Those of you reading this my age and older may remember when the first President Bush railed against broccoli. He didn’t like it and, as President, wasn’t going to eat it. So there!
But I have always liked broccoli and as I get older I think I like it more and more. Cheesy broccoli was always a favorite when I was a child. Yes, it’s healthier not drenched in thick processed cheese, but when you are a kid and the choice is no broccoli or cheese-smothered broccoli, I think the latter is better than nothing.
A lot of Amish gardeners grow their own broccoli and then it makes its way into salads, casseroles, and even soup.s
Today's recipe is super, super easy. The Amish woman who gave the recipe to me actually called it "broccoli souffle" and she is, technically, correct. Easy Amish Broccoli Casserole is an example of the telephone game when it comes to recipes. Perhaps, early on, this recipe had more of a souffle component. The dictionary defines souffle as: dish that is made from a sauce, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, and a flavoring or purée (as of seafood, fruit, or vegetables) and baked until puffed up. And the New York Times offers a primer on making souffle here.
But the reality is with this dish, nothing really puffs up. Don't get me wrong, this is a delicious basic broccoli casserole and the eggs add a nice flavor and texture. But somewhere along the line it lost the souffle component and the recipe name has been changed to be better reflect what this is: an easy Amish broccoli casserole.
This recipe has just a few very basic ingredients, true to Amish cooking.
Flour, cottage cheese, broccoli, eggs, yeah, that is basically it. I mean, a few other ingredients, but, basically, there you go.
Some cheese goes into it, and then on top of it. And it really bakes well and is a nice, tasty casserole. Very basic. A perfect addition to any meal. I just wouldn't call it a souffle!
Well, I'll be candid, for those who look closely at the photo, the top of the casserole got over-baked. Long story, but, yeah, over-baked. Still, it was good...very good, I just didn't think burnt would look very appealing, so I covered the top with extra cheese. But if some of it looks a little burnt, that is why!
By the way, for the cheese...the recipe, oddly, says "4 ounces of American cheese." Wasn't quite sure what that meant, so I bought 8 ounce package of shredded Velveeta cheese. I didn't know there was such a thing. But I suspect you could use any variety of shredded cheese you want and this will work fine.
🥦 Easy Amish Broccoli Casserole
8 ounces of cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 package of frozen, chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
3 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 ounces of American cheese
salt and pepper
onion to taste
📋 Instruction
- Place cottage cheese in a mixing bowl.
- Add eggs and stir, then add broccoli.
- Sprinkle flour on top and mix well.
- Add butter and stir in some of the cheese.
- Season with salt, pepper, and onion to taste. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake 1 hour at 375 in buttered casserole dish.
🥦 More Amish Broccoli Recipes
🖨️ Full Recipe
Easy Amish Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cottage cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 package frozen, chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces of American cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons onion chopped
Instructions
- Place cottage cheese in a mixing bowl.
- Add eggs and stir, then add broccoli.
- Sprinkle flour on top and mix well.
- Add butter and stir in some of the cheese.
- Season with salt, pepper, and onion to taste.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake 1 hour at 375 in buttered casserole dish.
Leave a Reply