Spare Spoons Kitchen
Aunt Betty’s Comfort Kitchen · Vegetables

Broccoli Casserole

A layered, no-fuss broccoli bake bound in cream-of-chicken soup, with sliced water chestnuts for crunch and a buttery crumb top. Everything goes in raw — no pre-cooking.

10 min prep 30 min bake
Effort ●○○○ Time ●●○○ Anytime
Servingsamounts scale to match
6
Units

Ingredients

Thaw and dry the broccoli first. Frozen broccoli carries a lot of water, and a soup-bound casserole has nowhere for it to go — thaw it and pat it dry, or the dish turns watery. The water chestnuts are what keep it from going soft, so don't skip them.

Easier, if you like

  • Crushed Ritz or cracker crumbs make an even richer topping than bread crumbs.
  • Fresh broccoli? Steam or blanch it about 3 minutes and drain well before layering.

Method

    Cook's notes

    Water chestnuts make it. They stay crisp through the bake and keep the casserole from turning into one soft texture — worth keeping a can on hand.

    Drain well at every step: dry broccoli, drained water chestnuts. That's the difference between creamy and soupy.

    A holiday-plate regular — it sits happily next to the turkey and stuffing.

    Sharp cheddar gives the most flavor, but any melting cheese works.

    Vegetarian and gluten-free with a soup swap

    Vegetarian: use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken.

    Gluten-free: use a gluten-free condensed soup and gluten-free crumbs (crushed GF crackers or cornflakes).