Cheesy Pimento Broccoli Casserole Recipe

Classic broccoli casserole gets an upgrade with the addition of pimentos, a homemade cheesy sauce and a topping of buttery Ritz crackers.

If you like this recipe, check out my Cornbread Casserole next!

Green bean casserole is synonymous with Thanksgiving, but I’ve always been partial to broccoli recipes. Smothering a green vegetable in copious amounts of cheese and sauce or cream soups is a treat. And to me what better treat than pimento cheese? So I revamped a classic broccoli casserole to suit my own tastes. I used my baked macaroni and cheese recipe as a jumping off point for how to make the cheesy sauce. Then added pimentos and topped it all with buttery crackers.

More related recipes

• Pimento Cheese Dip
• Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole
• Easiest Broccoli Salad

Ingredients for broccoli casserole

• Broccoli – I prefer to use frozen versus fresh broccoli florets when making casseroles. I want my broccoli to be very tender and frozen helps to cut down on preparation time.
• Cheese Sauce – A combo of blended cottage cheese, mayo, egg and cheddar cheese.
• Flavorings – A jar of pimentos, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
• Butter and Ritz Crackers – Crushed crackers plus melted butter combine for a delicious crunchy topping.
• Variations – Feel free to add some chopped onion and fresh garlic to the mix!

Instructions

Microwave the broccoli, drain and combine with the pimentos. Blend together the cottage cheese, mayo, half plus one cup of cheese, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth. Fold together with the broccoli and pimentos. Spread evenly into a greased casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese. And sprinkle the top of the casserole with the buttery Ritz crackers. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes. Keep scrolling for my free printable recipe card.

Serving suggestions

I usually think of Thanksgiving or Christmas when it comes to side dishes like this broccoli casserole. Here’s some more of my favorite holiday sides –

• Easy Cheesy Potatoes
• The Best Rice Pilaf
• Mom’s Party Potatoes

Storage directions

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. For an easy and economical dinner, serve leftover casserole over white rice.

Tips for the best broccoli casserole

• Use frozen broccoli florets in a microwavable bag. Steam the broccoli in the microwave before mixing it with the other ingredients – this means less dirty dishes.
• A small food processor is perfect for blending the cheesy sauce for this casserole.

Print Pin

5 from 5 votes

Cheesy Pimento Broccoli Casserole

Classic broccoli casserole gets an upgrade with the addition of pimentos, a homemade cheesy sauce and a topping of buttery Ritz crackers.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesy pimento broccoli casserole, chicken broccoli casserole, pimento cheese broccoli casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 202kcal

Author Jill McOwen

Ingredients

• 2 10.4 oz pkgs frozen broccoli florets
• 4 oz pimentos drained
• 1/2 cup large curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 cup Ritz crackers measured after being crushed
• 3 tbsp butter melted

Start Cooking

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish and set aside.
• Place both bags of broccoli in microwave, instruction side up, and microwave for 6 minutes. Open bags and drain the broccoli in a strainer.
• Place the microwaved and drained broccoli and drained pimentos in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
• In a food processor, add the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, 1 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the broccoli and pimentos. Stir until well combined. Spread evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
• In a clean bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Stir until well combined.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the broccoli casserole. Top the casserole with the buttery Ritz crackers.
• Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 40 minutes until bubbly. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg

Foodtastic Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (Amazon Associate), an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon links you see are affiliate links that I may earn advertising fees on when you click to purchase.

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of Foodtastic Mom. Be sure to PIN to Pinterest and print this recipe! Like and tag ‘Foodtastic Mom’ on Facebook and Instagram if you make this recipe! And of course leave a star rating if you make any of my recipes and enjoy them!

Be sure and follow Foodtastic Mom on TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!