Ree Drummond's Broccoli And Cheese Casserole Gets A Yummy Twist With This Ingredient Tip

Ree Drummond is best known as the star of Food Network's "The Pioneer Woman." She built her brand around cooking some of her favorite comfort food recipes for her family on her Oklahoma ranch, so it's no surprise that she's the queen of casseroles. A traditional casserole is nothing more than one that's made in a casserole dish. Its ingredients can vary widely. When Drummond wants to prep a cozy casserole, she turns to one important ingredient: Ritz crackers.

Specifically, Drummond crushes Ritz crackers and uses them as both a topping and a filling in her broccoli and cheese casserole. Drummond revealed on her blog that adding the Ritz crackers directly into the casserole turns it into somewhat of a "stuffing" texture, offering not only flavor but an appealing, comforting mouthfeel, too. Of course, the crackers also make an appearance as a crumb topping, and they set into the top as the casserole is baked. Should you try Drummond's recipe, it's important to know that there's a reason Ritz crackers are so perfect here: they're buttery and salty, offering a rich, savory flavor. Plus, they crumble easily, so it's no hassle to add them in.

Maybe you can't find Ritz crackers or prefer not to use them. Regardless of the reason, the concept remains the same no matter what cracker type you choose. For that buttery richness, you can also toss unseasoned breadcrumbs in salted butter, toast them, and season them with a little additional salt to mimic a similar flavor.

Saltines aren't as rich as buttery crackers, but they're savory, so they'll work in a similar way; oyster crackers would get the job done, too. For both of these options, it wouldn't hurt to crumble and coat them in melted butter before tossing them in with the casserole to further imply the Ritz flavor.

Finally, for the ultimate salty add-in, try crushing potato chips; it's a genius use for the snack. Kettle cooked chips tend to be less greasy and might work better for this purpose, though standard potato chips are fine, too. Since the broccoli and cheddar casserole already has cheese in it, you can also crush cheddar-flavored potato chips. Sea salt, salt and pepper, or even sour cream and onion chips would work with this casserole's flavors, too.