Velveeta Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers combines creamy cheese sauce and tender broccoli with a crunchy ritz cracker topping. This is one of those recipes that works for a weeknight side or for special holiday dinners.
I love making filling delicious meals for my family. These two are very popular in my house: easy ravioli bake and my cowboy casserole. Your family will love them.
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Why this Velveeta Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Recipe is a Keeper
I love this recipe for broccoli cheese casserole because it’s a quick, easy and incredibly delicious side dish. It’s a great recipe to add to a go-to dinner recipe stash.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: It hits all the notes of classic comfort food: warm, creamy, cheesy, and satisfying. The smooth, melty Velveeta cheese sauce is rich and coats the broccoli perfectly.
- Crowd-Pleasing Cheese Flavor: The combination of mild, creamy cheese, tender broccoli, and the salty, buttery crunch of Ritz crackers is generally loved by both adults and kids. It’s often a safe bet for picky eaters.
- Simple & Easy Enough to Make: Casseroles like this are typically straightforward. You cook the broccoli (no need to thaw), make a simple cheese sauce, combine, top, and bake. That is why the recipe works.
- Great Texture Combination: You get the smooth, velvety sauce, the soft bite of the broccoli, and the essential crispy, crumbly texture from the buttery Ritz cracker topping. This contrast is very appealing in this southern recipe.
- Perfect for Potlucks & Gatherings: It travels well and can often be made ahead (assembled and baked later, or fully baked and reheated). It’s a classic side dish that feeds a group and reliably disappears at potlucks, holiday meals (like Thanksgiving or Easter), and family dinners.
- Nostalgia Factor: For many, this type of casserole is a taste of childhood or reminds them of family traditions and gatherings. It evokes a sense of warmth and familiarity.
- Versatility: While delicious as is, it can often be adapted (e.g., adding chicken to make it a main dish, throwing in some bacon bits, using different cracker types). But the core recipe itself is a solid foundation.
How Do I Prevent the Broccoli from Getting Too Mushy?
If you find that your broccoli got a little mushy after baking the recipe, it may be because it cooked for too long. Next time, feel free to under cook the broccoli before adding it to the casserole, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
Pro Tip for Ritz Cracker Topping
Before you pour the melted butter over your crushed Ritz crackers, try sautéing some aromatics in the butter. Finely minced garlic or shallots cooked in the butter for a minute or two will lend a subtle but delicious savory depth to the topping. You could also add a pinch of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary to the melting butter for an extra layer of flavor
Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions for the Side Dish
The best broccoli casserole is made with just a few simple ingredients. They can all be found in the kitchen, at the store or can be substituted.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Broccoli: For this recipe I’m using frozen chopped broccoli but you can also use fresh broccoli florets if you don’t have any frozen broccoli.
- Vegetables: Cauliflower, mushrooms and peppers can be added.
- Cheese: I’m using Velveeta, but you can use other real cheese such as sharp cheddar if you’d like.
- Cracker Crumbs: Ritz crackers are great in this recipe, buy you can really use any kind of cracker you like. Add crackers to a bag and crush to minimize mess.
- Protein: Add protein to this broccoli and cheese casserole to make it more filling.
- Cooked Chicken: Shredded or cubed rotisserie works great in this Velveeta casserole dish.
- Bacon: Crumbled bacon or pancetta for saltiness and crunch.
- Ham: Diced leftover ham is perfect, especially around the holidays.
- Ground Beef or Turkey: Add ground meat for a full meal broccoli casserole recipe.
How to Make Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers
This broccoli rice casserole recipe comes together in 3 quick and easy steps. This vegetable dish is so good, I make it as one of my Thanksgiving side dishes.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Cook Broccoli: Preheat the oven and cook the chopped broccoli in a large pot according to package directions. Drain liquid and transfer to a square baking dish. Sprinkle with All Purpose Seasoning.
- Add Butter and Cheese: Cut 4 tablespoons of butter in cubes. Evenly disperse cubed butter and cheese over the broccoli.
- Make Cracker Topping and Bake: Melt remaining butter and mix in crushed crackers. Cover broccoli mixture with cracker topping and bake until cheese is hot and bubbly and top is golden brown.
Make Ahead Suggestions
Make this vegetable side dish recipe ahead of time so that you can just toss it in the oven when you get home from work.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble and bake this broccoli cheddar casserole recipe the day before, and then reheat it right before serving.
- Assemble Ahead: Prepare the broccoli casserole with Velveeta and ritz a day in advance, store it in the refrigerator, and then bake the ritz cracker recipes when you’re ready.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store any leftover broccoli Velveeta ritz cracker casserole in an airtight container. Broccoli cheese casserole with Velveeta cheese keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat the broccoli cheese mixture in the microwave. Crush the crackers and add more to the top of the casserole if they have become soggy.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy any leftovers with Crock Pot Roasted Chicken.
