Potato And Broccoli Bake is a quick and easy roast potato side dish. With chunks of tender broccoli, sliced potatoes and a creamy white sauce this fully loaded side dish will tick a lot of boxes. Oven bake then cover with cheese and cook till it melts then let cool a little and serve. Perfect comfort food for the Sunday roast, to feed a crowd or for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. This broccoli and potato gratin is a must try easy to make recipe!
Recipes like the Potato And Ham Bake, Potato And Onion Bake and the Potato And Sweet Potato Bake give us a wide variety of oven baked potato side dishes.
Pair them alongside the Bourbon Glazed Ham, Pulled Lamb, Herb Crusted Rack Of Lamb or the Slow Cooker Lamb Ribs for a delicious dinner the whole family will love.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about this broccoli and potato bake recipe in the points below:
- Simple ingredients: you will be able to purchase everything you need to make the potato and broccoli cassserole recipe from your local grocery store. They are all year round simple ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
- Family friendly: everyone of all ages loves potatoes. What is even better is switching it up a bit from week to week and getting a little creative with the ingredient combination. This recipe offers a great way to diversify from a simple potato and sour cream flavor combination 😁👌.
- Extra veggies: whilst a potato bake is always a good thing to see on the table, this potato broccoli and onion bake let's us squeeze in even more vegetables! The trio pairs very nicely, with complimentary flavors and diverse textures. The perfect veggie side dish to a show case main!
- Easy recipe: on some level I have to stop at saying this broccoli recipe is quick and easy as it does need an hour in the oven. However, it is a simple and straightforward potato bake with extras. Once the dish is in the oven it you can be hands free whilst it cooks. Then simply top it with cheese and let that melt.
- Versatile: this potato recipe is one of those great recipes that is versatile and lends itself to being served in a wide variety of scenarios. Think Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas dinners, family dinners, the Sunday supper or for a special occasion.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the potato and broccoli casserole recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions and the full recipe.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Salt and pepper: we use salt and a little bit of black pepper for seasoning in the recipe. Cooking salt or kosher salt is the best choice over table salt.
- Garlic powder: this gets added to the cream as a means to season the cream sauce.
- Thyme: we use a little bit of dried thyme as our herb in the potato bake.
- Onion: skin peeled and diced. We use ½ of a large onion.
- Broccoli: as you can see from the photo above, we want to use a whole head of broccoli. We do trim the chunky stem off and then make small pieces of fresh broccoli florets from the rest.
- Potatoes: we use white washed potatoes and peel the skins.
- Cream: we use heavy cream as the basis for the creamy potato bake sauce.
- Mozzarella: the 1st of our cheese for the cheese topping. This cheese gives the 'cheese pull' effect over the potatoes. It is not however, known for having a bold cheese flavor, it is more subtle and creamy.
- Colby cheese: this is the cheese that we use to bring flavor to the cheese topping. It is a great melting cheese and pairs exceptionally well with the mozzarella cheese.
Top Tip: I like to provide you with a number of substitutions and variations giving you an array of options when making my recipes. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section (further below) before jumping into the instructions on how to make the recipe which are coming next 😉👌.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the potato broccoli casserole. We start by preparing the potatoes. You will need a vegetable peel and cutting board to begin.
- Peel the potatoes (Photo 1)
- Slice the potatoes (Photo 2)
- Gather the sauce ingredients (Photo 3)
- Stir to combine (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Potato And Broccoli Bake
To make the potato and broccoli bake start by using a vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes. Once done, discard the potato skins.
Next use a mandolin to thinly slice each of the potatoes. Once done, set these aside whilst you make the sauce.
Gather the ingredients to make the cream sauce then add the cream to a large jug, followed by the garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Then use a spoon to stir until consistently whisked together.
- Add potato slices to a large mixing bowl (Photo 5)
- Then add the diced onion (Photo 6)
- Add the small florets of broccoli (Photo 7)
- Stir to combine (Photo 8)
Next add the slices of potato to a large mixing bowl and add the onion. Then add in the broccoli florets and use a wooden spoon to stir and combine as you see me having done in the photo above.
