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Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

A casserole of broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and cream cheese baked with a breadcrumb and parmesan topping.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 14 ingredients
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Why it works: Cauliflower and broccoli match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 127 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

Oven350°F
Time25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the vegetables

  1. Cook broccoli and cauliflower according to package directions.

  2. Drain well and place in a large saucepan.

  3. Set aside.

Make the sauce

  1. Meanwhile, cook onion in the 2 tablespoons margarine or butter until tender but not brown.

  2. Stir in flour, salt, garlic powder, basil, and pepper.

  3. Add milk and cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

  4. Add cream cheese and stir until cheese melts.

  5. Stir into vegetable mixture.

Assemble and bake

  1. Turn into a 2-quart casserole.

  2. Toss together bread crumbs, cheese, and the 2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter, then sprinkle over vegetable mixture.

  3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

  4. Refrigerate unbaked casserole, covered, up to 1 day, and bake as directed.

  5. Or freeze up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1026Calories
38 gProtein
39 gFat
133 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Milk1 cup (244ml) whole149
Parmesan Cheese1 oz (28g)110
Butter1 tbsp (14g)102
Cream Cheese1 oz (28g)99
Broccoli1 cup chopped (156g)55
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Basil5 leaves fresh (2.5g)1
Chive1 tbsp (3g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Cauliflower + broccolitop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together127 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  2. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together29,058 recipes

    Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

  3. Broccoli + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,072 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  4. Garlic + basiltop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together4,805 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  5. Basil + peppertop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,294 recipes

    Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Cream cheese
Melts into the sauce to add richness and a creamy, smooth texture.
All-purpose flour
Thickens the milk mixture into a smooth, cohesive sauce as it cooks.
Milk
Forms the liquid base of the sauce that binds the vegetables together.
Broccoli and cauliflower
Provide the main vegetable body and bulk of the casserole.
Bread crumbs
Form a crisp, golden topping when baked with butter.

The step that matters

Cook and stir the milk mixture until thickened and bubbly. Flour needs to be heated fully in the liquid to swell its starch and thicken the sauce; stopping early leaves it thin and floury-tasting.

Swap the basil

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cauliflower, broccoli, onion, butter, flour, garlic, pepper):

  1. Capersfits better
  2. Turmericfits better
  3. Parsleyfits better
  4. Basilthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against cauliflower, broccoli, onion, butter, flour, garlic, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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