While Cracker Barrel officially suspended the controversial remodel of its comfy, nostalgic dining rooms back in September, there are still a lot of things left to miss, including on the menu. The restaurant is known to have a sizable list of discontinued items that left diners way too soon. Dishes like the Strawberries ‘N Cream French Toast and Frosty Mugs were absolute fan favorites, but haven’t graced the restaurant’s menus in years. This holiday season, however, Cracker Barrel is bringing back a beloved side dish: the Broccoli Cheese Casserole, which has been made available again for a limited time starting on October 21.
While the casserole’s return is definitely going to be celebrated by its fans, a lot of people don’t realize that it was never completely discontinued to begin with. Just like the changing seasons, the Broccoli Cheese Casserole comes and goes. It was originally introduced as a new premium side back in 2021, alongside the then-new Cinnamon Roll Pie and Huckleberry Tea. It returned as a limited-time offering in October 2022, and then was made part of the restaurant’s seasonal holiday menu in 2023 and 2024, with each passing year helping it build its reputation as a fan favorite.
With the casserole making yet another return for Cracker Barrel’s 2025 holiday menu, it’s safe to assume that it’s going to be around for a while — just not year-round. For those who really love the side dish, however, that nearly year-long wait between casserole season is going to feel like an eternity. In fact, those who weren’t aware it was a seasonal item were disappointed to see it “gone” so soon, with some even mourning its disappearance from menus.
Why Cracker Barrel’s Broccoli Cheese Casserole is so beloved
While it might be best to avoid ordering broccoli at Cracker Barrel on a regular day, it turns out that putting it in a casserole solves a lot of its problems. In the beloved seasonal dish, broccoli and fluffy white rice are slathered in cheese sauce. The top of the dish is then coated with buttery cracker crumbles and baked until it becomes a steaming hot bowl of comfort — a hearty, melt-in-your-mouth mix of creamy, savory, and salty, with just enough freshness from the broccoli and crunch from the crackers to provide contrast in each bite. In short, it’s a combination of textures and flavors that just work really well together. It also helps that broccoli cheese casserole is a Southern classic; Ree Drummond has her own take on the dish, as do Paula Deen and pretty much every Southern mom.
Since Cracker Barrel’s Broccoli Cheese Casserole is available only for a limited time, you might want to skip ordering another beloved Cracker Barrel casserole and instead grab yourself a serving (or five) of the holiday menu item while you still can. If it’s your first time going to a Cracker Barrel, make sure you brush up on some first-timer ordering tips and treat yourself to some of the restaurant chain’s hidden gems. The variety of great dishes you can get is worth ordering a little too much food for, and a lot of them make for excellent to-go items, anyway.