- Pour in the sauce (Photo 9)
- Stir to combine (Photo 10)
- Transfer into a large baking dish (Photo 11)
- Add the 1st of the 2 cheese types (Photo 12)
🥦 Broccoli And Potato Gratin
Next pour the cream sauce into the combined potato and broccoli mixture. Then use the wooden spoon to stir till the sauce is consistently mixed through.
Once done, spray a large baking dish with cooking oil then transfer the contents of the bowl into the casserole dish. Push any pieces of potato or broccoli that are sticking up down so that the potatoes are in a reasonably flat layer.
Now place the potato bake into the oven (uncovered) on the middle shelf and let it bake for 50 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, use oven mitts to remove the potato bake and place it onto a heatproof surface. Then use a skewer and push it straight down into the thickest part of the potato bake. If the skewer goes straight down and meets no resistance, then begin to top the potato bake with the 1st of the 2 types of cheese.
If however, there is some resistance, pop the potato bake back into the oven and let it cook further until the potatoes are soft and fork tender.
Next add the 2nd type of cheese, by sprinkling it over the top of the dish as you see me having done in the photo below.
- Add rest of the cheese and bake (Photo 13)
Once you have added the cheese topping, place the potato bake back into the oven and let it bake for a further 10 minutes. This gives the cheese a chance to melt.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Traditionally a potato bake is a side dish served with meaty mains. In which case you have a wide variety of pairing options available to you.
This cheesy broccoli potato casserole is the same in that it works exceptionally well with an array of dishes.
For a light protein pairing or weeknight dinner try it with the Chicken Ribs, Roast Chicken or Marinated Chicken Thighs.
For heavier proteins, try it alongside the Pulled Beef Brisket, Beef Back Ribs, Oven Baked Pork Ribs or the Sticky Pork Ribs.
You can also use it as a substitute for polenta in recipes like the Pork Osso Bucco, Beef Osso Bucco or the Lamb Osso Bucco.
Some other options that will work are alongside the Greek Lamb Shanks, Marinated Lamb Ribs, Crumbed Lamb Cutlets or the Panko Pork Chops.
It is the type of dish that will please a crowd, go a long way and lend itself to being served with practically anything and everything!
A delicious side dish that will fast become a family favorite and perfect side dish when the guests look like they are hungry for more.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Store leftovers of the potato and broccoli bake in the baking dish with a layer of cling wrap over the top. Or transfer leftovers into a sealed, airtight container. The leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
I don't recommend freezing potato bake or leftovers. This is because the creamy sauce can become watery and no longer creamy and thick. It is best cooked and consumed or cooked and the leftovers consumed.
How to Reheat
You can reheat the leftovers in the oven if they are still in the baking dish. Ensure that the oven is preheated and give them around 15 - 20 minutes to heat through.
Or you can reheat portions of the potato bake in bowls or plates covered with cling wrap in the microwave on high for 1 minute increments until heated through.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- You can use oregano, dried chives or parsley in place of the dried thyme if you wish to (equivalent amount).
- You can use tasty, cheddar cheese or a store bought pre-shredded cheese in place of the colby cheese. If using a store bought cheese blend and it has more than 1 type of cheese, I would omit the addition of the mozzarella and simply use the cheese blend.
- You can use cauliflower broken into florets in place of the broccoli if you wish too.
- If you want to omit the onion you can. Or you can omit the onion from a textural perspective and add a teaspoon of onion powder to the cream sauce in its place.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Thinly sliced pieces of potato will cook faster than thickly sliced pieces. So try and aim for the thinnest slices that the mandolin will let you use.
- Using a mandolin is the easy way to achieve this. If you don't have a mandolin you can use a knife and thinly slice the potatoes to achieve the same affect.
- Using cooking spray or a little olive oil on the baking dish as a means to grease it will ensure that the clean up is much easier.
- The potatoes are more robust when cooking than the broccoli is. In knowing this, it is best to have the potatoes be the top surface layer and push the broccoli under this as to cook but not fully blacken each of the broccoli florets.
- The potato bake does not need to be covered at all during the cooking process.
- Once the cheese, has melted you can turn the oven off and let the potato bake start to cool. During this time the sauce thickens and stops bubbling.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cook broccoli before adding it to potato bake?
No, it is not necessary to cook the broccoli before adding to the potato bake. It will cook and soften in the cream sauce as the potatoes bake.
Can I freeze potato bake?
