Up your dinnertime side dish game in 10 minutes with this easy Broccoli Cheese Sauce Recipe! We are talking about an ultra smooth and creamy, cheese-lovers heaven. We like to serve it over steamed broccoli florets but this cheesy delight is delicious served over baked potatoes as well.
Around here, we believe practically everything is better with cheese! As a result, we have several other tasty options to offer you. Try our Shells and Cheese, Cheesy Scrambled Eggs, or Cheese Enchiladas next time the cravings hit.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE SAUCE FOR BROCCOLI
The first thing you'll do to whip up a Broccoli Cheese Sauce from scratch is bring together a roux. If you aren't familiar with a roux, it is a mixture of butter and flour that is used as a thickener in countless sauce recipes.
To begin your roux, add butter to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, watching closely to make sure it doesn't brown. As soon as your butter has melted, you'll add in your flour and whisk to combine.
Note, if you'd like to make this recipe gluten-free, simply sub in gluten-free flour, and voilà!
Whisk butter and flour together for about one minute and then it's time to add some dairy.
The first form of dairy we will add to our Broccoli Cheese Sauce is heavy whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream has a lot of fat, making its molecular structure less likely to buckle, break, and separate under heat. This, in turn, makes it the ideal base for your sauce and is the reason this Cheese Sauce is pretty much foolproof.
To create the smoothest possible homemade Cheese Sauce, you want to add in your heavy whipping cream just one big splash at a time, likely in about three separate additions. Make sure after each addition you whisk until the mixture is completely smooth before adding the next splash in.
Once all of your cream is mixed in, you can slowly drizzle in all of the whole milk, whisking all the while. You might be wondering at this point if you can make substitutions as far as the dairy goes, but it really is best to stick to the recipe precisely. The fat content in both the heavy whipping cream and the whole milk makes the sauce less likely to break, keeping it smooth and creamy.
Once you've got all of your milk mixed in, allow the mixture to slowly come to a simmer and reduce to medium-low heat or low as necessary to maintain the simmer, whisking ever so often. Allow the mixture to simmer for about five minutes or until it has slightly thickened.
You can tell if your Broccoli Cheese Sauce is ready by dipping a wooden spoon into the sauce, allowing it to cool slightly, and running your finger down the middle of the spoon. If the line left by your finger does not fill in, your cheese sauce is ready for the cheese.
Once your sauce has reached the perfect consistency, remove the pan from the heat and ready the cheese. For this recipe we'll be using a mixture of both cheddar cheese and American cheese. A mild cheddar will melt and mix in much smoother than a sharp cheddar, so keep that in mind, although really either could be used.
Freshly grated cheese will make a huge difference in flavor and texture and is highly recommended over pre-shredded cheddar cheese for this recipe. On the flip side, as far as American cheese goes, feel free to use individually wrapped cheese slices. You will need 4 slices of American cheese for this recipe.
Add the cheeses to the saucepan and whisk until it looks smooth and completely mixed in. Next, you'll add in the seasoning: hot sauce, kosher salt, and dry mustard. The hot sauce will not make your cheese sauce spicy, but it will give it the perfect little zip and adds great color to the sauce.
HOW TO COOK PERFECT BROCCOLI
Depending on whether or not you're already a broccoli connoisseur, you may be in need of broccoli cooking instructions. Our favorite way to cook broccoli is on the stovetop with a saucepan and a steamer basket. This cooking method allows the broccoli to cook quickly while keeping the flavor intact, and the best part -- it's real easy.
You'll want to have two broccoli crowns on hand. To trim the broccoli, turn the crown upside down on a work surface and use a paring knife to remove the florets from the stalk. Then, cut any large florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
Once you have your broccoli prepped, prepare your steamer basket. Fill the pan with about ¾" of water or just enough so the steamer basket will sit directly above the waterline without touching. Then, add the broccoli and place the lid on the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, or just until your broccoli is tender to your liking.
If you love this combo as much as we do, be sure to check out our Broccoli Cheese Soup next.
Then, season your broccoli with salt and pepper, top with your amazing Broccoli Cheese Sauce, serve, and enjoy!
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This rich and creamy Cheese Sauce is the perfect way to add a little pizzazz to broccoli or baked potatoes!
- 2 broccoli crowns or 1 (16-ounce) package of frozen broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
- 4 slices American cheese (such as Kraft Singles)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
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If using fresh broccoli, trim the crowns into florets/bite-sized pieces. Place a steamer basket into a saucepan or pot filled with water by about ¾". The water level should sit just below the bottom of the steamer basket.
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Add the broccoli to the steamer basket, and place the lid on the saucepan. Place over medium heat and steam for about 10 minutes or until tender to your liking. If using frozen broccoli, cook according to package directions.
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In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sprinkle over the flour. Whisk together and allow to cook for 2 minutes, taking care not to let it brown. Slowly, add the cream a splash at time, whisking until smooth after each addition until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. Then, slowly whisk in the milk.
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Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until completely melted. Next, add the American cheese and stir until melted.
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Add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour cheese sauce over broccoli and enjoy!
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