Broccoli and Carrot Cheese Bake

Name: Broccoli and Carrot Cheese Bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 9 servings.
Cuisine: Comfort Food Recipes, Comfort Food Side Dishes, Comfort Food Vegetarian Recipes
Ingredients: 2 cups thinly sliced fresh carrots; 2 cups fresh broccoli florets; 3 large eggs; 2 cups 2% milk; 1/4 cup butter, melted; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese, divided; 6 cups cubed egg bread

A creamy sauce flavored with cheese makes vegetables so much more appealing to my crowd. This holiday side dish will please even the pickiest veggie-phobics. It uses vegetables that are available year-round, so it works for Easter as well as winter holiday meals. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced fresh carrots
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 large eggs
2 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese, divided
6 cups cubed egg bread

Directions

Place carrots and broccoli in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, butter, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Stir in vegetables and 1 cup cheese. Gently stir in bread.
Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead: This recipe can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 261 calories, 16g fat (8g saturated fat), 122mg cholesterol, 428mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 13g protein.

Originally published as Broccoli and Carrot Cheesy Bake in Taste of Home Christmas Annual 2012

Reviews

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Average Rating:

recipehound54

Apr 20, 2014

I took this to an Easter potluck today and it was well-received. It was a nice change from the standard plain veggie dish. I like the fact that the two main vegetables are not seasonal and that the ingredients are pretty standard. I microwaved the carrots/broccoli mixture to save time and I used skim instead of 2% milk. I think that you could reduce the amount of butter slightly and save calories without sacrificing taste. I wasn't able to find egg bread so I just used a dense Vienna-type bread. I would like to try using whole wheat bread next time to make it a little healthier. If I could find a Swiss cheese that was a reduced fat variety I might try that to lighten up the fat and calorie count a little. Taste was very good; the nutmeg added a different taste and didn't overpower the dish. While I used it as a side dish; it could be a very filling meatless main dish, paired with a green salad and some fresh fruit for dessert.