If you are searching for a comforting and flavorful dish that brings the best of hearty baked potatoes, fresh broccoli, and creamy cheddar cheese together, this Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe is exactly what you need. This recipe is an absolute winner whether you’re whipping up a simple weeknight dinner or impressing friends at a casual gathering. Imagine perfectly baked russet potatoes with a tender yet crisp broccoli filling, all generously coated in a rich, velvety cheese sauce that feels like a warm hug on a plate. It’s an inviting way to enjoy classic ingredients in a new, exciting way that your whole family will adore.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering simple, fresh ingredients is key to making this dish shine. Each one plays a crucial role in bringing that perfect balance of flavors, textures, and colors to your Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe, ensuring every bite is satisfying and full of comfort.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps create a smooth cheese sauce with a luscious texture.
- Flour: Essential for thickening the cheese sauce into that creamy perfection.
- Milk: The base of the sauce, bringing everything together with creaminess.
- Paprika: A subtle dash that adds a slight smoky warmth to enhance flavor depth.
- Salt: Highlights and balances all other flavors in the dish perfectly.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded for optimum melting, it’s the star ingredient in the sauce.
- Russet Potatoes: Thick-skinned and fluffy inside, ideal for baking and stuffing.
- Broccoli Crowns: Cut into florets, offering a fresh, slightly crunchy contrast and a beautiful green pop.
- Olive Oil: Used to coat the potatoes and broccoli, helping them roast to a golden, tender delight.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe
Step 1: Preparing the Potatoes
Start by preheating your oven to 400ºF, then give your russet potatoes a good clean. Using a fork, poke 9 to 12 holes into each potato. This little trick helps steam escape as the potatoes bake, ensuring they become tender without bursting.
Step 2: Seasoning and Baking Potatoes
Next, rub each potato generously with about 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, making sure they’re fully coated. Place them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and slide them into the oven to bake for 45 minutes. This step creates that crisp skin we all love.
Step 3: Adding Broccoli for Roasting
While your potatoes begin their slow bake, toss your broccoli florets in the remaining olive oil to coat them lightly. When the 45 minutes are up, carefully nestle the broccoli onto the sheet pan around the potatoes and bake for another 15 minutes. You want the broccoli to be cooked but still firm, while the potatoes become wonderfully soft inside.
Step 4: Starting the Cheese Sauce
While everything roasts, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it starts to bubble, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Don’t worry if it looks a bit clumpy—that’s just the beginning of a creamy, thick sauce soon to come.
Step 5: Adding Milk for Creaminess
Slowly pour in about a quarter of the milk, whisking constantly so the mixture smooths out without lumps. After that, gradually add the rest of the milk, keeping the sauce silky. This patience pays off with the perfect sauce texture.
Step 6: Thickening the Sauce
Keep heating the milk mixture, stirring regularly until it’s hot and thickened—just steaming, never boiling, for about 6 to 8 minutes. At this point, season it with the paprika and salt to deepen the flavor in the sauce that will blanket your potatoes and broccoli.
Step 7: Melting in the Cheese
Turn off the heat and stir in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, giving it 10 to 20 seconds to melt before whisking until smooth. Then, add the remaining cheese and blend it in completely. This creates a rich, indulgent cheese sauce that’s the heart of this Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe.
Step 8: Assembling the Dish
Slice open each potato, add the tender roasted broccoli right in the middle, and drizzle generously with your homemade cheese sauce. Serve immediately for a comforting dish that’s sure to warm you up from the inside out.
How to Serve Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe
Garnishes
Sprinkle some fresh chopped chives or green onions for a pop of color and a mild onion flavor that adds freshness to balance the richness of the cheese sauce. For a little extra crunch, a few crispy bacon bits or toasted breadcrumbs are a fabulous idea.
Side Dishes
Because this dish is rich and satisfying on its own, pairing it with a light salad such as arugula with lemon vinaigrette or steamed green beans complements the meal perfectly. If you want something heartier, a simple roasted chicken or grilled sausage rounds it out beautifully.
