Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Casserole (with cottage cheese!)

This Broccoli Cheese Casserole is the cozy side dish I can't stop making-ultra creamy (hi, cottage cheese), super easy, and made with frozen broccoli for zero fuss. No heavy mayo or canned, just perfectly tender veg and cheesy goodness topped with crispy golden panko. Delish enough to serve guests and simple enough to make any weeknight!

It's giving grown up comfort food.

Delectably cheesy but not heavy. Wildly flavorful but foolproof to make. A humble accompaniment with a whopping 15g protein per serving. Dreams do come true!

This is an elevated spin on my mom's famous cheesy zucchini casserole. To make it is to love it.

You may have laid mouth on my chicken, broccoli and rice casserole (no soup), which is more main meal status. We all need a comforting, guaranteed-to-be-delish veggie side dish in our back pocket for holiday gatherings and friends, THIS IS IT!

Let's make it

The why behind star ingredients

• I developed this recipe with frozen broccoli because it steams like a dream and no chopping required! You can of course use fresh, just be sure to steam it pre-bake.
• I tested this with cottage cheese for a more nourishing stand-in for mayo and canned soup and it worked SO WELL. Creamy, tangy, salty, and actually good for you! (Don't worry, you can't taste it.)
• Panko is my secret weapon for textural intrigue and let me tell you, a pat of butter or olive oil makes the topping even more delish.
• I actually planned to make this recipe with gruyere for something out of the box, but it's not readily available shredded and that would be rude. I actually didn't test this with freshly grated cheese because TBH pre-grated works great here so why make you work harder! It was clear in testing that cheddar adds the ultimate sharp bite and it works so well with grated parm for multi-dimensional cheesy flavor.
• Most broccoli casseroles don't call for Dijon but trust me, this is another power player for flavor and tang. Don't skip it!

Ok it's so good are we sure it has vegetables?!

Healthier Broccoli Cheese Casserole (with cottage cheese!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph, MS, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dishes
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This Broccoli Cheese Casserole is the cozy side dish I can't stop making-ultra creamy (hi, cottage cheese), super easy, and made with frozen broccoli for zero fuss. No heavy mayo or canned, just perfectly tender veg and cheesy goodness topped with crispy golden panko. Delish enough to serve guests and simple enough to make any weeknight! 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 16oz frozen broccoli florets
• 1 ¼ cups cottage cheese (low fat or full fat)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley*
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or melted butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an 8x8 inch or 2 qt baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
2. Steam broccoli. I do this by placing frozen broccoli into a large glass bowl. Add 2 tbsp water and cover with a large plate. Microwave for 5 minutes. (You can also steam on the stovetop until crisp-tender.) Drain broccoli well and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add cottage cheese, shredded cheese, parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Break any large broccoli florets into smaller pieces then add to the bowl. Stir until well combined.  Pour into casserole dish and use a rubber spatula to smooth it out.
4. To a small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and olive oil/melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over casserole.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden and casserole is bubbly!

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Notes

*I like the pop of fresh flavor parsley brings but no need to run to the store for it if you don't have it.