Broccoli Gratin
This popular Broccoli Gratin combines Swiss and Parmesan cheese for a delicious low-carb side dish for a special meal. And this recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, but make it any time you want a special version of broccoli and cheese!
PIN this low-carb Broccoli Gratin try it later.
Through the years there have been some definite Thanksgiving side dish favorites on the blog, and this low-carb Broccoli Gratin is a dish I’ve made over and over. And Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes, don’t you agree?
I love this cheesy broccoli side dish that’s definitely fresher-tasting and lower in carbs than the canned soup version of Broccoli with Cheese Sauce that quite a few people in my family still like. And if you’re looking for a carb-conscious vegetable option for Thanksgiving, I think Broccoli Gratin recipe is going to be a hit with just about everyone.
And I bet it’s going to become a favorite if you have a family that likes cheesy broccoli! In fact, this year I am going to my sister Val’s for Thanksgiving and this is what she requested for me to bring! Hope you will try it some time too.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- broccoli
- Swiss cheese
- mayo
- lemon juice (I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice)
- Dijon mustard (affiliate link)
- black pepper
- green onions
- Parmesan cheese
What is a Gratin?
A Gratin is a dish where food is topped with a browned crust that usually contains cheese, breadcrumbs, or butter. I’ve become a huge fan of cheesy gratin dishes like this, and don’t think any breadcrumbs are needed!
Can you use other types of cheese for Broccoli Gratin?
If you don’t like Swiss Cheese or have other cheese on hand, you can use any white cheese that melts well for this recipe.
Can the Broccoli Gratin be made ahead?
I haven’t made this Broccoli Gratin too far ahead, but you can definitely blanch the broccoli and store it in the fridge for the day while you prepare the rest of the meal. Let the broccoli come to room temperature before you bake.
Want more low-carb options for Thanksgiving?
- 25+ Low-Carb Holiday Side Dishes, Appetizers and Salads
- Low-Carb and Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Keto Broccoli Recipes for Thanksgiving
- Low-Carb and Keto Brussels Sprouts Recipes
- Ten Low-Carb Winter Salads for Holiday Dinners
Easy Instructions for Broccoli Gratin:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Blanch the broccoli just two minutes minutes in boiling salted water, then drain well.
- Mix together grated Swiss cheese, mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, and finely chopped green onion to make the cheese topping.
- Put drained broccoli in a low-sided glass or crockery casserole dish, then spread the cheese topping over the top.
- Sprinkle the finely grated parmesan over the top.
- Bake about 30 minutes, or a little longer if you like it well-browned like I do. Serve hot.
- I hope this will become a Thanksgiving tradition in your family!
More Low-Carb Broccoli Recipes:
- Roasted Broccoli with Soy Sauce and Sesame Seeds
- Broccoli Salad with Feta and Almonds
- Roasted Broccoli with Garlic
- Sweet and Sour Broccoli Salad
- Pan-Fried Broccoli with Pine Nuts and Parmesan
Broccoli Gratin
This Broccoli Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan cheese is a great option for a an easy and delicious Thanksgiving side dish.
Ingredients
- 8 cups bite-size broccoli flowerets
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Swiss cheese
- 8 T mayo
- 1 1/2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 3 T finely chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil while you trim broccoli and cut into small flowerets. (I leave on a fair amount of the stem, but if stems are thick I recommend peeling some of the stem with a vegetable peeler.)
- When water starts to boil, put broccoli in and cook exactly 2 minutes (just until the broccoli turns bright green.)
- Immediately dump broccoli into a colander placed in the sink and let drain well.
- Spray a low-sided glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
- Put broccoli in casserole dish, spreading out into close to a single layer.
- Stir together mayo, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and black pepper, then mix in finely chopped green onion and finely grated Swiss cheese.
- Spread mayo-cheese mixture over the top of broccoli (I used a rubber scraper to do this. This is not a sauce that will completely cover the broccoli, but a thin layer of cheese sauce on the top.)
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over mayo-cheese mixture.
