Golden baked casserole vegetables cheese (Printable Version)

Golden baked casserole featuring tender vegetables, creamy cheese sauce, and a crisp breadcrumb topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups broccoli florets
02 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
03 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, diced

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Topping

12 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
13 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
02 - In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in whole milk, stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and incorporate grated cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg until smooth.
05 - Mix the blanched vegetables into the cheese sauce, then transfer the combined mixture into the prepared baking dish.
06 - In a small bowl, combine fresh breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Sprinkle evenly over the vegetable and sauce mixture in the baking dish.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.
08 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner doesn't have to be stressful.
  • The creamy cheese sauce is pure comfort, but the crispy topping gives you that textural contrast that keeps things interesting.
  • You can swap vegetables based on what's in your crisper drawer, so it's endlessly flexible.
02 -
  • The blanching step is not optional if you want vegetables that are tender but not mushy. Skipping it or over-blanching is the most common reason a casserole turns disappointing.
  • Whisking the milk in gradually prevents lumps better than any amount of whisking once it's all in the pan, so go slow and be patient with this step.
03 -
  • Make the sauce and blanch the vegetables ahead of time, then assemble and bake when you're ready, turning this into an easy make-ahead dinner.
  • If your breadcrumb topping isn't browning enough by the time the casserole finishes, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.

Return