She is always surprising us with something we would never expect! Bonnie’s Carrot Casserole is a new way to look at an old favorite. Carrots… everyone loves them, but what can you do to jazz them up? Well, Bonnie came up with this great casserole, adding those sweet little orange cubes to tender onions, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy sauce, and then loaded it all up with a buttery cracker crumble-parmesan topping. She is a genius! Bonnie’s Carrot Casserole is the perfect addition to your sides and a great way to showcase those carrots. She’s so smart and has great taste, too… she really knows her carrots!
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 3 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- water, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 (8-ounce) package sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the topping:
- 1 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Coat an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3 –In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the carrots and enough of the water to just cover them.
Step 4 –Cover the Dutch oven and bring the carrots to a boil.
Step 5 –Cook the carrots until they are just tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 6 –Drain the carrots well.
Step 7 –In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Step 8 –Add the onions and the garlic to the melted butter and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the flour to the onion-garlic mixture and cook, while stirring constantly, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the milk to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Step 11 –Transfer the onion mixture from the stovetop to a wire rack.
Step 12 –Add the cheddar cheese, the salt, and the black pepper and stir until the cheese has melted.
Step 13 –Add the cooked carrots to the cheese sauce and stir until well-combined.
Step 14 –Add the carrot mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Step 15 –In a medium bowl, add the crushed crackers, the parmesan cheese, and the remaining melted butter and stir to combine.
Step 16 –Evenly sprinkle the cracker mixture over the top of the carrot mixture.
Step 17 –Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Step 18 –Transfer the carrot casserole from the oven to the wire rack and let it stand before serving, about 10 minutes.
Step 19 –Serve.
