finely chopped green chili

Creamier version

Replace ¼ cup of the milk with fresh cream.

Broccoli & corn cheese

Add ½ cup boiled sweet corn along with the broccoli.

Broccoli & paneer cheese

Add 100–150 g paneer cubes for a more filling meal.

Broccoli cheese pasta

Add 2 cups cooked pasta to the broccoli and cheese sauce before baking. This turns it into a delicious baked broccoli-cheese pasta.

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💡 Tips for the best broccoli cheese

• Don't overboil broccoli: It should remain slightly firm.
• Drain broccoli properly: Excess water can make the casserole watery.
• Use freshly grated cheese: It generally melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
• Keep the cheese sauce on low heat: High heat can cause the cheese to separate.
• Season the sauce before adding cheese: Cheese already contains salt, so add salt gradually.
• For extra crispiness: Add breadcrumbs and grill for the final 1–2 minutes.

🥄 Quick measurements

Ingredient	Quantity
Broccoli	500 g
Butter	2 tbsp
Maida	2 tbsp
Milk	1½ cups
Cheddar	1 cup
Mozzarella	½–1 cup
Black pepper	½ tsp
Salt	To taste
Breadcrumbs	1 tbsp, optional