Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli & Bacon is a delicious broccoli recipe and side dish!
Pan fried broccoli and crispy bacon are baked in a cheesy creamy parmesan garlic sauce topped with bubbling mozzarella. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli is guaranteed to convert ANY non-vegetable lover to fall head over heels! And bonus? It’s Keto approved and low carb!
Broccoli
With the Brussels Sprouts version doing the rounds all over the place, a lot of readers have been writing in asking if they can change the sprouts to broccoli. The funny thing is, this is a recipe I grew up with and pretty much one of the only ways we loved broccoli.
She would make a white sauce from scratch with butter and flour, etc, but to keep us sane in a low carb world, I’ve altered the recipe slightly for gluten free and low carb followers. Also, this version is so much easier.
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Ingredients for Broccoli Casserole
This broccoli recipe has everything you love!
- Bacon ✔
- Butter ✔
- Garlic ✔
- Cream ✔
- Mozzarella Cheese ✔
- Parmesan Cheese ✔
How To Cook Broccoli
Fry the bacon in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crispy.
Use some of the bacon fat for added flavour to cook the onion.
Scrape up any browned bits leftover from the bacon and add the broccoli.
Sauté garlic with the broccoli for until fragrant.
Pour in the cream, add the bacon back in.
Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and broil until cheese is bubbling and golden.
Creamy Sauce
No flour or béchamel sauce needed. For readers using a reduced fat or light cream, you have the option to thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water before adding into the sauce). However, if you use heavy cream you won’t need to thicken it. Just simmer it until reaching your desired thickness.
You can also swap out mozzarella cheese for other cheese. Some options include Provolone, White Cheddar, Gruyere, or even Swiss. A pimped out version of Broccoli Cheese Soup.
Prefer tender-crisp broccoli?
The way you cook your broccoli is a personal thing and this recipe is really forgiving in that way. Simmer it in the cream sauce for only 2-3 minutes before broiling in the oven. Remember, the longer you cook it, the softer it gets.
Do you prefer soft broccoli?
For softer broccoli, simmer for at least 6 minutes in the sauce before broiling. You can also cover with a lid for a minute or two to ensure softer broccoli pieces.
CREAMY BROCCOLI ON VIDEO!
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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli & Bacon is an unforgettable side dish! Pan fried broccoli and crispy bacon are baked in a cheesy creamy parmesan garlic sauce! Topped with bubbling mozzarella, this recipe is guaranteed to convert ANY non-vegetable lover to fall head over heels! And bonus? It’s low carb!
- 8 ounces (250 g) bacon roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (400 ml) light cream (or for a richer sauce, you can use heavy or thickened cream)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water cornstarch slurry
- 1 pound (500 g) broccoli florets, from 2-3 broccoli heads -- stems removed
- Salt and pepper to season
- 1/2 cup fresh shredded or grated mozzarella
- 1/3 cup fresh shredded or grated parmesan cheese
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Preheat broiler (on medium heat of you have the option).
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Fry the bacon in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate to soak up some of the oil. Set aside.
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Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons for added flavour (adjust this amount to your liking). In the same pan, melt the butter, add the onion and cook until transparent (about 2 minutes), while scraping up any browned bits leftover from the bacon. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper and cook while stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until just turning vibrant in colour.
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Add in the garlic and stir it through the broccoli for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the cream, reduce heat down to low and let simmer for about 3-4 while stirring occasionally, or until the sauce thickens to your liking* (SEE NOTES)
(If sauce is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry to combine.)
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Add the bacon and give everything a good mix to combine all of the flavours together. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Broil until cheese is bubbling and golden, and broccoli is done to your liking (about 2-3 minutes).
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Season with a little extra pepper, if desired, before serving. You can also sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, thyme or rosemary.
*For tender-crisp broccoli, simmer it in the cream sauce for 3 minutes before broiling in the oven. Remember, the longer you cook it, the softer it gets.
*For softer broccoli, simmer for at least 5-6 minutes in the sauce before broiling. You can also cover with a lid for a minute or two to ensure softer broccoli pieces.
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Adriana Alfaro says
Made this last night as a main dish as part of my low carb diet. It was delicious! I used heavy cream and so didn’t need the cornstarch slurry and it came out just fine. I didn’t have to make any adjustments to the recipe. Really easy to throw together and I have leftovers for lunch! This site is continuing to be my go-to for new recipes.
Tausha says
What is the serving size for the nutrition facts you have listed? I made this and I absolutely love love love it. Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe!
Karina says
Hi Tasha,
About a cup.
TRINA M ROUFS says
Just made this for Christmas dinner and everyone loved it. On here to print off copies to send home!
Katie says
How do you think this would pair on top of a baked potato?
Karina says
Deliciously! YUM!
Celisa says
Can I use milk instead of cream??
Karina says
Hello Celisa,
Yes, you can use milk as a substitute but it will not be as thick as it would with cream and it could change how rich it is. Please let me know how it goes. Thanks for following along! xo
Mariko Irving says
As a person who suffers from onion allergies (weird, I know), can the onions be omitted and it still taste fine?
Karina says
Yes! That is not a problem at all. I am so sorry that you have an allergy to onions! It will still taste great! XO
Yuwie says
Can you make this ahead and freeze it? Or at least do everything then broil it?
Karina says
Yes, that should work great! Let me know how it turns out! XO
Marjorie says
I made this dish tonight for dinner with meat loaf And it was fantastic can’t wait to make it again
NORMA AGUILAR says
What cream did you use?
Susan Wagoner says
What kind of bacon is it that you use? Is there a certain brand? Does it come in a package already cut up like you have it?
Karina says
I like to use a thick bacon to cook. You can use the precooked bacon if that is quicker. Enjoy! XO
Gayle says
Wow! This is one of the best dishes I’ve ever made! Thank you for creating this and for posting it! It is SOOO good! I know you have it listed as a “side” dish, but I made it as a main dish, so our serving sizes were a bit larger than yours, but oh SO good!!! 🙂
Karina says
That is awesome! I am so glad that you loved it! That sounds so good! Thanks for following along with me! XO
Tara says
How can I. Make this keto friendly? The cheesy bacon broccoli with parmesan & mozzarella?
Shary says
iT’S ALREADY KETO FRIENDLY
Elaine says
This was quite yummy! I halved the recipe because I’m the only one in the house who eats broccoli. Yes, I made it just for myself. I served it over rice pilaf and it became a main course because of the inclusion of the bacon. I only had half and half and that worked just fine in place of cream, along with the cornstarch slurry. I also doubled the Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, of course) because my mozzarella was moldy. Oops! It tasted just fine with the Parmesan alone. I topped it with some fresh parsley and fresh thyme from my garden.
Debbie says
I made this tonight and it was delicious.
Shirley in Fl says
The Brussels Sprouts recipe is wonderful! Can’t wait to show it off for friends. Looking forward to trying the broccoli next. I found that using fresh mozzarella makes a huge difference in sauce. Much creamer & no slurry necessary. Thank you for these great recipes. I Also am crazy for snowpeas. Do you have any suggestions for them?
PB says
Can frozen broccoli be used in this recipe?
Karina says
Yes, that should work out great! Thanks for choosing one of my recipes! Enjoy!
Tiffany says
This was sooooooooo yummy we have started our 5 Star Recipe board with it! We made it with vegetarian bacon so added some oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes. It was lovely. We served it with vego lasagne because hey, you can never have too many cheesy recipes!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Karina says
That sounds awesome! I am so glad that you enjoyed it and it turned out great! Thank you so much for following along with me!
Kevin Oates says
I’m having trouble locating the ingredients and instructions for the broccoli, garlic, Parmesan, and bacon recipe. Please help because I would love to make this. Thank you!
Karina says
Hi! I’m so sorry about this. It seems to be a technical issue on mobile only and we are working on it right now. The recipes are on desktop if you need them urgently! Hopefully we will have all recipes up again soon! Thank you for your patience! Karina X
Fiorella Barnes says
How can you make this keto friendly?
Cynthia Louisos says
I made your CREAMY Brussels sprouts reciepe for company..
Out of this world
DELISH, THANK YOU
CYNTHIA LOUISOS
James Johnson says
Excellent easy meals!