Best Ever Buttery Broccoli with Cheese (Betty Crocker or Oven)

I love making this insanely good buttery broccoli recipe in the Betty Crocker pizza maker – but you can do it in the oven too! Even the kids devour this. When you’re done, try making some delicious zucchini latkes too. This post contains affiliate links.

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I can’t stand when people say “Oh, my kids love this!” I always think – well, good for you! Your kids probably eat spinach too. Well, here I am doing the same.

If I’m perfectly honest, I had to BEG them to try it. My older kids are starting to warm to broccoli in general, but this one they devour. It’s really a kid-friendly recipe, and a bit less diabetic friendly. But it’s not sugary sweet. A drizzle of honey to complement the butter goes a long way, and this is like broccoli crack.

While I make this for dinners year-round it’s also perfect for Chanukah or Shavuot where the tradition is to double down on dairy!

How to Cook your Buttery Broccoli

In the Betty Crocker Pizza Maker

This originated from a mixture of “how can I get my kids to eat some greens” and “how can I get dinner on the table in minutes” issues. So I made it in the Betty – and it came out delicious.

The Betty Crocker pizza maker that I used has a pretty high temperature (I find it similar to frying). I think it’s officially about 450°F. While it’s close to roasting temperatures in the oven, it’s directly in contact with the food. This allows the liquids that drain off to dissolve quite quickly.

I find that it comes out so good like this and is ready in about ten minutes from frozen! It’s definitely my best way to make it – so do it that way if you can. It’s moist and soft, with a hint of sweet, and packed with cheesy flavor.

In the Oven

There’s no reason you can’t make this in the oven! The biggest drawback: you’ll probably want to defrost and drain the liquid first. I do it in a covered pan, and do it at 425 for about an hour. It’s more of a soft cooked recipe than a roasted one, and that’s the idea. My kids are averse to crispy edges and this recipe doesn’t need it.

While I used mozzarella, if you use parmesan and open it for the last ten minutes, you’ll get crispy deliciousness if that’s what you’re after.

In the Air Fryer

I haven’t done this in the air fryer – mine is dedicated to meat dishes – but I’d imagine it would be delicious. The texture would be very different – dryer and crispier. It also wouldn’t sit in the butter as much as you’re cooking it, so you’ll likely get less butter and more salty flavor, but you can also melt butter and toss it for the last few minutes.

I would recommend first melting the butter with the other ingredients. and tossing it thoroughly with the broccoli if you plan to air fry it.

Tips for prepping and serving buttery broccoli

Can you Make Buttery Broccoli in Advance?

I hate answering this question but I get it, I always have the same. Obviously it’s yummiest fresh!

But the truth is, you can prep it a couple of days in advance – it’ll last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. But if you’re crisping it at all, you’ll lose that. If not, it’ll be quite delicious still if not totally fresh.

Cooked vegetables tend to not freeze very well. It’ll get mushy and lose its delicious texture. It’s very simple to prep so you really don’t need to advance freeze.

What to serve with buttery broccoli and cheese

I usually make this as a healthy addition to a pasta dinner. It goes great with rice as well, and is the perfect vegetable side for a salmon dinner.

I plan to serve it alongside potato latkes, an assortment of pastas and salads, and salmon sushi cups at our Hanukkah party.

Buttery Broccoli with Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 oz frozen broccoli (you can, of course, scale this up. If making more than 48 oz/ 2-24 oz bags, just double the other ingredients)
• 1/2 stick butter
• Drizzle of honey
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese
• Season it well – I use salt, pepper and a good spice mix in addition (such as Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning salute)
• A Betty Crocker pizza maker

Process

1. Line your Betty Crocker with parchment paper.
2. Put in your broccoli and cut pats of butter to place all over it.
3. Drizzle on honey and season it.
4. Close your Betty Crocker and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes, checking frequently after the 5 minute mark.
5. Turn it off when it’s still bright green but just starting to crisp at the edges.
6. Sprinkle Mozzarella on top and cover the Betty Crocker for another few minutes until the Broccoli is very soft and cheese is melted.

Enjoy it fresh! Try topping it with crispy onions, parmesan, or whatever you think will complement it!