How to Make Broccoli and Cheese
Melt the butter., Stir in the flour., Add the milk, pepper, and salt., Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes., Mix in the cheese., Set it aside., Boil water in a medium saucepan., Add the remaining salt and broccoli., Cook for 4 to 5 minutes., Drain the...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Melt the butter.
Place the butter in a medium saucepan and set the saucepan on your stove over medium heat.
Heat the butter until it melts.
Shortly after the butter melts, it should start looking foamy.
Allow the butter to start foaming before continuing to the next step.
Margarine can be used instead of butter if necessary, but butter is strongly recommended since it will form a better base for the sauce. -
Step 2: Stir in the flour.
Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter.
Cook the flour and butter together, stirring constantly, for 30 to 60 seconds or until an evenly-blended paste forms.
Sifting the flour over the butter as evenly as possible will make it easier to combine.
The combined butter and flour forms a thickening base for your sauce.
This thickening base is more accurately known as a “roux.” , Sprinkle the roux with 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt.
Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, and cook the mixture until it boils.
Note that this step only requires you to use half of the total amount of salt called for in this recipe.
You'll need to whisk the contents of the pan constantly to help break up the clumps of roux. , Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
Whisk the sauce periodically during this time.
The roux should finish breaking down, causing the sauce to thicken.
When ready, the sauce should be evenly heated, smooth, and free of lumps. , Add handfuls of shredded cheddar into the sauce, mixing with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Continue until all of the cheese has been added and melted down.
You'll need to stir the sauce consistently during this step to blend the cheese into the milk base.
The sauce is only complete once all the cheese is completely melted and the cheese sauce is completely smooth. , Cover the saucepan and set it aside as you prepare the broccoli.
Keep the saucepan warm and stir the sauce occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top. , Fill a medium saucepan three-quarters deep with water.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. , Add the remaining 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) of salt to the boiling water, immediately followed by the broccoli florets.
Do not add the salt before the water reaches a boil.
Doing so would increase the boiling point of the water, so it would take longer for the water to actually reach a rolling boil.
If you choose to work with fresh broccoli instead of frozen florets, you'll need two to three heads of broccoli to match the amount prepared in this recipe.
Cut the broccoli into florets.
Discard the stems or use them for another recipe. , Boil the broccoli at medium-high heat until it becomes tender-crisp.
This should take roughly 4 to 5 minutes.
You don't need to cover the saucepan or stir the broccoli during this step.
Allow the florets to cook undisturbed until ready. , Pour the contents of the pan through a colander.
Drain the water and retain the broccoli. , Dump the drained broccoli into a serving dish.
Evenly pour the prepared cheese sauce on top.
You may need to quickly stir the sitting cheese sauce before pouring it over the broccoli.
If desired, you can toss the broccoli with the cheese sauce to distribute the sauce evenly throughout the dish.
Doing so is not necessary, however, and may be omitted for the sake of presentation. , Serve the broccoli and cheese immediately to enjoy the dish while it is still hot. , Combine the broccoli and water into a large microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid.
If you choose to use fresh whole broccoli instead of frozen florets, you'll need two to three whole heads to match the amount called for in this recipe.
Clean the broccoli and cut it into florets.
Discard the stems or use them in another recipe.
Ideally, you should cover the dish with its own microwave-safe lid.
If it doesn't have an appropriate lid, however, you can cover it with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a microwave-safe heavy plate (most stoneware and ceramic plates should work well). , Place the dish in your microwave and cook the broccoli on full power for 3 to 4 minutes.
The broccoli should be tender-crisp when done.
Microwave the broccoli in intervals to prevent overcooking it.
Cook it for 2-1/2 minutes first, then check the dish and stir its contents.
Continue cooking at 30-second to 60-second intervals until the broccoli is ready. , Remove the lid and dump the contents of the dish into a colander.
Drain the water and keep the florets.
Set the broccoli aside as you prepare the cheese sauce.
Be careful when opening the dish since the built-up steam could be hot enough to cause burns. , Cut the block of processed cheese into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) cubes.
If you do not have a brick of processed cheese, you can use sliced processed cheese instead.
You'll need roughly 16 slices of processed cheese to equal the 8 oz (225 g) block.
Tear the slices into small pieces before using them. , Place the cubed cheese, milk, diced onion, and minced garlic in a microwave-safe dish.
Toss to combine evenly.
You can skip the onion and garlic, if desired, to create an even simpler cheese sauce.
Loosely cover the dish with a lid, plastic wrap, or paper towel to prevent splatter. , Place the dish in your microwave and heat the contents at full power for 3 minutes, or until the cheese completely melts down.
Stir the sauce after each minute to evenly distribute the heat.
Once ready, carefully remove the dish from the microwave. , Place the broccoli in a serving dish, then pour the melted cheese sauce over it.
You can either leave the contents as they are or toss them together with a spoon until the cheese evenly coats the cooked florets. , Serve the dish immediately so you can enjoy it while it's still hot. -
Step 3: Add the milk
-
Step 4: pepper
-
Step 5: and salt.
-
Step 6: Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
-
Step 7: Mix in the cheese.
-
Step 8: Set it aside.
-
Step 9: Boil water in a medium saucepan.
-
Step 10: Add the remaining salt and broccoli.
