Broccoli Cheese Bake
PREP
10 mins
COOK
1 hr 10 mins
SERVES
8
DIFFICULTY
Medium
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This Broccoli Cheese Bake is elevated beyond the usual steamed vegetable with sauce. Roasting the broccoli first gives it lightly charred edges and richer flavour, which stands up perfectly to a silky bechamel made with a proper roux and finished with sharp cheddar and nutty gruyère. The whole dish is baked until the top is deeply golden and bubbling.
The bechamel here is prepared the classic way: butter and flour cooked together to form a roux, then milk whisked in gradually to keep the sauce smooth. This technique prevents lumps and creates a velvety base for the cheese to melt into.
Serve this bake as a rich side to roast meats or as a satisfying main with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Broccoli Cheese Bake
Side · Vegetarian · Medium
Charred broccoli, a proper bechamel, and a golden cheesy top
Roasting the broccoli adds a smoky, caramelised note and keeps the florets firmer than steaming or boiling, so they won’t collapse under the sauce. The contrast between tender florets and crisp, browned edges is one of the reasons this bake stands out.
The bechamel is made with a cooked roux, which removes the raw flour taste, then milk is added slowly to create a smooth, thick sauce. Finally, cheddar and gruyère are folded in for depth and a true baked crust when finished in the oven.
A generous layer of extra cheddar on top melts and browns to create a crunchy, flavourful surface—perfect for serving immediately while the sauce is still creamy beneath.
Broccoli Cheese Bake
Ingredients
Broccoli
- 15 ml Olive Oil
- 950 g Broccoli, trimmed
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Bechamel Sauce
- 100 g Unsalted Butter, cubed
- 50 g Plain Flour (all-purpose)
- 880 ml Full Fat Milk
- 120 g Cheddar Cheese, grated
- 80 g Gruyère Cheese, grated
- 2 g Nutmeg, grated
- Extra Cheddar, grated (for the top)
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Method
Broccoli
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Place the trimmed broccoli in a mixing bowl. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper so each floret is lightly coated.
- Spread the broccoli in a single layer in a large baking dish. Roast for about 18 minutes, turning once if needed, until the edges are lightly charred. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F).
Bechamel / Mornay Sauce
- While the broccoli roasts, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute to form a roux—this cooks out the raw flour taste.
- Pour in half of the milk and whisk vigorously until the mixture thickens, about one minute. Add the remaining milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and has thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the grated cheddar, gruyère, and a pinch of nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is silky.
- Pour the bechamel evenly over the roasted broccoli, spreading to cover. Sprinkle the extra grated cheddar over the surface. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bake to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Portion and enjoy warm.
Roast the broccoli until it is genuinely lightly charred rather than simply tender — that caramelised colour adds real depth of flavour that steaming or boiling won’t achieve.
Cook the roux for the full minute before adding milk; this removes the raw flour taste and helps the bechamel stay smooth and unpasty.
Add the milk in two additions, whisking well each time and allowing it a moment to thicken before adding more. This prevents lumps and keeps the sauce silky.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. As a milk-based cheese sauce, the texture can change if frozen and thawed; if possible keep this bake refrigerated rather than frozen. To reheat, warm in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until heated through, or use the microwave in short bursts, stirring if the sauce looks separated.
Why roast the broccoli before adding the sauce?⌄
Why is my bechamel lumpy?⌄
Can I use a different cheese?⌄
Can I freeze this bake?⌄
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