Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It’s yummy!
Today I want to share a recipe for broccoli and cheese sauce, and I believe you might be as surprised as I was how simple it really is to cook this side dish.
Fresh cooked broccoli drizzled with creamy cheese sauce has long been a favorite of mine. I figured it was about time I shared how just how easy it is to make.
Typically, I steam fresh broccoli florets to enjoy with this sauce, but any way you choose to cook the broccoli will be okay when it’s topped with velvety cheese sauce!
YUM! Here’s how to make broccoli and cheese sauce.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prep The Broccoli
Rinse the broccoli, pat it dry with paper towels and then cut off most of the thick stalk (and discard).
Cut the broccoli into small florets, then place them in a steamer basket over about 2 inches of boiling water in a large saucepan.
Steam the broccoli florets (covered) for about 7-8 minutes or until they become tender. Remove and keep them hot.
TIP: Try to time the broccoli with the time the easy cheese sauce is done, so they are both ready (and hot) at the same time.
Make The Cheese Sauce
Now it’s time to make the simple cheddar cheese sauce which will be poured over the hot cooked broccoli.
Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan.
Once the butter has melted, whisk in 1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Whisk these ingredients together for about 1 minute.
This helps make a “roux”, or a thick paste out of the butter and flour. It also helps to cook the flour because it removes some of the flour “taste” from the roux.
Slowly pour 1 cup of whole milk into the roux, whisking constantly as you add it, to fully combine the milk with the butter and flour mixture.
Cook the mixture (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add The Cheese!
Now it’s time to turn the thickened milk mixture into cheese sauce off of the heat. Add 1 cup of grated SHARP cheddar cheese and ½ teaspoon of salt to the saucepan.
Stir often as the cheese begins to melt. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and has been fully incorporated into the sauce.
The cheese sauce will end up pale-yellow in color and should be a hot, slightly thick but smooth cheese sauce. Take a quick taste and add additional salt to suit your taste (if desired).
Drizzle or pour the hot cheese sauce over the hot, steamed broccoli and serve immediately (while it is still hot).
Serve and enjoy this simple “dressed up” vegetable side dish along with your favorite main dishes, etc. It is so easy make yet tastes quite yummy, too!
My hope is that you will have the chance to make this yummy vegetable dish for yourself and those you love. I trust you’ll enjoy it, too!
Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More Recipes For SAUCES (sweet/savory)?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have many sauce recipes available to choose from (sweet AND savory), including:
- Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Blueberry Dessert Sauce
- Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It's yummy!
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Rinse broccoli, pat it dry, then cut off the thick stalk (and discard). Cut broccoli into small florets. Cook them in a steamer basket over boiling water in a large saucepan (or use another cooking method you prefer). Steam them (covered) for 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp- tender. Remove; keep broccoli hot.
TIP: Try to time the broccoli with when the cheese sauce is ready, so they're both ready at the same time.
Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Once butter has melted, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to fully combine milk with the butter and flour mixture. Cook (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once sauce thickens, remove saucepan from the heat.
Immediately add grated cheese and salt to the saucepan (off the heat). Stir often as cheese melts. Continue stirring until all cheese is melted. Cheese sauce should be pale-yellow in color and a hot, slightly thick but smooth sauce. Take a quick taste; add additional salt to suit your taste, if desired.
Drizzle or pour hot cheese sauce over hot broccoli; serve immediately. Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! 