-
Step 11: Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
-
Step 12: Drain the broccoli.
-
Step 13: Combine the broccoli and cheese sauce.
-
Step 14: Enjoy.
-
Step 15: Combine the broccoli and water.
-
Step 16: Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes.
-
Step 17: Drain the broccoli.
-
Step 18: Cube the cheese.
-
Step 19: Combine the cheese
-
Step 20: and garlic.
-
Step 21: Microwave for 3 minutes.
-
Step 22: Combine the broccoli and cheese sauce.
-
Step 23: Enjoy.
Detailed Guide
Place the butter in a medium saucepan and set the saucepan on your stove over medium heat.
Heat the butter until it melts.
Shortly after the butter melts, it should start looking foamy.
Allow the butter to start foaming before continuing to the next step.
Margarine can be used instead of butter if necessary, but butter is strongly recommended since it will form a better base for the sauce.
Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter.
Cook the flour and butter together, stirring constantly, for 30 to 60 seconds or until an evenly-blended paste forms.
Sifting the flour over the butter as evenly as possible will make it easier to combine.
The combined butter and flour forms a thickening base for your sauce.
This thickening base is more accurately known as a “roux.” , Sprinkle the roux with 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt.
Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, and cook the mixture until it boils.
Note that this step only requires you to use half of the total amount of salt called for in this recipe.
You'll need to whisk the contents of the pan constantly to help break up the clumps of roux. , Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
Whisk the sauce periodically during this time.
The roux should finish breaking down, causing the sauce to thicken.
When ready, the sauce should be evenly heated, smooth, and free of lumps. , Add handfuls of shredded cheddar into the sauce, mixing with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Continue until all of the cheese has been added and melted down.
You'll need to stir the sauce consistently during this step to blend the cheese into the milk base.
The sauce is only complete once all the cheese is completely melted and the cheese sauce is completely smooth. , Cover the saucepan and set it aside as you prepare the broccoli.
Keep the saucepan warm and stir the sauce occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top. , Fill a medium saucepan three-quarters deep with water.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. , Add the remaining 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) of salt to the boiling water, immediately followed by the broccoli florets.
Do not add the salt before the water reaches a boil.
Doing so would increase the boiling point of the water, so it would take longer for the water to actually reach a rolling boil.
If you choose to work with fresh broccoli instead of frozen florets, you'll need two to three heads of broccoli to match the amount prepared in this recipe.
Cut the broccoli into florets.
Discard the stems or use them for another recipe. , Boil the broccoli at medium-high heat until it becomes tender-crisp.
This should take roughly 4 to 5 minutes.
You don't need to cover the saucepan or stir the broccoli during this step.
Allow the florets to cook undisturbed until ready. , Pour the contents of the pan through a colander.
Drain the water and retain the broccoli. , Dump the drained broccoli into a serving dish.
Evenly pour the prepared cheese sauce on top.
You may need to quickly stir the sitting cheese sauce before pouring it over the broccoli.
If desired, you can toss the broccoli with the cheese sauce to distribute the sauce evenly throughout the dish.
Doing so is not necessary, however, and may be omitted for the sake of presentation. , Serve the broccoli and cheese immediately to enjoy the dish while it is still hot. , Combine the broccoli and water into a large microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid.
If you choose to use fresh whole broccoli instead of frozen florets, you'll need two to three whole heads to match the amount called for in this recipe.
Clean the broccoli and cut it into florets.
Discard the stems or use them in another recipe.
Ideally, you should cover the dish with its own microwave-safe lid.
If it doesn't have an appropriate lid, however, you can cover it with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a microwave-safe heavy plate (most stoneware and ceramic plates should work well). , Place the dish in your microwave and cook the broccoli on full power for 3 to 4 minutes.
The broccoli should be tender-crisp when done.
Microwave the broccoli in intervals to prevent overcooking it.
Cook it for 2-1/2 minutes first, then check the dish and stir its contents.
Continue cooking at 30-second to 60-second intervals until the broccoli is ready. , Remove the lid and dump the contents of the dish into a colander.
Drain the water and keep the florets.
Set the broccoli aside as you prepare the cheese sauce.
Be careful when opening the dish since the built-up steam could be hot enough to cause burns. , Cut the block of processed cheese into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) cubes.
If you do not have a brick of processed cheese, you can use sliced processed cheese instead.
You'll need roughly 16 slices of processed cheese to equal the 8 oz (225 g) block.
Tear the slices into small pieces before using them. , Place the cubed cheese, milk, diced onion, and minced garlic in a microwave-safe dish.
Toss to combine evenly.
You can skip the onion and garlic, if desired, to create an even simpler cheese sauce.
Loosely cover the dish with a lid, plastic wrap, or paper towel to prevent splatter. , Place the dish in your microwave and heat the contents at full power for 3 minutes, or until the cheese completely melts down.
Stir the sauce after each minute to evenly distribute the heat.
Once ready, carefully remove the dish from the microwave. , Place the broccoli in a serving dish, then pour the melted cheese sauce over it.
You can either leave the contents as they are or toss them together with a spoon until the cheese evenly coats the cooked florets. , Serve the dish immediately so you can enjoy it while it's still hot.
About the Author
Scott Long
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: