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Vegetable Casserole, just like mom used to make! Made with frozen veggies, Velveeta, and buttery cracker crumbs, it’s always the first side dish to disappear.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Vegetables: Package sizes may vary, so aim for about 48 ounces total (3 pounds, about 9 cups) of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. To substitute fresh vegetables, blanch them in boiling water until tender, then drain and pat dry. You will need about 9 cups of chopped vegetables.
- Velveeta: If you don’t adore this melty, creamy, nostalgic processed cheese product, substitute homemade cheese sauce.
- Crackers: Or substitute homemade bread crumbs.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower and stir to combine. Microwave uncovered on high until the vegetables are warm, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Evenly place the sliced Velveeta cheese over the vegetables.
- In a medium bowl, add Ritz crackers and melted butter. Toss to combine. Sprinkle over Velveeta.
- Bake until cheese is melted and cracker topping is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 12 (1-cup servings).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The vegetables can be cooked and the casserole assembled a day in advance (even the Velveeta and buttery crumbs). Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
- More vegetables: Substitute your favorite blend or swap in green beans, zucchini, or peas.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! I’ve successfully made this vegetable casserole in a 9-inch by 13-inch foil pan.
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Vegetable Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) bag broccoli frozen (see note 1)
- 1 (16 ounce) bag carrots frozen
- 1 (16 ounce) bag cauliflower frozen
- 1 (16 ounce) package Velveeta sliced (see note 2)
- 1 roll Ritz crackers crushed (see note 3)
- 1/4 cup butter melted (½ stick)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower and stir to combine. Microwave uncovered on high until the vegetables are warm, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Evenly place the sliced Velveeta over the vegetables.
- In a medium bowl, add Ritz crackers and melted butter. Toss to combine. Sprinkle over Velveeta.
- Bake until cheese is melted and cracker topping is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Vegetables: Package sizes may vary, so aim for about 48 ounces total (3 pounds, about 9 cups) of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. To substitute fresh vegetables, blanch them in boiling water until tender, then drain and pat dry. You will need about 9 cups of chopped vegetables.
- Velveeta: If you don’t adore this melty, creamy, nostalgic processed cheese product, substitute homemade cheese sauce.
- Crackers: Or substitute homemade bread crumbs.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 12 (1-cup servings).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The vegetables can be cooked and the casserole assembled a day in advance (even the Velveeta and buttery crumbs). Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
- More vegetables: Substitute your favorite blend or swap in green beans, zucchini, or peas.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is the Executive Chef and CEO of Culinary Hill, a popular digital publication in the food space. She loves to combine her Midwestern food memories with her culinary school education to create her own delicious take on modern family fare. Millions of readers visit Culinary Hill each month for meticulously-tested recipes as well as skills and tricks for ingredient prep, cooking ahead, menu planning, and entertaining. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the iCUE Culinary Arts program at College of the Canyons.
Not a fan of Velveeta cheese, so I use La Preferida Chedder Cheese Sause. Just add a little whole milk and I like to also spice it up with a little cayenne pepper and smokey paprika. Pour over prepared veggies mix top with your cracker topping and bake. Yum!!!
Quick question about the cheese: can I slice cheese from the cheddar cheese block and use that in place of velveeta cheese? Or it has to be some sort of cheese sauce?
Hi Yi, I haven’t tried it with just cheddar alone. It probably would work, but I think a cheese sauce would taste better if you are trying to avoid using Velveeta. – Meggan
I added macaroni pasta (pre-cooked) and a nachos cheese sauce to the other ingredients. It was delicious, we enjoyed and a great way to use up the biscuits crumbs here. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hello Meggan. The 2 cups of homemade cheese sauce is a sufficient amount to replace the velveeta right?
Hi Sunny, yes! – Meggan
This is my favorite vegetable recipe for the colder holidays and for Christmas in July! I’ve even diced up the Velveeta into small pieces mixed in with the veggies and topped it with the Ritz/butter mixture and heated it in the crock pot to not have to use the oven in warm months. It takes a little bit longer but as long as the veggies are hot going in it’s still pretty fast!
I love this recipe! My family loves it, my coworkers love it because I always bring it for potluck and my neighbors love it. And it seriously can’t be easier! Thank you so much for this!
Thanks Bridgette, so glad you all love it! – Meggan
I want to try this recipe for New Years Day dinner. In the comments I see that someone as about a Mayo substitute and another saying they didn’t use the celery. BUT, there is no mayo or celery in the ingredient list. So I’m a little concerned that something might have been left out and the dish might not turn out.
Hi Hilke, my original recipe called for 1 cup of celery and 1 cup of mayonnaise. I updated the recipe and this is absolutely delicious. I hope you try it! – Meggan
Absolutely everyone in the family loves this recipe. And the best part is it’s easy. I use Aldi’s velveeta cheese and buy the 60 ounce bag of mixed veggies at Walmart. I always double the recipe so I have leftovers
Thanks so much Tammy, so glad the whole family enjoys! – Meggan
This actually made frozen mixed vegetables taste good. I added Asiago and omitted celery (yuck lol). But the real coup was using the leftovers for breakfast. I added a shredded potato, an egg and salt and pepper. Made vegetable hash brown patties. They are the bomb.
Is there a substitute for mayonnaise?
Hi Gina, not that I’ve tested and can fully approve. In theory, Greek yogurt “might” work, but I have no idea honestly. Can you tell me if you’re trying to reduce the calories, or what your goal is? I know you probably won’t reply back or visit the site again, but if I know what you’re trying to accomplish I can test some variations and see what happens. Thanks. Sorry about that! -Meggan
There is no mayo in this recipe.
Can this be made in ahead of time?
Can you substitute pinko for ritz cracker crumbs?
Hi Susan, yes, you can definitely assemble it a day ahead and leave it in the refrigerator. I think panko would make an excellent substitute for the Ritz crackers, too! Thanks. -Meggan