Freezing potato bake can lead to mixed results such as a runny, watery sauce and grainy texture. For this reason, it is not recommended to freeze potato bake.
Can I make potato bake the day ahead?
Yes. You can make potato bake the day ahead and then simply reheat it as needed on the day to serve.
😍 More Easy Side Dish Recipes
The sides can be something you look forward to more than the mains! Offering diversity through cook times, tastes and textures, here are some more ideas to try:
- Fried Cabbage and Bacon
- Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
- Ham Fried Rice
- Crumbed Mushrooms
- Pork Belly Fried Rice
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Tortilla Garlic Bread
It is time to get our potato and broccoli bake on my friend! You can also find all of the most popular recipes or side dishes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Potato And Broccoli Bake
Ingredients
- 6 large potatoes this is approx 1,2kg or 2 pounds ,Note 1
- ½ large onion skin peeled and diced, Note 2
- 1 head broccoli stem removed and chopped into florets, this will be approximately 2 cups of chopped broccoli, Note 3
Cream Sauce
- 2 cups/500 ml heavy cream Note 4
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder Note 5
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme Note 6
- ½ teaspoon black pepper Note 7
- ¼ teaspoon salt also Note 7
Cheese Topping
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly grated using a hand held box grater, Note 8
- 1 cup colby cheese freshly grated using a hand held box grater, Note 9
Garnish:
- flat leaf parsley stems removed, leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
- Potatoes: use a vegetable peeler and cutting board to peel the potatoes and then discard the skins. Next use a mandolin to thinly slice the potatoes.
- Cream sauce: add the cream, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper to a medium sized jug and use a spoon to whisk until consistently combined.
- Combine: add the sliced potatoes, diced onion and broccoli florets to a large mixing bowl. Then use a wooden spoon to stir and combine.
- Sauce: next pour the cream sauce over the potatoes, onion and broccoli and again use the wooden spoon to stir and combine.
- Baking dish: grease a large baking dish with cooking oil. Then transfer the combined cream and potato mixture into the baking dish. Push any broccoli florets under the potatoes and make the top a reasonably flat surface.
- Oven bake: place the potato and broccoli bake into the oven on the middle shelf. Let it bake (uncovered) for 50 minutes. Whilst the cooking time is up, use oven mitts to remove the baking dish and place it onto a heatproof surface. Then use a skewer inserted directly down into the thickest part of the potatoes. It there is any resistance pop it back into the oven for a little bit longer. If the skewer goes straight down with no resistance then top with the mozzarella, followed by the colby cheese. Return the potato bake (with cheese topping) to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Let the cheese melt and turn holden brown in parts.
- To serve: once the cheese has melted, use the oven mitts to remove the potato bake from the oven and place it onto a heatproof surface. Let it sit (it thickens during this time) for about 5 minutes. Once there are no visible bubbles sprinkle some chopped parsley over the top and then place it onto the table with a large spoon for serving.
Notes
- Note 1- Potatoes: we use white washed potatoes and peel the skins.
- Note 2 - Onion: skin peeled and diced. We use ½ of a large onion.
- Note 3 - Broccoli: as you can see from the photo above, we want to use a whole head of broccoli. We do trim the chunky stem off and them make florets from the rest.
- Note 4 - Cream: we use heavy cream as the basis for the creamy potato bake sauce.
- Note 5 - Garlic powder: this gets added to the cream as a means to season the cream sauce.
- Note - 6 Thyme: we use a little bit of dried thyme as our herb in the potato bake.
- Note 7 - Salt and pepper: we use salt and a little bit of black pepper for seasoning in the recipe. Cooking salt or kosher salt is the best choice over table salt.
- Note 8 - Mozzarella: the 1st of our cheese for the cheese topping. This cheese gives the 'cheese pull' effect over the potatoes. It is not however, known for having a bold cheese flavor, it is more subtle and creamy.
- Note 9 - Colby cheese: this is the cheese that we use to bring flavor to the cheese topping. It is a great melting cheese and pairs exceptionally well with the mozzarella cheese.
Danae Carterson says
Loved this as a side dish.
Adrianne says
Thanks Danae for your feedback 😄😄.
Anita E says
Came out great. Served it with chicken breast for dinner.
Adrianne says
Thanks Anita 😄.