Here’s a recipe for an old-fashioned Amish-inspired cheddar broccoli noodle dish. It’s deeply comforting, simple, and made from scratch without canned soups—just a rich, creamy cheese sauce coating tender noodles and broccoli. This is pure farmhouse comfort food.
Amish Cheddar Broccoli Noodles
Serves: 6 as a hearty side, 4 as a main dish
Ingredients
-
Egg Noodles – 12 ounces (wide or extra-wide are best)
-
Broccoli – 4 cups small florets (about 2 medium heads)
-
Butter – 4 tablespoons, divided
-
All-Purpose Flour – 3 tablespoons
-
Whole Milk – 2½ cups, warmed slightly (do not use skim—sauce will be thin)
-
Sharp Cheddar Cheese – 3 cups freshly shredded (reserve ½ cup for topping)
-
Salt & Pepper – to taste (about ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper)
-
Paprika – for finishing (optional, but traditional)
Optional but very Amish additions: ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder (cuts richness), a tiny pinch of cayenne, or buttered cracker crumbs on top.
Instructions
-
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a 2-quart casserole. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
-
Blanch the Broccoli: Drop broccoli florets into the boiling water for 90 seconds—just until bright green and barely tender. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a colander, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and set aside. Keep the water boiling for the noodles.
-
Cook the Noodles: Add egg noodles to the same pot of boiling water and cook until just al dente—about 1 minute less than the package says. They’ll absorb more liquid in the oven. Drain and return to the pot off the heat.
-
Make the Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until it smells nutty but hasn’t browned. Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 4-5 minutes).
-
Melt in the Cheese: Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in 2½ cups of the shredded cheddar, a handful at a time, until completely smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and optional dry mustard or cayenne. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of milk; it will thin a bit when mixed with the noodles.
-
Combine: Add the blanched broccoli to the pot with the drained noodles. Pour the cheese sauce over everything and fold gently with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning—this step is crucial for a well-seasoned dish.
-
Assemble & Top: Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish. Dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter (small pieces over the top), sprinkle with the reserved ½ cup of cheddar, and dust lightly with paprika.
-
Bake: Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly at the edges and the top is golden. For a crunchier top, switch to the broiler for the last 2 minutes.
-
Rest & Serve: Let the dish sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce set so it doesn’t run.
Why This Works & Amish Roots
This is a “from-scratch” version of what many church cookbooks call “broccoli casserole.” The Amish and Mennonite versions rely on a simple béchamel (butter, flour, milk) turned into a cheese sauce, rather than canned soup. It’s often brought to potlucks or served alongside a ham or roast chicken.
Let me know if you’d like a stovetop-only version for a faster weeknight side.