This recipe for Broccoli with Cheese Sauce is creamy, comforting, and so yummy! Use frozen broccoli to make it even easier, and it’s a snap to make any time.
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
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This Broccoli with Cheese Sauce is one of those “special” dishes… It is family tradition to have every Thanksgiving, but no one ever thinks to make it any other time of the year!
Really, there is nothing very “special” about it, you can make it any time you want! The cheese sauce takes a little bit of time to make, but it is so very worth it. If you have made this Classic Homemade Macaroni & Cheese, then you already know how to make the homemade cheese sauce!
I used frozen broccoli in this recipe. I love frozen veggies, because you can find anything you want (no matter the season), and you know that is will be at the perfect stage of freshness and ripeness when you get it home. You can also use fresh broccoli in this recipe, you just may have to cook it a little longer to get your broccoli done.
Two big tips before you get started:
- To make this cheese sauce, you start by melting butter and making a paste with flour, pepper, and paprika. Then you add the milk and Velveeta. Measure all your spices and milk out, and cube the cheese before you get started. (I like small bowls like this to hold everything.) The sauce happens pretty fast, and you want to be ready.
- I like a flat whisk like this one to make the paste. This makes it much easier to mix your flour and seasonings into the melted butter, and then to get the paste combined with the milk.
This cheesy broccoli is a great side dish for any meal – try it with a Roast Turkey or Honey Mustard Baked Ham for your next big holiday celebration. Make it with this T-Bone Steak with Compound Butter for a fancy-feeling dinner in. Or have it along side this Basic Grilled Chicken for an easy weeknight meal.
Enjoy!
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Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2-14 ounce bags frozen broccoli florets thawed and drained
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 6 ounces Velveeta cubed
Instructions
- Place thawed and drained broccoli in a 9x9 baking pan.
- Prepare all sauce ingredients before starting the sauce.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Using a flat whisk, whisk in flour, pepper, and paprika to form a thick paste.
- Add milk to flour and butter mixture, whisking as you add the milk. Continue to whisk until the paste has dissolved and the milk mixture is smooth.
- Heat, uncovered, until milk is warm.
- Add half the cubed Velveeta cheese to the hot milk. Stir frequently until the cheese begins to melt. Add the rest of the cheese and stir frequently.
- When all cheese is melted and the sauce is hot, pour cheese sauce over broccoli. Gently toss broccoli to coat.
- Cover baking pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees until the broccoli is hot, about 40 minutes. (Cheese sauce will thicken on standing.)
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I have a huge weakness for broccoli with cheese sauce. I love the flexibility of yours to use fresh or frozen broccoli. Sharing on Desserts Required’s FB page manana. <3