Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Our broccoli pasta casserole is a cheesy dish made with Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, broccoli florets, penne, and a creamy sauce all baked into one meal!
Over the years, we’ve made a lot of pasta recipes like our spicy fettuccine alfredo, tuna casserole, and creamy chicken noodle casserole. Of course, we also have more complex dishes, like our ricotta spinach stuffed pasta shells and spaghetti pie.
Today, it’s all about our broccoli and cheese pasta casserole. This pasta bake is a dish that combines two flavors most people enjoy, broccoli and cheese. It’s very similar to John’s cheesy pasta bake and my chicken alfredo bake.
It starts with short pasta noodles, like penne, and fresh broccoli florets tossed in a creamy cheese sauce then topped with freshly shredded cheese. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Broccoli Pasta Casserole Ingredients and Substitutions
- Broccoli florets: Fresh broccoli works best for this recipe. Frozen can be used in a pinch, but you run the risk of it getting soft and mushy.
- Butter, flour, garlic: We use these for the roux which is the base of the cheese sauce.
- Salt, black pepper, dried basil, and oregano: Just enough seasoning to give the sauce some extra flavor.
- Chicken broth and heavy cream: These make up the bulk of the sauce. You can use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth if preferred.
- Gruyere and Parmesan cheese: These cheeses add a ton of flavor. If you can’t find gruyere, try mozzarella, fontina, or even sharp cheddar for a stronger flavor.
- Pasta: Short noodles like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work best.
How to Make a Pasta Broccoli Casserole
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F, and greasing a 2.5-quart casserole dish.
Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 5-7 minutes (a minute or two shy of the what the box says), then toss in the broccoli florets. Cook for 1 more minute.
Drain and rinse the pasta and broccoli with cold water. Drain again and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Next, add the garlic, salt, basil, and oregano. Reduce the heat to low, and slowly whisk in the broth and cream.
Sprinkle in half the Parmesan and half the Gruyere a little at a time. Stir until the cheese melts then remove from heat.
Pour the pasta and broccoli into the prepared casserole dish. Add cheese sauce, and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.
Let it cool 10 minutes before serving.
Broccoli and Pasta Casserole Tips and Variations:
- To prevent a gritty texture in the cheese sauce, try to grate cheese off the block instead of using pre-shredded.
- Add cooked chicken (like leftover rotisserie chicken), cooked ham, or crispy bacon for some added protein.
- If you’re using frozen broccoli, skip boiling it. Just thaw it under cold water, drain and dry it well, then stir it in.
- You can skip the baking step if you wish. Simply mix the cheese sauce with the drained pasta and broccoli in the same pot, heat gently, then top with cheese and serve.
What can you use in place of Gruyere?
If you don’t have Gruyere, sharp white cheddar, fontina, or mozzarella would all work. It depends on what flavors your family likes. Cheddar cheese will add a stronger flavor than mozzarella or fontina.
What kind of pasta works best?
We prefer short noodles like fusilli, penne, rigatoni, ziti, etc. They should be able to hold up to baking for a few minutes without getting soft. You could even use medium shells, too.
Should you cook the broccoli pasta bake covered or uncovered?
It’s ok to leave it uncovered since you’re only baking it for 20 minutes. That’s just long enough for the cheese sauce to thicken a bit and soak into the noodles and for the cheese on top to melt.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freezer: Wrap the fully cooked and cooled casserole in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze up to 2 months.
To reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350°F until warmed through. Cover with a layer of fresh foil to keep it from drying out.
Other Casserole Recipes:
- Crockpot Pierogi and Kielbasa Casserole
- Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Hamburger Rice Casserole
- Mexican Casserole
- Taco Casserole with Corn Chips
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Like This Recipe?
We’d love it if you would leave a 5 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta, or other short pasta noodle, uncooked
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, or mozzarella, shredded off the block and divided
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded off the block and divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta for 5-6 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and cook for an additional 1 minute. The pasta should be al dente, and the broccoli should be lightly blanched.8 ounces penne pasta4 cups broccoli florets
- Drain the pasta and broccoli, rinse under cold water, drain again, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the garlic, salt, basil, and oregano, and whisk to combine.2 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 tablespoons garlic cloves1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon dried basil½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Adjust the heat to low. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in the heavy cream and broth. Continue whisking until wisps of steam begin to rise from the liquid.1 cup heavy cream1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Add ½ cup of Gruyere and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese a little at a time, whisking between each addition until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the pasta, broccoli, and sauce to the prepared baking dish. Stir to combine. Top with the remaining ½ cup of Gruyere and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1.25 cups of pasta bake. Actual calories will vary.
- We used cheese shredded of the block not pre-shredded, bagged cheese.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Can you use vegetable broth instead of chicken to make this vegetarian?
Hi Mary!
You sure can. Vegetable broth works great in this recipe! 🙂
I found this recipe fit all the things I had in the kitchen. It blew us away. I omitted the basil and oregano and the cheeses carried the dish.
Making it for Christmas dinner!
Thank you Catherine! We’re thrilled everyone enjoyed the pasta bake. Have a lovely Christmas weekend 🙂
Can I use mozzarella cheese instead of the cheese that starts with a G?
Hi Sarah!
Yes, absolutely! Mozzarella will work in this recipe. Have a great day! 🙂
@Sarah chandler, Gruyere cheese is actually very similar to Swiss, so you could use Swiss cheese as a substitute.