- On Thanksgiving Day, this could be made ahead up to this point and kept in the refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before baking.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top. (I baked the broccoli gratin in the photos for exactly 32 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe adapted slightly from A Pinch of Salt Lake (affiliate link).
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 241Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 27mgSodium 235mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 5gSugar 3gProtein 10g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
All the ingredients in this Broccoli Gratin are low-carb foods, making this a better choice for low-carb and Keto diets than many traditional Thanksgiving vegetables. This recipe is relatively high in fat which won’t matter to low-carb eaters, but if you’re following the original South Beach Diet, it’s probably a “once-in-a-while treat”.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Holiday Recipes for more Thanksgiving ideas. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for broccoli baked with a creamy cheesy gratin tipping was first posted in 2008, and it’s been popular every year at Thanksgiving time. It was last updated with more information in 2024.
104 Comments on “Broccoli Gratin”
I like the content of this recipe but as a Swede I have problems with your measurement. I have a slight ideaa of how to convert into dl, cl and ml or grams and kg. But please let me know what T means – a tin? I’m totally lost there! I will try to make this my way with a very popular Swedish cheese named after a north province: Västerbotten, usually used together with crayfish in pie or at our popular hard ryebread.
I’m sorry that was confusing for you, the capital T means tablespoon in all my recipes. Google is telling me that is about 15 ml.
My brother traveled to your country about 2 months ago and absolutely loved it there! It’s on my bucket list for sure!
This was super easy to make and delicious. Great to be able to make ahead and pop in oven later.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. This is one of my personal favorites!
I used frozen broccoli and sharp cheddar. I could eat this every night it was that good.
Glad you liked it!
So good!! I could eat the whole thing myself!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed!
Thanks for the reply! That sounds like good advice. I’ll try it and let you know!
I made this tonight, and it was delicious! Do you know if the recipe can be doubled or if it’s very important that the broccoli be spread out in a single layer? I’d love to make it for Thanksgiving, but we need more servings, and I can’t sacrifice more oven space to a second pan!
I’m not sure how well it will work to double it and make a thicker layer. I worry that the thick sauce won’t run down well enough (which wouldn’t taste but but some broccoli might not have much sauce. If you want to try doubling, I’d recommend you mix half the sauce with the broccoli, then layer the rest of the sauce over the top. (And maybe increase the sauce ingredients by a little more than half.
I’d love to hear how that works if you try it!
Excellent. Added a bit of cream and seasoned salt.
Glad you liked it!
Cooked this tonight! It was amazing!
Thanks Malissa; glad you liked it!
Looks Amazing! Can’t wait to try it – My kids love broccoli as much as I do – I hear this is rare:)
Hope you enjoy Heather! And yes, you are LUCKY to have broccoli-loving kids!
That broccoli looks delicious, I just want to devour it off the screen! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This broccoli gratin with swiss and parmesan looks so zesty and tasty! Absolutely love your creative idea! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like it; enjoy!
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I had tried many recipes with Broccoli.But this is something new to me!
Thanks for it Kalyn
Hope you enjoy!
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A deliciously healthy choice for a Thanksgiving side dish
Glad you like it!
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I am a huge fan of cheese veggie gratins. My family will love this broccoli version! Thank you for linking up to my recipe, Kalyn!
My pleasure Anna, glad you like it!
This is my first recipe using broccoli and it was really amazing! I also read below and tried using broccoli and cauliflower. Thanks a lot!
So glad you enjoyed it! I need to try the broccoli-cauliflower combo!
This was so good almost better than the skillet chicken cordon bleu I served with it!. We have started keto again this week. We were very successful last year losing 40lb each in less than 4 months. At 50 years old I became pregnant for the first time in my life. I went on to have two miscarriages in 10 months. As sad as that was regaining the 40 lb is a constant reminder. So heres hoping we are sucessful and can make a lifelong change from eating so many carbs. Oddly when I was pregnant all I wanted was carbs, crunchy carbs. I couldnt stomach most vegetables either. It has taken 4 months for me to get to the place where I could get back to eating vegetables and start to cook again. Easy successful recipes like this make my transition so much easier. I didnt have enough swiss cheese so I used mozzerella instead. But I will try the swiss and even cheddar to go with many entrees.
