This cheesy broccoli recipe is made with a simple cheese sauce that’s ready in minutes and perfect for drizzling or dipping.
*Originally published 8/2014. Updated 4/2025*
Hi Friends!
Today I’m sharing a simple cheese sauce for broccoli that the whole family will love! Recently my 8 year old has started eating broccoli. While she doesn’t yet enjoy it raw or roasted, she will eat a few pieces of steamed broccoli with her dinner. I’ve been looking for ways to make it a bit more exciting since we have yet to find a salad dressing she loves.
Enter cheese sauce! This traditional cheese sauce for broccoli is the perfect way to make broccoli, or other vegetables, more appealing to kids! This recipe is easy to make and super versatile so you can make a batch and serve some with veggies and some with chips!
If you’re looking for more ways to use broccoli check out these 20+ Easy Broccoli Recipes. And find even more ideas in this post for Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes.
Quick cheese sauce for broccoli ingredients
To make this simple sauce you just need a few simple ingredients:
- Butter
- Flour – You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed
- Milk – I use 2%
- Cheddar cheese – use your preference of mild, medium or sharp
- Seasonings – salt and garlic powder
How to make cheesy broccoli
To make this recipe:
- Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
- Sprinkle with flour.
- Slowly add milk, whisking constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add cheese, garlic powder and salt.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve with broccoli prepared however you like it- steamed, roasted, sauteed, etc.
Can you make this a no butter cheese sauce?
Yes! In fact when I originally posted this recipe years ago, I used olive oil instead of butter and it works great!
Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes
If you’re looking for more kid-friendly recipes, check out this post: Quick & Easy Vegetable Recipes. Or try these Maple Glazed Carrots – just omit or decrease the hot sauce.
Broccoli Cheddar Sauce Recipe
Here’s how you make it:
PrintCheesy Broccoli
This cheesy broccoli recipe is made with a simple cheese sauce that’s ready in minutes and perfect for drizzling or dipping.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp flour (you can use gluten-free flour if needed
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (i use medium cheddar)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (more if needed)
- broccoli prepared as you like it!
Instructions
- In a pan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir to combine.
- Slowly add milk, whisking constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add cheese and spices.
- Stir until melted and let thicken 2-3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve with or pour over vegetables and serve immediately.
Cheesy broccoli FAQs:
Can I make cheese sauce for broccoli without milk?
The milk is a critical ingredient in this particular recipe. If you’re looking for low lactose, cheddar cheese is naturally low in lactose and you can use lactose-free milk.
What’s a good substitute for butter in cheese sauce?
You can substitute oil for butter in this recipe.
How do you make a light cheese sauce for vegetables?
To lighten this recipe a bit, use skim milk. I don’t like using low-fat cheese in sauces but you could try. You could also try this Skinny Cheese Sauce from Cabot.
Can I use plant based milk in cheese sauce?
Although I haven’t tried it myself, you could try replacing the cow’s milk in this recipe with soy or almond milk. Or try this creamy vegan cheese sauce or this easy vegan nacho cheese sauce.
What’s the best cheese to use for broccoli cheese sauce?
Cheddar cheese is used in many traditional cheese sauce recipes. You could also try Gouda, Fontina or Asiago or even Colby Jack for a more mild flavor.
How can I thicken cheese sauce without flour?
You can use cornstarch to thicken the sauce if you don’t want to use flour. Or try this Easy Flourless Cheese Sauce or this Creamy White Cheese Sauce without Flour.
Can I meal prep cheesy broccoli in advance?
I do find this cheese sauce is best served immediately after making. To save time, you could prepare the broccoli in advance and then quickly whip up the cheese sauce when it’s time to eat.
How do I reheat broccoli with cheese sauce?
If you’re going to reheat the cheese sauce, I would not drizzle it on the broccoli. Save what you don’t eat separately in a glass container and then reheat at half power in the microwave, stirring frequently.
Cheesy Broccoli – Perfect for picky eaters!
What to serve with cheesy broccoli
If you’re looking for main dishes that pair well with cheesy broccoli, try:
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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I’m totally trying this / I love love love all cheese and cheese sauces and this looks really easy!
I’m such a big cheese lover and always like have cheese with broccoli! This looks so delicious!
I like the olive oil idea! It makes the recipe lighter than usual cheese sauces!
Cheese sauce over broccoli brings me back to my childhood. 🙂
haha it’s a childhood memory for my hubby too!
Some spices or herbs would match well with the cheese
Like chili powder, etc
I agree. I like to use spicy hummus for a spice factor but if I use plain, I think paprika would be great!
As though broccoli couldn’t get any better…..love it.
Yumm! Nothing goes better with broccoli than cheese! 🙂
Kyle LOVES cheesey broccoli – but his family always made it with Velveeta. We’ll need to try this!
major upgrade 😉
Brocolli and cheese are a perfect pairing!
I love, love, love broccoli; although, Justin isn’t always a fan. I think if I smothered it in cheese though, he may change his mind! 😉 Sounds wonderful!
sounds like a perfect plan to me!
I always use butter for cheese sauce too – I’ve never even though to use olive oil! This looks great though!
One of my families favorites!! Total comfort food!
yum! i do love me some EVOO.
Preparing for motherhood–how to get the kiddos to eat veggies 🙂
you know it girl!
There is no better way to eat broccoli 🙂
This looks delicious! I was just saying yesterday night how my favorite way to eat broccoli is with cheese! haha
perfect timing!
I haven’t had broccoli and cheese in so long! Totally going to try this.
Umm … yum!
I love broccoli with cheese sauce … can’t wait to try your version!
i will have to try that…does it have olive taste though?
not that i noticed! i used a very light flavored olive oil. i just tasted cheese 🙂
Oh, that cheese sauce looks so good!
Looks great. I wonder if you could use almond milk and Daiya for a vegan (lactose free) version.
never know til you try!
I love broccoli with cheese 🙂
Yum, I would have never thought of using olive oil in a cheesy sauce… great idea!
I made this last night but with a couple of substitutions for me:
I sauteed half a small onion and 2 cloves of garlic (finely diced) instead of powder
I used Havarti Cheese
It was sooo good! Glad I found this recipe for a butter-less sauce before the others cause my family couldn’t get enough!
awesome! so glad to hear it!
I allso added mustard +3 different types of onions ,love my cheese sauces
I just made this cheese sauce for college football game-time nachos (Go Huskers!; playing in Ireland against Northwestern). The sauce tastes great! I used an 8 oz block of roasted tomato/black pepper Cheddar/Gruyere (grated at home). I had to adjust the milk quantity significantly, adding at least another cup to get the sauce to the “thick” stage for a cheesy bechamel. If you prefer a thinner cheese sauce, consider a different ratio fat:flour:milk. The ratio for typical smooth bechamel is 2:2:1 (fat:flour:milk). Like I said, this cheese sauce is very tasty, plus it skips the butter in favor of heart healthy olive oil which leaves you a little wiggle room for using a great cheese (not so heart healthy)! My husband loved it!
Thanks, Lindsay!
Cheesy broccoli just became our favorite veggie side—quick, easy, delicious.