About
It's hard to imagine "yummy" and "healthy" being in the same sentence, but Healthy Broccoli Cheese Bake makes it happen! A bunch of fresh garden veggies, pan-seared and smothered in melty sharp cheese make up the filling, while the top is blanketed in a crunchy whole-grain bread crust! It's balanced, healthy, vegetarian, and just plain delicious... a lot of cheese and floral broccoli will do that! Healthy Broccoli Cheese Bake will make health nuts and lovers of hearty fare equally happy!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-fat 1% milk, warm
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Romano cheese, shredded, divided
- 7 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and well-drained (on a paper towel)
- 1 cup fresh whole-grain breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
Step 3 -Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 4 -Add the onion, the bell pepper, the mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper to the oil and cook, while stirring frequently, until they begin to brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Step 5 -Sprinkle the flour over the veggie mixture and cook, while stirring, until it is lightly golden and the flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
Step 6 -Add the remaining salt and the milk to the veggie mixture.
Step 7 -Bring the veggie mixture to a boil and stir until it is smooth and slightly thickens, about 3 minutes.
Step 8 -Stir the cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of the Romano cheese into the veggie mixture.
Step 9 -Stir the broccoli into the veggie mixture and pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Step 10 -Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining Romano cheese and sprinkle over the top of the veggie mixture.
Step 11 -Dot the bake with the butter.
Step 12 -Bake the dish, uncovered, until the crumbs are golden and the casserole is bubbling, about 40 minutes.
Step 13 -Transfer the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 14 -Serve.