Oh Michelle, so sorry to hear about that. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe and that it can help you get back to healthy eating!!
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Is there anything you could substitute the mayo for? I am not a fan of mayo at all unfortunately.
I haven’t tried it with anything else, but maybe sour cream would work. I can’t say for sure, but would love to know what you think if you try it.
Could this be made the day before?
I haven’t done it, but I think you could cook the broccoli, drain well, cover with the gratin topping, and the cover and refrigerate and finish baking the next day. You need to let it come to room temperature before you bake, or add a little more time in the oven. Love to hear how it works, I can’t think of any reason why it won’t!
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I hate broccoli but in combine with Swiss cheese and Parmesan i hope it will be tasty. Thanks for sharing Kalyn!
I had tried many recipes with Broccoli.
But this is something new to me!
Thanks for it Kalyn 🙂
Hope you enjoy Edgar!
This is a go to recipe for big family dinners. I use a combo of broccoli and cauliflower.
I like that idea Lori! So glad you have enjoyed it.
This looks really good! I'm just curious why you say 8T instead of 1/2 cup?
Cici, who knows, but probably because I was increasing it to a larger size so I just doubled the amounts and didn't think to make the conversion.
I haven't tried it with frozen broccoli, but I don't think it would be nearly as good. The frozen broccoli seems like it will get too soft in a recipe like this. You could try it with a shorter cooking time and see what you think.
Can you use frozen broccoli? It's not in season here, yet. Thank you!
Kit, so glad you liked it. I love the blend of cheeses you used!
This was winner today at a church lunch. It was almost gone before I had a chance to get a serving. I used a combination of cheddar and Gruyere along with the Parmesan cheese. So delicious. Thanks for this great and simple recipe.
Barbara, I haven't. I like the creaminess of "real mayo" mixed with light mayo.
Have you made the recipe just using the light mayo?
this recipe is making my mouth water!! I love creamy broccoli dishes!
My family has requested it for Thanksgiving this year!
had this for supper last night….none left. YUM!
RJ, glad you liked it!
This was just delicious! I did nuke the broccoli,covered in the microwave for a few min.rather than pot boil.Other than that followed exactly. Keeper! Thanks Kalyn;o)
Glad to hear the mobile version is fast, it's a special mobile view enabled by Blogger.
Greetings from Florida! I'm bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your site on my iphone during lunch break. I love the info you present here and can't wait to take a look when I get home. I'm shocked at how fast your blog loaded on my mobile .. I'm not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, amazing blog!
Lori, so glad you have liked this one so much. It's also one of my favorites. Glad you're enjoying the blog.
Okay, I have to jump in here because I have just made this again for the 50th time. We love it! I do use half broccoli and half califlower. I don't even measure any more, just a dab of this and a splash of that, turns out perfect every time.
Just wanted to let you know that you are my "go to" place when I am looking for a tasty, low carb, recipe. Just tried your almond Parmesan crusted talapia yesterday and it was delish! Thank You!
Lori
Elaine, so glad you liked it. I do like the idea of half and half broccoli and cauliflower!
Just made this tonight after finding it on Pinterest. So good! Next time, I will do half cauliflower and half broccoli 🙂
Thanks for a great recipe!
Kristin, glad you liked it and what fun to have half broccoli and half cauliflower.
I made this last night (split the pan, Cauliflower on one side and Broccoli on the other). I used half light sour cream and half mayo and manchego for the cheese. Also topped it with some black olives. It was yummy!
Tara, glad it was a hit and I do like the idea of using partly sour cream. I'll try that version next time I make it.
Made this tonight for my family and they LOVED it! This is definitely going on the weekly rotation! Cut the richness with a couple tbsp of sour cream (maybe 4 mayo, 2 sour cream?)
Alice, so glad you enjoyed it!
