For the best Broccoli Cheese Casserole, start with fresh broccoli and add a creamy cheese sauce that’s made from scratch. Top it off with buttery panko and it will become a holiday tradition that you’ll want to make all year long. You can make this ahead and then just bake for 15 minutes. I’m sure you’re wondering why this is the BEST broccoli cheese casserole, but I promise you that this vegetable casserole is different from the others. Here’s what it doesn’t have: rice, canned soup, gloppy cheese, mayonnaise, or Ritz crackers.