FAQS and Reader Interactions About This Recipe
In addition to using Velveeta cheese and Ritz crackers, you can use a different type of cheese, veggies, protein or rice.
Be sure to drain the broccoli well before you add the broccoli to the dish. Any extra water added may make your broccoli casserole with Velveeta cheese soggy.
Feel free to add any remaining cracker crumbs to the top to make sure the cheesy broccoli ritz casserole is nice and crunchy.
If needed, you can melt the process cheese with a little heavy cream before adding to make sure it’s nice and smooth.
Expert Tips for Making Ritz Crackers Broccoli Casserole This Recipe
- Add Vegetables: Add other vegetables to the broccoli florets such as onions, fresh garlic or mushrooms.
- Fresh Broccoli: Cook the fresh broccoli until tender and follow the recipe. Drain broccoli.
- Variation Tip: Top the broccoli mixture with freshly grated cheddar cheese and then ritz cracker mixture for more cheesy goodness.
- Dietary Consideration Tip: Use a low fat cheese or a low fat cracker for this tender broccoli recipe.
- seasoning: Add some extra flavor with seasonings like onion powder or a little salt and pepper.
- Serve this Recipe With: Serve with Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe with Prosciutto or French’s Green Bean Casserole.
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Cheesy Broccoli Casserole with Ritz Crackers
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Equipment
- 9×9 Baking Dish
- Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
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Ingredients
- 20 ounces Broccoli, frozen, chopped
- 8 teaspoons Butter, divided
- 8 ounces Velveeta Cheese, cubed
- 12 Ritz crackers, crushed
- 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the broccoli according to the package directions until tender.
- Drain the broccoli through a colander and transfer it to a 9×9 baking dish.
- Sprinkle the All Purpose Seasoning evenly over the broccoli in the baking dish.
- Cut 4 tablespoons of the butter into cubes.
- Scatter the cubed butter and the cubed Velveeta evenly over the seasoned broccoli in the baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, until fully melted.
- Combine the crushed Ritz crackers and the melted butter in a mixing bowl and stir until the crackers are evenly coated.
- Spread the cracker mixture evenly over the broccoli and cheese in the baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly around the edges.
Christina’s Notes
- Drain well: Press the cooked broccoli in the colander to get rid of excess water before adding it to the baking dish — this keeps the casserole from getting watery.
- Small cubes matter: Cut the Velveeta into small, even cubes so it melts uniformly across the whole dish.
- Fresh topping only: If you’re making this ahead, wait to add the cracker topping until right before baking so it stays crisp.
- Check early: Start peeking at the casserole around the 25-minute mark so the topping doesn’t overbrown.
- Store smart: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days and reheat in the oven at 325°F to bring the topping back to life.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Very good recipe! Have made this for years, many different ways with similar outcome and love the simplicity of this recipe. Delish, quick and easy… ticks all my boxes 🙂 Thanks!
Made this for my grandchildren they loved this recipe.
We had this broccoli casserole last weekend for our family gathering, it was a crowd favorite! They can’t get over its incredible flavor. Such a great recipe, I’ll surely have this again.
My whole family loved this broccoli casserole! The buttery crackers and cheese combined with the broccoli so nicely. I couldn’t believe it when my kids asked for seconds!
Those wonderful buttery crackers really made this recipe! Wonderful combo of flavors & textures – thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe! I made this the other day and it turned out fantastic! So happy to find a broccoli casserole without a ‘cream of soup’ that is this good! I followed your hints as well by adding some extra veggies that I had left over in the fridge so this was a lifesaver as to not waste extra food.
Wonderful work!
Thanks
Love this recipe. My kids and grands actually request it for any big family meal
This is LITERALLY the same recipe my buddy’s mom has made us every Thanksgiving from children to adults and to this day I still make it her way! So glad I saw this.
TO ANYONE CURIOUS:
THIS IS ACTUALLY DELICIOUS!
So glad you enjoy it!
can’t rate yet. going to put tuna in the casserole. Will let you know.
I have been looking for my Moms recipe & I can’t find it . When I seen yours , I just had to try it . Well, well, well , it was totally
delicious & it tasted like my Moms , for sure. Thanks for sharing ….AWESOME !
👍👍👍👍👍
This broccoli casserole was a hit! Glas everyone in the fam loves it. So tasty and flavorful!
Mine love it too!
This recipe looks yummy! I’ll have to come visit again and keep up with your great recipes!
Oh, I’m so glad I stopped by. This looks great; something my two little girls would devour! I’ll definitely be making this soon.
Thanks,
Michele @ sweetluvininthekitchen.blogspot.com
Thanks for linking up to Tip Day Thursday at Around My Family Table. Would you mind including a link back to my site in your post. Thanks and feel free to link up anytime!
Wendy