Creative Ways to Present
Try serving these potatoes scooped into petite cast-iron skillets or rustic wooden bowls for a cozy, rustic touch. You could also turn the filling into a casserole, layering potatoes, broccoli, and cheese sauce for a communal dish everyone can dig into together.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s best to keep the cheese sauce separate if possible to maintain the best texture when reheating.
Freezing
While you can freeze the baked potatoes without sauce, the texture of broccoli and cheese sauce may change after freezing. If you want to freeze, wrap the potatoes tightly in foil, then place in a freezer bag for up to one month, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat your potatoes wrapped in foil in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Heat cheese sauce gently on the stove or in short increments in the microwave to avoid curdling. The broccoli should be stirred carefully into the reheated potatoes before serving.
FAQs
Can I use other types of cheese instead of cheddar?
Absolutely! While sharp cheddar gives this dish its signature taste, try using Monterey Jack, gouda, or a blend of cheeses for a different flavor profile. Just be sure they melt well.
Is it necessary to poke holes in the potatoes before baking?
Yes, poking holes allows steam to escape during baking and prevents the potatoes from bursting. It also helps them cook evenly inside.
Can I steam the broccoli instead of roasting it?
You can steam the broccoli if you prefer a softer texture, but roasting adds wonderful caramelized flavor and a hint of crispness that pairs beautifully with the creamy cheese sauce.
How do I make this recipe vegan or dairy-free?
To make a vegan version, substitute butter with plant-based margarine, use a non-dairy milk like almond or oat milk, and find a vegan cheese alternative that melts well. The technique remains largely the same.
What is the best type of potato to use for this recipe?
Russet potatoes are ideal because their starchy interiors become beautifully fluffy when baked, making them perfect for stuffing and soaking up the creamy cheese sauce.
Final Thoughts
This Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe has quickly become one of my all-time favorite comforting dinners, offering the perfect combo of tender potatoes, vibrant broccoli, and dreamy cheese sauce. It’s approachable, delicious, and bound to become a beloved staple in your kitchen too. So grab those potatoes, and give this recipe a whirl—you’re in for a cozy, cheesy treat that’s just too good to keep to yourself.
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Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Broccoli Cheese Baked Potatoes combine perfectly roasted russet potatoes and tender broccoli florets with a creamy, homemade cheddar cheese sauce. Baked together on a sheet pan, this comforting and hearty dish makes a delicious and wholesome meal or side, bringing together simple ingredients in a satisfying way.
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup milk
- Dash of paprika (about 1/8 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
Baked Potatoes and Broccoli
- 4 russet potatoes
- 2 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Clean the russet potatoes thoroughly, then use a fork to poke 9-12 holes evenly all over each potato. This allows steam to escape during baking.
- Oil and Bake Potatoes: Rub about 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil all over the potatoes to coat them well. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan, season with salt and pepper, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Prepare and Add Broccoli: Toss the broccoli florets with the remaining olive oil just before the 45 minutes are up. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, carefully add the broccoli around the potatoes, and return the pan to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and broccoli is cooked.
- Make a Roux for Cheese Sauce: While the veggies finish baking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbly. Add the flour and whisk together; some clumps are okay.
- Add Milk to Roux: Slowly add about one-quarter of the milk to the butter and flour mixture while whisking to smooth out lumps. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk, ensuring there are no lumps of flour.
- Thicken the Sauce: Heat the mixture gently until it begins to steam and thicken, stirring occasionally. Do not let it boil; this process takes about 6 to 8 minutes. Once thickened, stir in the paprika and salt.
- Add Cheese: Turn off the heat and add half of the shredded cheddar cheese to the hot milk mixture. Let it sit for 10-20 seconds to soften, then whisk until smooth. Add the remaining cheese and whisk until fully combined into a creamy sauce.
- Serve: Slice open the baked potatoes, add the roasted broccoli in the center, and drizzle generously with the warm cheese sauce. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Russet potatoes are ideal for baking due to their fluffy interiors.
- Be careful not to boil the cheese sauce to prevent curdling.
- Freshly shredded cheddar melts better than pre-shredded.
- Adjust seasoning of the cheese sauce to taste, especially salt and paprika.
- For extra crispiness, you can broil the potatoes and broccoli for 1-2 minutes at the end but watch carefully to avoid burning.
