Broccoli Cheese Bake

Name: Broccoli Cheese Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 15 ml Olive Oil; 950 g Broccoli (Trimmed); Salt & Pepper (To Taste); 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); Cheddar Cheese (Grated); Salt & Pepper (To Taste)

PREP

10 mins

COOK

1 hr 10 mins

SERVES

DIFFICULTY

Medium

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Chef Jack Ovens

Qualified Chef · 1.63M Subscribers

Updated August 2026

This isn’t your average steamed broccoli with cheese sauce. The broccoli gets roasted first until it’s properly charred at the edges, then covered in a rich cheddar and gruyère bechamel and baked until golden on top.

The bechamel is made the proper way — a roux cooked out first, then milk whisked in gradually so it comes together smooth and thick, not lumpy or pasty. It’s a technique worth learning once and you’ll use it for a lot more than just this bake.

This works as a side for a roast, or honestly, as a main on its own with some crusty bread.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

SIDE · VEGETARIAN · MEDIUM

Why You'll Love This Broccoli Cheese Bake

Charred broccoli, a proper bechamel, and a golden cheesy top

Roasting the broccoli first instead of boiling or steaming it gives you real depth of flavour, with lightly charred edges that hold up under the sauce instead of turning mushy.

The bechamel is built properly — the roux cooked out to get rid of any raw flour taste, then the milk whisked in gradually so the sauce turns out silky smooth every time.

A generous layer of extra cheddar over the top goes deeply golden in the oven, so every serving gets that proper baked-cheese crust.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Cooling Time: 10

Total Time: 1 20

Calories: 331kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

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
Cheddar Cheese Grated
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method

Broccoli

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Place the prepared broccoli into a mixing bowl, add the olive oil and season to taste, and mix well.
Place the seasoned broccoli into a large baking dish and spread out evenly. Roast for 18 minutes, or until very lightly charred. Remove and lower the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).

Bechamel/Mornay Sauce

While the broccoli roasts, add the butter to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and allow it to melt and start bubbling. Add the flour, mix well, and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until thick.
Pour in half the milk, mix to combine, and cook for 1 minute until thick. Add the remaining milk and cook for a further 1 minute until thick. Remove from the heat.
Add the cheddar, gruyère, and seasoning to taste, and mix until smooth.
Pour the bechamel over the charred broccoli and spread out evenly. Grate over the extra cheddar to cover the surface and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden on top. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Portion, serve, and dig in.

Chef's Tips

Roast the broccoli until it's genuinely lightly charred, not just tender — that colour adds a depth of flavour that plain steamed or boiled broccoli won't give you.

Cook the roux for the full minute before adding the milk — this cooks out the raw flour taste and stops the bechamel tasting pasty.

Add the milk gradually, in two additions, whisking well each time — this is what keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free rather than clumping.

Storage & Reheating

This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. As a milk-based cheese sauce, it can separate slightly once frozen and thawed, so it's best kept in the fridge rather than frozen if possible. Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot through, or in the microwave in bursts.

Serving 250gCalories 331kcalCarbohydrates 17.9gProtein 13.9gFat 24gSaturated Fat 13.3gPolyunsaturated Fat 1.23gMonounsaturated Fat 7.16gTrans Fat 0.8gCholesterol 67.1mgSodium 267.3mgPotassium 557.6mgFiber 3.3gSugar 6.8gVitamin A 772.57IUVitamin C 105.93mgCalcium 390.1mgIron 1mg

Common Questions

Why do I need to roast the broccoli before saucing it?⌄

Roasting first gets you real depth of flavour from the light char, and it also stops the broccoli going watery and mushy under the sauce the way boiled or steamed broccoli can.

Why is my bechamel lumpy?⌄

This usually comes down to adding the milk too quickly. Add it in two additions, whisking well after each one, and give it a full minute to thicken before adding more. Rushing it is the most common cause of lumps.

Can I use a different cheese?⌄

Yes, gruyère can be swapped for a similar melting cheese like an aged cheddar or a mild Swiss. Just avoid anything too soft or high in moisture, as it can make the bechamel split rather than staying smooth.

Can I freeze this bake?⌄

Yes, this freezes well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot through — give it a quick stir if the sauce looks at all separated once it's warmed back up.

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6 thoughts on “Broccoli Cheese Bake”

Gary Bell
May 11, 2022 at 12:36 am

Tried this recipe and it was really easy. The best thing was that it tasted delicious and has become a family favourite.
Can you freeze it?

Reply
1. Chef Jack Ovens
  May 11, 2022 at 2:06 pm
  
  Happy to hear that Gary, thank you. Yes, it can be frozen, the details are in the recipe notes on this page.
  
  Reply
Lynn
July 14, 2022 at 12:57 am

So eager to try it—where do I get the “love oli”? 😉 Seriously, love your channel!

Reply
1. Chef Jack Ovens
  July 19, 2022 at 6:59 pm
  
  Please enjoy it, when you get to it! Its so good.
  
  Reply
Julie
December 16, 2022 at 7:25 pm

I want to make this to have on Christmas Day.
Thought I would double the recipe as I have 12 guests and make it with half cauliflower and half broccoli.
Could I prepare the dish the day before and then bake it on Christmas Day?
Love all your recipes!

Reply
1. Chef Jack Ovens
  December 17, 2022 at 10:31 am
  
  Hey Julie, you can definitely make this ahead of time. You can get it all ready, place the cheese over the top and have it stored in the fridge. All you need to do is then place it into the oven 🙏 Merry Christmas
  
  Reply

5 from 1 vote

Broccoli Cheese Bake

Broccoli Cheese Bake

Charred broccoli, a proper bechamel, and a golden cheesy top