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–+ servings

Broccoli Cheese Bake

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5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Cooling Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Calories: 331kcal
Servings: 8 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