Southern Broccoli Casserole

By Susan52

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets and stems diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 strips bacon, diced (omit bacon and start the recipe with 1 tablespoon of butter to make this a vegetarian dish)
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 4 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, halved and sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2/3 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5 ounces (1 1/4 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2-1 cup crushed butter (Ritz or Townhouse) crackers

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 15mins
Adapted from chattavore.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam the broccoli in a large pot to desired tenderness and set aside.

Cook the bacon until almost crisp in a 9-10 inch skillet (if you have an oven-proof skillet you can use it to bake the casserole as well). Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender.

Make the roux: add the butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for about a minute then slowly add the milk or half and half, stirring constantly to incorporate. Cook until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the broccoli, mushroom roux, mayonnaise, egg, and 4 ounces (1 cup) of the cheese in a large bowl. Adjust seasonings then pour back into skillet or into an 8-inch baking dish or 9-inch Pyrex pie pan.

Sprinkle the cracker crumbs and the remaining cheese over the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes and serve while hot.