Cracked Out Broccoli Casserole

Cracked out Broccoli Casserole – hands down the BEST broccoli casserole! Even our broccoli haters love this casserole. Broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, bacon, cheddar cheese, and french fried onions. Can assemble ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. This is always a hit at our dinner table.

scooping broccoli from casserole dish with text overlay

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Broccoli Casserole with Cheddar, Bacon & Ranch

This Cracked Out Broccoli Casserole is our favorite broccoli casserole. Broccoli baked in cheddar, bacon, and ranch? Um, yes, please!  PLUS it is ready to eat in about 30 minutes. We love quick and easy side dish recipes like this. Perfect for busy weeknight meals.

What does CRACK mean?

If a recipe has “crack” in the title it means that the recipe has cheddar, bacon, and ranch in the ingredients. It all started with my Crack Dip way back in 2007. I made the dip for a Titans football game. Everyone went crazy over it. We couldn’t stop eating it and said it was like crack. The name stuck. 

According to the dictionary, the definition of crack is “of superior excellence or ability”. We think the flavor combination of cheddar, bacon, and ranch fits this definition! This cheesy broccoli casserole is most definitely of superior excellence! One taste and you will surely agree.

baking dish of cheesy broccoli casserole

How to Make Cracked Out Broccoli Casserole

This recipe is super easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. Chop fresh broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, whisk together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and ranch seasoning. Stir in broccoli, cooked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and french fried onions. Transfer mixture to a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake until warm and bubbly. Sprinkle casserole with more shredded cheese and french fried onions. Bake an additional 5 or 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • I use fresh broccoli florets, but you could also use frozen broccoli florets. 
    • If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain before adding it to the casserole.
  • If you are sensitive to ranch seasoning mix, adjust the amount to your personal preference.
  • Here is our recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix made with buttermilk powder, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, dill, salt, and black pepper: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-ranch-dressing-mix
  • Don’t like fried onions? You can substitute a quick cracker topping made with crushed ritz crackers and melted butter.
  • Can use any flavor of condensed cream of soup that you prefer. Cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, or cream of celery soup all work great.
  • Can Broccoli Casserole be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cover the baking dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
  • Can Broccoli Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
    • When ready to bake, thaw and bake as directed.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    • Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
scooping broccoli from casserole dish

What to Serve with Broccoli

This casserole is great for a quick weeknight meal. It also makes a great addition to your holiday menu. We make this for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with roasted turkey. I never have any leftovers. Give this recipe a try ASAP. You won’t be disappointed!

Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this broccoli cheese casserole recipe:

No Peek Pork Chops & Rice

No-Peek Pork Chops and Rice – super easy dinner recipe! Pork chops, seasoned pepper, rice, cream of chicken soup, cream…

scooping broccoli from casserole dish with text overlay

Cracked Out Broccoli Casserole

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Cracked out Broccoli Casserole – hands down the BEST broccoli casserole! Even our broccoli haters love this casserole. Broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, bacon, cheddar cheese, and french fried onions. Can assemble ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. This is always a hit at our dinner table.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Combine chopped broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, chopped bacon, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and ½ of the French fried onions.
  • Spread broccoli mixture into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Notes:

  • I use fresh broccoli florets, but you could also use frozen broccoli florets.
    • If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain before adding it to the casserole.
  • If you are sensitive to ranch seasoning mix, adjust the amount to your personal preference.
  • Here is our recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix made with buttermilk powder, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, dill, salt, and black pepper: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-ranch-dressing-mix
  • Don’t like fried onions? You can substitute a quick cracker topping made with crushed ritz crackers and melted butter.
  • Can use any flavor of condensed cream of soup that you prefer. Cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, or cream of celery soup all work great.
    • I suggest using Unsalted Cream of Mushroom Soup in this dish to control the sodium.
  • Can Broccoli Casserole be made in advance? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cover the baking dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
  • Can Broccoli Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
    • When ready to bake, thaw and bake as directed.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    • Reheat leftovers in the microwave.

Steph

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Pin This Recipe
baking dish of cheesy broccoli casserole with text overlay

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Comments

  1. Can frozen broccoli be used in place of fresh, and, if so, what size package/s? I realize it would probably need to be thawed and drained well. Thanks

  2. I made this side dish to take to a Christmas celebration. It was so good! I love the flavor of the broccoli and the bacon and the friend onions. It was so amazing and a great new way to eat broccoli! The kids even ate what was on their plates and said it was SO Good! Give this one a try, it’s great for potlucks or easy side dish during the week. Loved it, thank you Steph!

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