Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp butter, diced
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (~6 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped steamed broccoli florets
Bake the Potatoes
Heat your oven to 400F. Pierce each potato several times with a fork – this prevents them from bursting.
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack; I never bother preheating first when doing potatoes. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, ~45 minutes to 1 hour depending on size.
The skin should feel crisp when you press it and give way easily.
Steam the Broccoli
While the potatoes bake, steam your broccoli florets until bright green and tender, ~4-5 minutes.
Drain well and chop into very small pieces – you want them small enough to mix easily into the cheese sauce.
Make the Cheese Sauce
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, and flour; cook while whisking constantly for 1 minute.
The mixture will look like wet sand at first but keep whisking.
While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, ~3-4 minutes.
Once thickened, reduce heat to low and stir in the cheddar cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese melts completely and the sauce is smooth.
Fold in the chopped steamed broccoli and taste for seasoning.
Serve the Potatoes
Cut open each baked potato and fluff the flesh with a fork. Top generously with the warm broccoli cheese sauce and serve immediately.
The sauce will thicken as it cools, so serve it while it’s still warm and pourable.
Baked Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 medium Russet potatoes scrubbed and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp butter diced
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar ~6 oz
- 1 1/2 cups chopped steamed broccoli florets
Instructions
- Cooling/Resting Time: None
- Heat oven to 400F. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and place directly on oven rack.
- Bake 45-60 minutes until tender when pierced and skin feels crisp.
- While potatoes bake, steam broccoli florets 4-5 minutes until bright green and tender.
- Drain broccoli well and chop into small pieces.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add flour, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk constantly for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in milk while whisking. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens, 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.
- Fold in chopped broccoli and adjust seasoning.
- Cut open each baked potato and fluff flesh with a fork.
- Top with warm broccoli cheese sauce and serve immediately.
