Description
Veggie Casserole brings comfort straight from my kitchen to your dinner table, packed with garden-fresh vegetables and a creamy, cheesy embrace that feels like a warm hug. Simple ingredients blend together for a hearty side dish that turns ordinary weeknight meals into something special.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed buttery crackers or breadcrumbs
Supportive Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
Seasoning and Binding Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to 375F (190C) and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. This prevents any sticky situations.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in 1 diced medium onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, cooking until they release their aromatic magic for 3-5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables and 2 cups broccoli florets to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon paprika. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup cream of mushroom soup and ½ cup sour cream until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the cream mixture over the vegetables, stirring gently to coat every single morsel. This creates a luxurious base for your casserole.
- Fold in 1 cup shredded cheddar and ½ cup mozzarella cheese. The melty goodness will bind everything together beautifully.
- Transfer the vegetable and cheese mixture to your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly to create a perfect layer.
- Create the crispy topping by mixing 1 cup crushed buttery crackers with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle this evenly across the top of the casserole.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375F (190C).
- Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes until the top turns golden brown and crispy.
- Pull the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the bubbling hot mixture to settle and makes serving much easier.
- Serve directly from the baking dish, scooping out generous portions for your hungry family to enjoy.
Notes
- Swap out vegetables based on what looks fresh at the market to keep the casserole seasonal and interesting.
- For a gluten-free version, replace crackers with crushed gluten-free breadcrumbs or cornflake crumbs.
- Chop vegetables into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and a consistent texture throughout the dish.
- If feeding vegetarians, substitute cream of mushroom soup with a vegetarian cream soup and add extra cheese for protein.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg