The Vintage Broccoli Casserole That Stole My Husband’s Heart

I got to know my late sister-in-law, KelLee, through her vintage recipe box. The time-worn container—passed down to my husband, Gavin, after her death in 2005—holds a carefully organized collection of recipes. While a few are clipped from newspapers, magazines and coupon books, most are handwritten in swirly cursive on 5-by-3-inch index cards. 

We never got the chance to meet, but every time I flip through the cards, I imagine how we’d be best friends—or at the very least, happy cooking companions. Among the many gems in the box are two copies of Grandma Mollie’s Applesauce Cake, Rosemary’s Hootenanny Pancakes, Sandy Jensen’s Sweet and Sour Meatballs—and Aunt Louise’s Broccoli Casserole, a dish that recently became a staple in our home.

Aunt Louise’s Broccoli Casserole

Aunt Louise’s Broccoli Casserole is so comforting, even Gavin—a proud broccoli hater—loves it. The recipe, shared by his late aunt, features tender broccoli coated with condensed mushroom soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese, then topped with buttery Corn Flakes and baked in the oven until golden and bubbly. On the corner of the recipe card, KelLee wrote one word: “Yummy.” It’s a sweet reminder that the humble dish is worth making.

“Corn Flakes make everything better—even broccoli,” Gavin says. “If you love funeral potatoes like I do, you should make this casserole.”

Gavin says Aunt Louise, his father’s oldest sibling, used to visit their family on Colorado’s Front Range in the summertime. She taught his two sisters how to make Italian dishes like ravioli, recipes she picked up from their Grandma Mollie. “I was really little when she’d visit, so I don’t remember a lot about her,” Gavin says. “But I know she was a good cook.”

To me, this broccoli casserole recipe—a crowd-pleasing side that comes together quickly for a weeknight or a potluck—is a quiet tribute to Aunt Louise’s culinary legacy.

How To Make Aunt Louise’s Broccoli Casserole

Aunt Louise’s original recipe is loose. It’s just a list of ingredients and a few short notes for directions, almost like she meant it as an invitation to make the casserole your own. I like using melty cheeses like sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack, but honestly, anything you have on hand will work just fine. Gavin likes to stir a teaspoon of garlic or onion powder into the sour cream mixture for a little extra flavor.

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli, cooked and drained
• 1 can (10.5 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups of cheese (pick two of your favorite kinds, such as Cheddar and Monterey Jack or mozzarella and Parmesan)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted (just enough to bind the Corn Flakes) 
• 2 cups Corn Flakes, crushed

Directions

1. Grease a 9×13 dish with cooking spray or butter. Season the broccoli with salt and pepper and pour it into the casserole dish. Combine the cheese, sour cream, and condensed soup and fold the mixture into the broccoli.
2. Combine Corn Flakes with melted butter and sprinkle the topping on top of the casserole. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly.