Southern Broccoli Casserole with crispy bacon, cheese, onion, and topped with toasted cheese crackers is the best broccoli casserole we’ve ever had! Your family will love this one!
My friend, Janis, gave me this broccoli casserole recipe back in 1990 and I’ve been making it the exact same way ever since. It is so good and it’s super easy to make!
And, this broccoli casserole is a great make ahead dish for Thanksgiving, a dinner party, or a church potluck.
Like Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole, this is one of those throw everything in a bowl, mix and bake recipes, which is why it’s so easy. You do have to cook the bacon first, and you can substitute a homemade cream sauce instead of the canned soup if you prefer.
We Southerners do love our easy casseroles! In addition to this Southern Broccoli Casserole, we also feature Easy Chicken Pie, Southern Cornbread Dressing, Southern Squash Casserole, and Chicken Spaghetti Casserole.
We also love this slow-cooker broccoli, for those days when you need to be hands-off and let your crock pot do all the work.
Tools needed
- Casserole dish – I love to use white dishes like this one because then your table settings can be any color.
- Mixing bowl – this one is the perfect size and inexpensive.
- Wooden spoons – can you ever have enough?
How to make Southern broccoli casserole
- Cook bacon until crispy.
- Mix everything except crackers in a large bowl, then scoop into a lightly greased baking dish.
- Top with crumbled cheese crackers and bake about 45 minutes.
Tips
You can mix up this easy broccoli casserole the day before you need to bake it and add the cheese crackers to the top right before baking.
You can also freeze the baked broccoli casserole for up to 3 months.
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Southern Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 2 10- oz. packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 ½ cups grated Cheddar cheese
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup or 1 cup cream sauce
- 1 4- oz. sliced water chestnuts, rinsed, drained and chopped in half
- 1 10- oz. jar sliced mushrooms, rinsed, drained and chopped smaller
- 12 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- ½ cup chopped onion
- Crushed cheese crackers, (enough to generously cover the top of dish)
Cream Sauce (in lieu of cream of mushroom soup)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Casserole
- Combine all ingredients except cheese crackers in a large bowl and mix well. Scoop into greased 2-3 quart casserole dish.
- Top with crumbled cheese crackers.
- Bake uncovered at 375 for about 45 minutes or until set and top is slightly browned.
- Cream SauceMelt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and continue whisking until smooth and bubbly. Slowly whisk in cream, salt, and pepper, and continue whisking. Bring to a gently boil and then reduce to simmer, whisking until thickened.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published November 6, 2013, and on May 9, 2020, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
Looking for more casserole recipes? Try this Easy Corn Casserole. It’s the perfect side for any cookout or roasted meat.
