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Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Casserole with Garlic Butter Pretzels. A mix between the coziest bowl of broccoli cheddar soup and a savory biscuit-topped cobbler. This dish is creamy, filled with broccoli, and topped with salted pretzel rolls. Cook everything together in a big skillet, add cheese, and finish this off in the oven. Simple, but so delicious. The perfect weeknight casserole!
It’s really no secret, but wow, I love a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup. Probably more so than chicken noodle. A creamy broccoli cheddar soup is hard to beat. I grew up loving Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl. To this day, it really is my type of comfort food.
When fall rolls around, I always think back to what my family would eat when we lived in Cleveland.
It was a lot of chicken and rice, a lot of tacos, and every so often my mom would make her Sunday pot roast or casserole. But then sometimes on the weekend, mom and I would head to Panera for a warm bowl of soup.
Today’s casserole is a combination of two favorite “old school” comfort food dinners, soup and casserole.
On the bottom, we have an incredibly creamy broccoli cheddar soup with extra broccoli. And on the top, there are salty, addicting soft pretzel rolls.
Here are the details
Start with the pretzels. I used my basic soft pretzel dough, only I cut the recipe in half for a smaller portion. I also used instant yeast to ensure the process was speedy.
Start by mixing the dry ingredients with the wet, then let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
While the dough is resting, make the broccoli soup.
Start with the basics. Cook your onion, then add a touch of butter, garlic, fresh thyme, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne.
At this point, pour in the broth and broccoli. Then simmer until the broccoli is tender. Once the broccoli has cooked, mix in the milk and stir in a handful of cheese until creamy.
This is when you can transfer everything to a casserole dish if needed/desired.
Now, going back to the pretzel dough, roll the dough into about 8 balls.
Once the pretzels are shaped, boil them in water mixed with baking soda. The baking soda in the water helps the pretzels achieve that soft, chewy texture we all love so much!
Then brush with a beaten egg and place the rolls right on top of the broccoli. Put everything into the oven. Bake until the cheese is melty and the pretzels on top are golden. As soon as you pull the dish out, finish the rolls off with melted butter and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt or pretzel salt.
The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious cheesy crust with buttery, salty soft pretzels baked right on top!
And the middle is creamy and delicious, like a thickened-up broccoli soup. It’s a wonderful combination.
We all love this dish, a truly special dinner.
Looking for other easy back-to-school recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
One Skillet Street Corn Chicken Enchilada Bake
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Casserole with Garlic Butter Pretzels, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Casserole with Garlic Butter Pretzels
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 856 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Pretzels
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 egg, beaten
- pretzel salt (for sprinkling)
Casserole
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- kosher salt and black
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Combine the flour and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water and 3 tablespoons butter. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot 15-20 minutes.2. Meanwhile, make the casserole. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 3. Heat the olive oil, butter, and onion in a large, oven-safe skillet with sides. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour, garlic, paprika, and cayenne and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the broth until smooth. Add the broccoli and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.4. Stir in the milk and 2 cups of cheese until melted and creamy. Let cook 5-10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. If needed transfer the mix to a casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. 5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.6. Remove the pretzel dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Add the baking soda to the boiling water. Boil the pretzels, 4 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon, then place on top of the broccoli. Brush each roll with a beaten egg, sprinkle with salt. Bake until the broccoli is bubbling and the pretzels are golden, 25 minutes. 7. In a bowl mix 1 tablespoon melted butter with 1 clove grated garlic and the thyme. Brush the rolls with garlic butter. Top enjoy!
Hi! This is my first time making any sort of pretzel and I was wondering if I needed to make any adjustments to your recipe for altitude? I am in Genesee, CO @ 7850 ft. Thank you!! I absolutely love your recipes. I usually prepare 3 each week! 🙂
Thanks so much for making so many recipes Carly!! You can follow this recipe as written, no adjustments needed:) xx
A lot of work but omg. So so good
You make us look good with your amazing recipes
Thanks
Hey Cathy,
Awe thanks so much!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xT
What a Fun fall cozy meal. it was so fun to make, loved the pretzels! Thank you for yet another hit!
