Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
Party Friendly

Want to prepare ahead of the time? Prep it up, refrigerate and warm it up, easy easy.

This is a favorite for all agers, even children. Follow our instructions and keep it as simple and tasty as restaurants do.

Portions/Servings for Broccoli Cheese Casserole:

This recipe will 50 people as an entree, if you are you are serving other entrees and/or appetizers.

Remember that your guests are going to eat a little over a pound of food per person for dinner.

Read about Party Food Quantities and how to plan the right amounts.

Shopping List for 50 People:

___10 pounds of frozen broccoli spears or 15 pounds of fresh broccoli

___1 - #10 can (the big ones restaurants use) of cheese sauce. Shopping clubs sell this item, but be careful not to get the “nacho cheese”, because it’s usually too spicy. Each #10 cans holds about 106 ounces, so get an equivalent amount if only smaller sizes are available. Cheese Whiz is fine too and available in most grocery stores, it’s just more expensive.

___3 disposable aluminum pans 12¾” x 10” x 2½”

Garnish:

___3 tomatoes

One Day Before the Party:

Put the bags of frozen broccoli spears into the fridge to thaw. If you’ve decided to use fresh broccoli, it can be washed and cut into spears the day before. Keep refrigerated.


On the Day of the Party:

Warm up the cheese sauce over, not in, boiling water. Do this with a double boiler, or you can surround the open jar or can of cheese sauce with boiling water. It will take quite a while for the sauce to warm up completely, but you do not risk burning it by warming it this way. Stir frequently and keep it covered with film while it’s heating.

Lay out the aluminum pans and spray each generously with vegetable oil spray – bottom and sides. Set aside.

Boil a gallon of water in a large pot. Add a tablespoon of salt and the frozen broccoli spears. Make sure that the water covers to broccoli. You can do a few batches if your pan’s not big enough to hold all of it one time.

Cook the broccoli spears in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Remove them from the hot water and equally divide the broccoli spears into the pans. If you used fresh broccoli, it will take a few more minutes to cook.

TIP: Careful not to overcook the broccoli, no matter which kind you use.

Equally divide the cheese sauce into the pans, cover with film and keep warm. Use a chafing dish, or reduce your oven heat to 175^f and keep the pans tightly covered.

NOTE: You can prepare this all ahead of time, following the instructions above and then warming it up in chafing dishes.

Place the Broccoli with Cheese Sauce into the chafing dish. Here's all about Chafing Dishes and Food Warmers

Garnish:

Garnish the Broccoli with Cheese Sauce with some decoratively cut tomato.

The Broccoli with Cheese Sauce freezes nicely. Wrap the leftovers in the original aluminum pan tightly with film and freeze for later use.

Questions about this dinner recipe? Need an idea for your party? Use the form below to ask us about quantities, substitutions, whatever. We're here to help. Ask a Caterer is free:

Take Me Home to Party Recipes and Ideas!