Broccoli Cheddar Beans
Updated April 13, 2026
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Ready In
- 40 min
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
3 (½-inch-thick) slices of bread (any kind)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion (about 12 ounces), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups whole milk
1½ pounds broccoli, florets and stems, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
92 grams carbs; 99 milligrams cholesterol; 877 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 19 grams fiber; 1678 milligrams sodium; 42 grams protein; 15 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Tear the bread into chunks in a range of sizes, 1 to 3 inches or so and add to the pan. Add about one-fourth of the Cheddar to the pan, drizzle with the olive oil and toss it all together so the cheese sticks to the bread as much as possible. Spread the pieces apart and bake, tossing halfway through, until the cheese has melted and the bread is crispy and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a medium Dutch oven or saucepan, melt the butter over medium. Add the onion and garlic and season with ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is slightly softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the flour and the mustard and whisk into the onions for about 30 seconds. While still whisking, slowly pour in the milk so it is absorbed into the flour mixture (take your time here — working slowly and steadily will help to avoid clumps of flour).
- Step 4
Bring the sauce to a simmer, stir in the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. (The sauce might seem very thick at this point, but the broccoli will release its liquid as it cooks, thinning the sauce.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is bright green and just tender, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Step 5
Stir in the remaining Cheddar and once it’s fully melted, stir in the beans. Bring to a simmer and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 6
To serve, ladle the broccoli mixture into bowls. Place Cheddar croutons on top and sprinkle with more black pepper, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Very easy and fast. I added a smidge more mustard, a dash of white wine and a bit of red pepper. Lovely for a weeknight.
@Andrew , I used a frozen bag of broccoli and can confirm it works just fine! The frozen broccoli pieces are just in bigger pieces so when they get soft, I used kitchen scissors and cut them to be smaller.
Would frozen broccoli be okay here? Would it thin the sauce more?
Wondering how this would be with a thinner white sauce. While the ingredients appeal to me, milk/flour/butter ratios seem a bit much.
Loved this as a fast weeknight dinner that I could see making any time of the year. 4/5 on the flavor scale when made as directed; maybe next time I'd add a little cayenne for some sharper heat, or toss in a little grated pecorino Romano. Will definitely be recommending to all my friends with "particular" little eaters.
Not great. Paste-y, way too much mustard, and somehow the broccoli really struggled to cook. Won’t make it again.