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Fresh broccoli casserole without soup has 4 ingredients (broccoli, Ritz, butter and cheese) and is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.
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5 from 3 votes

Fresh Broccoli Casserole with 4 Ingredients - A Simple Broccoli Casserole Without Soup

Are you looking for the best ever broccoli casserole recipe?  This fresh broccoli casserole with 4 ingredients is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.  Fresh broccoli, butter, Ritz crackers and American cheese combine for a family-pleasing side dish.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Casserole, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli casserole, broccoli casserole with ritz crackers, broccoli casserole without soup, cheesy broccoli casserole, fresh broccoli casserole, simple broccoli casserole
Servings: 8
Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 4-6 cups fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 pound velveeta or cheese melt
  • 1 sleeve butter crackers (Ritz)

Instructions

  • Steam broccoli until just barely fork tender (do not over cook); drain.
    Fresh broccoli casserole without soup has 4 ingredients (broccoli, Ritz, butter and cheese) and is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.
  • Return drained broccoli to the warm pan; add 2 Tablespoons butter and Velveeta. Cover with the lid but do not turn heat back on. The warmth of the pan will soften the cheese and butter. After 5 minutes, remove lid and stir until melted and blended.
    Fresh broccoli casserole without soup has 4 ingredients (broccoli, Ritz, butter and cheese) and is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.
  • Pour into a greased 2 quart or 9x9 inch baking dish.
  • Cover with crushed butter crackers.
  • Melt remaining 6 Tablespoons of butter. Pour over buttered crackers on casserole.
    Fresh broccoli casserole without soup has 4 ingredients (broccoli, Ritz, butter and cheese) and is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.
    Fresh broccoli casserole without soup has 4 ingredients (broccoli, Ritz, butter and cheese) and is cheesy, buttery, crunchy and perfect.

Notes

  • Love broccoli casserole? Try this Old Fashioned Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole.
  • This recipe for cheesy broccoli casserole involves a 2 step cooking process; first you steam the broccoli, and later on you bake in the oven. For that reason, I recommend steaming the broccoli until barely tender in the first step. This will prevent your broccoli from becoming too mushy later on.
  • Fresh broccoli casserole recipe obviously calls for fresh broccoli, but if you could go ahead and sub in frozen broccoli.  Cook according to package instructions, and drain well.
  • Cheesy broccoli casserole calls for American cheese in the original recipe. I always use Velveeta or generic cheese melt when a recipe calls for American cheese.
  • This recipe calls for 1/4 pound American cheese.  Most blocks of Velveeta or cheese melt are 2 pounds.  To measure out 1/4 pound, do as follows:
    • With a knife, cut the block into half. Each half would be 1 pound.
    • Take one half, and cut in half again.  Each piece is 1/2 pound. This is what the recipe calls for.