Thanks so much Suzanne!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) xT
Recipe is terrific, really loved it. Couple things missing from the recipe though—how much oil and butter do you add to the onions? I used 2T of each, seemed right proportion for the amount of flour. Also, where’s the “garlic butter” mentioned in the recipe title. I swear I read the recipe a couple times, if I missed these items I promise I’ll go get my prescription checked! 🤣🤣
Also missing is when to add the thyme. Assuming it’s with paprika and cayenne, but didn’t realize it until I saw the bottle sitting out from my prep and was like…. Oops, definitely forgot to add that!
The thyme is added in step 7:)
Hey Annie,
Happy Monday!! 👻 I am so glad this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a lot for trying it out! 2 tablespoons is great, sorry I will fix the garlic butter part:) xT
Great recipe! Perfect for a fall afternoon. I did take a shortcut and used prepared pizza dough- delicious!
Hey Tracy,
Perfect!! Such a great idea to use the pizza dough as a short cut! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed:) xx
This was SO GOOD. The most flavorful broccoli cheddar I’ve ever had. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!
Hey Abby,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! 🍁🍂
If you wanted to add rice, at what step would you put it in?
Hi Amanda,
Adding rice is going to totally change this recipe for you, you’ll need extra liquid and to allow extra time for baking. I haven’t tested it with this recipe so I can’t say for sure the exact instructions. Let me know if you give it a try! xx
I made this for dinner tonight. I added chicken for extra protein. It was very tasty but I’m not too keen on the pretzel buns. My husband loved it all.
Hi Billie,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) Happy Friday! xT
Outstanding! I used the immersion blender to blend the broccoli and chicken broth a little bit before adding the milk and cheese. That way I could call it soup instead of casserole in front of my teenager. Pretzel buns still “floated” on top and browned nicely. Well done!
Hi Kim,
Amazing!! Such a great idea to use the immersion blender, thanks for trying the recipe out!! Happy Friday! xT
SO FREAKIN’ GOOD. Thank you!!
Hey Ash,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! 👻
Making this for the family but I don’t have that fancy mixer…any tips on how to make the pretzels without one?
Hi Miriam,
Just mix with a wooden spoon and knead by hand until the dough is smooth. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Loved this!!! Made it immediately when I saw your Insta story. Absolutely loved this. Perfect for a fresh fall day, tasted unreal and super easy to follow. Thank you for this!!
Hey Aleksia,
Perfect! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
This was SO GOOD! One of the best dishes I have ever tasted. Defintely adding this to our rotation.
Hi Anji,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! 👻
Loved this casserole! However recipe doesn’t tell what to do with the beaten egg.
Thanks so much Karen!! So sorry for any confusion, I added the egg, it’s used in step 6. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Oh my… so glad I found this! Immediately added it to next week’s meal plan, and I’m sure I’ll be back here the next day giving it 5 stars. And T, thank you for all the work you put into testing, cooking, staging, and photographing food for us. Sure, it’s your job and you’re compensated for it… but still, we all work and no one is free of making mistakes. I’m so sorry for all the hate you get. Please know that many of us appreciate you. You make our lives easier and more delicious.
Geez, people… sear, chop, and add chicken if you want to. Just sounds like some tasty added protein to me but you decide what you want. That’s just you cooking as another famed internet chef would tell you. I think you all need to watch a little Chef John. There are TONS of recipe sources on the internet but only a percentage put in the time and effort to be SURE the recipe is tested and approved. Tieghan is one of those glorious few… but if you continue to be trollish, the people like T who actually care, will care less, and we’ll lose the best sources we have. Think a little people, and do a little research if needed. Google is your friend and any soft pretzel recipe worth it’s salt will tell you that YES, soft pretzels are basted with an egg wash before baking. Bonus tip from a home baker that’s been baking frequently for over 20 years… brush the rolls with the egg, then add your flaky salt and extra cheese before baking. The egg will act like glue, keeping the toppings on, and the rolls and cheese will brown beautifully.
Sorry for losing it a little there. And as for the actual reason I’m writing this… How much would you increase the chicken broth if you wanted to throw a cup of dry orzo into this?
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for reading through the recipe, I am so glad you are excited to give it a try! I hope it’s delish and I appreciate your kind message! 🤍 I would increase the broth by another 1/2 cup. Let me know how it turns out! xx