Creamy Broccoli & Bacon (2024)

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BY Karina | 49 Comments

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Creamy Broccoli & Bacon in aGarlic Parmesan sauceis a delicious broccoli recipe and side dish!

Pan fried broccoli and crispy bacon are baked in a cheesy creamy parmesan garlic sauce topped with bubbling mozzarella. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli is guaranteed to convert ANY non-vegetable lover to fall head over heels! And bonus? It’s Keto approved andlow carb!

BROCCOLI

With the Brussels Sproutsversion doing the rounds all over the place, a lot of readers have been writing in asking if they can change the sprouts to broccoli. The funny thing is, this is a recipe I grew up with and pretty much one of the only ways we loved broccoli.

She would make a white sauce from scratch with butter and flour, etc, but to keep us sane in a low carb world, I’ve altered the recipe slightly for gluten free and low carb followers. Also, this version is so much easier.

WHAT YOU NEED

This broccoli recipe has everything you love!

Bacon ✔
Butter✔
Garlic✔
Cream✔
Mozzarella Cheese✔
Parmesan Cheese✔

HOW TO COOK BROCCOLI

Fry the bacon in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crispy.
Use some of the bacon fat for added flavour to cook the onion.
Scrape up any browned bits leftover from the bacon and add the broccoli.
Sautégarlic with the broccoli for until fragrant.
Pour in the cream, add the bacon back in.
Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and broil until cheese is bubbling and golden.

TENDER-CRISP BROCCOLI

The way you cook your broccoli is a personal thing and this recipe is really forgiving in that way. Simmer it in the cream sauce for only 2-3 minutes before broiling in the oven. Remember, the longer you cook it, the softer it gets.

SOFT BROCCOLI

For softer broccoli, simmer for at least 6 minutes in the sauce before broiling. You can also cover with a lid for a minute or two to ensure softer broccoli pieces.

CREAM SAUCE

No flour or béchamel sauce needed. For readers using a reduced fat or light cream, you have the option to thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water before adding into the sauce). However, if you use heavy cream you won’t need to thicken it. Just simmer it until reaching your desired thickness.

You can also swap out mozzarella cheese for other cheese. Some options include Provolone, White Cheddar, Gruyere, or even Swiss.A pimped out version of Broccoli Cheese Soup.

BROCCOLI RECIPE ON VIDEO!

MORE BROCCOLI RECIPES

Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Mongolian Beef And Broccoli
Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pumpkin Alfredo

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli & Bacon is an unforgettable side dish! Pan fried broccoli and crispy bacon are baked in a cheesy creamy parmesan garlic sauce! Topped with bubbling mozzarella, this recipe is guaranteed to convert ANY non-vegetable lover to fall head over heels! And bonus? It’s low carb!

PRINT SAVE

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Serves: 8 people

Ingredients

8 ounces (250 g) bacon roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion diced
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 1/2 cups (400 ml) light cream (or for a richer sauce, you can use heavy or thickened cream)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water cornstarch slurry
1 pound (500 g) broccoli florets, from 2-3 broccoli heads -- stems removed
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 cup fresh shredded or grated mozzarella
1/3 cup fresh shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat broiler (on medium heat of you have the option).
Fry the bacon in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate to soak up some of the oil. Set aside.
Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons for added flavour (adjust this amount to your liking). In the same pan, melt the butter, add the onion and cook until transparent (about 2 minutes), while scraping up any browned bits leftover from the bacon. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper and cook while stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until just turning vibrant in colour.
Add in the garlic and stir it through the broccoli for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the cream, reduce heat down to low and let simmer for about 3-4 while stirring occasionally, or until the sauce thickens to your liking* (SEE NOTES)
(If sauce is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry to combine.)
Add the bacon and give everything a good mix to combine all of the flavours together. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Broil until cheese is bubbling and golden, and broccoli is done to your liking (about 2-3 minutes).
Season with a little extra pepper, if desired, before serving. You can also sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, thyme or rosemary.

Notes

*For tender-crisp broccoli, simmer it in the cream sauce for 3 minutes before broiling in the oven. Remember, the longer you cook it, the softer it gets.

*For softer broccoli, simmer for at least 5-6 minutes in the sauce before broiling. You can also cover with a lid for a minute or two to ensure softer broccoli pieces.

Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Jamie says
January 03, 2024 at 11:00 am

Hands down, best broccoli ever!!!! Love this recipe, thank you!!!
Reply
Kasey says
April 30, 2022 at 5:10 am

This is one of our absolute favorites! It is so so good I make it once a week. Easy and delicious, thank you! 🙂
Reply
Charlene Kennedy says
February 25, 2022 at 1:55 am

Recipe looks delish! Is the nutrition per serving or for the whole dish? I recently started Keto and found some awesome recipes on your site. But I see that this recipe has 8 carbs (7 net carbs) which seems like a lot for me for a side… unless its for the whole dish! Thanks!
Reply
Erin says
January 12, 2021 at 1:34 am

Made this twice in the past two weeks. So so delicious and a hit. No leftovers….. everyone wants the recipe!! Highly recommended.
Reply
Sheila says
November 18, 2020 at 10:51 am
It was delicious. I’ll recommend this to a lot of my friends. Love i
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