I just found this recipe as I was searching for something quick & simple to cure my craving for something cheesy w/ broccoli, and preferably without a can of Campbell's soup. This fit the bill perfectly! I didn't have swiss, but used sharp cheddar, and I had to use frozen broc since I ran out of fresh & the price has gone through the roof the past couple of weeks. This was super easy & yummy. I ate some leftovers the next morning re-heated and with a scrambled egg on top. Yum!
Thanks for sharing this recipe – I just made it last week for my family’s Christmas Eve dinner. I was nervous as we all love broccoli but hate mayo, but this was delicious! My only complaint is that when we reheated it the next day, the broccoli had gone mushy.
This looks positively addicting! 🙂
Kristen I never mind if someone adds a link to my blog. I don’t add blogs until I’ve followed them for a while, but I’ll start reading your blog too.
oh yum. looks so good. good thing it’s broccoli season at the farmers market right now! i’m adding you to my blogroll, if you don’t mind. you have so many good recipes, and i love that you adapt them to be healthier than the original. thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
kristen
What a tasty way to enjoy broccoli.
I love broccoli and cheese. This looks like a great recipe and I’ll definitely be making it. Thanks. 🙂
This looks awesome. Broccoli and cheese – whats not to love.
Thank you for the recipe. My children love, love, love, broccoli. It looks wonderful. I’ve printed out the recipe and will let you know how it goes!
~ingrid
Even with us being in the middle of summer, this looks delicious!! Thx for sharing your recipe!
I love this idea – I always want to serve broccoli, but I struggle with ways to make it just a little more interesting, and more of an “event.” This is perfect!
Just when I’m getting tired of my ol’ broccoli recipe, I find an awesome tasty one on your site. This looks like a meal in itself. Yum.
Kalyn, I just dropped by your blog and so surprised witht the change in WHb! So sad I was unable to participate int he three year birthday. but a huge congratulations from me ans a big thank for all your effort for the last few years!!! 🙂 WHB is always my favourite event!
This looks awesome! I love broccoli, and this looks fantastic. I bet I can even adapt it to make it vegan – even better! Thanks for a great suggestion to help me enjoy Thanksgiving without gaining 10 pounds!
This looks delicious and I love broccoli and I love gratin.
Now that looks just delicious, I could eat some right now. Which reminds me it’s “supper time “….
Hi! The brocoli and cheese looks yummy but I am just worried about my waist line 🙂 But will try this recipe anyway. Thanks.
Patty, enter “whole wheat stuffing” into the search box to find my recipes. Or click the link in this post for other year’s Thanksgiving ideas.
That looks yummy! I will have to give this one a try. I’m debating about what to do for Thanksgiving food wise, and this might make a great veggie dish. But, I LOVE stuffing and potatoes. Do you have any ideas for those? I was thinking do away with potatoes entirely, and use whole wheat to make the stuffing…
. . . and I think this might just lend itself pretty easily to those little round green balls, brussels sprouts as well. This looks great!
This looks delicious! I already love broccoli but baked with cheese like this…a sure winner!
broccoli, cheese – what’s not to like?? I am definitely bookmarking this!
Oh heavens this looks good.
Broccoli, cheese, mayo — much better than canned soup!
WOW! That looks SO delicious!!!
Thanks everybody! I just ate some leftovers from this for lunch and even after being in the fridge for 3 days, it was still delicious!
looks wonderful
Nice touch with the Dijon to bring the topping together and avoid the flour.
Casseroles like these make fall more bearable.
Looks wonderful and I am sure that the taste matches!!! Thanks for sharing
I’m guessing this dish is one that will appeal to the kids in your family, and what a great way to get them to eat broccoli! Yes, it’s a little bit rich for everyday, but a special occasion calls for a tiny bit of indulgence.
Ooooh, broccoli, cheese – what’s not to like?? I am definitely bookmarking this!
I love broccoli with cheese, so I will be making this recipe real soon!I’ve been reading your site for a couple of months and all of your recipes are so tasty looking.
Love the cheese in this one! What a great way to flavor up veggies!
this looks and sounds wonderful!