Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Published Jan 09, 2024
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This creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup is made with tender broccoli florets in a rich, cheesy cheddar broth! Easy to make at home, this comforting broccoli cheddar soup is perfect for chilly nights, cozy lunches, or an easy family dinner.
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Comfortingly rich, this broccoli cheese soup is a bowl of veggie and cheesy goodness that’ll have everyone asking for seconds. It’s so good, it outshines Panera’s version, no questions asked!
Built on the base of my broccoli cheese casserole recipe and broccoli mac and cheese, this creamy soup is made rich with a buttery roux, milk, and chicken broth. Broccoli florets are cooked in the soup, which is then blended into a smooth puree of cozy flavors. Shredded cheddar cheese is melted in just before serving, taking this heartwarming favorite over the edge.
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – You can use salted butter, but you might want to use less salt in the rest of the recipe.
- Vegetables – Yellow onion, garlic (garlic powder would also work), and carrots.
- All-purpose flour – Don’t use whole-wheat flour for this; use only all-purpose. Also, don’t try to use cornstarch as a thickener. It won’t work the same way as the flour.
- Milk – I prefer full-fat milk for the creamiest soup.
- Low sodium chicken broth – Veggie stock would also work.
- Bay leaf – You can leave the bay leaf out if you’d like.
- Broccoli florets – Fresh or frozen broccoli is fine. If you use frozen florets, thaw and drain them before adding them to the soup.
- Seasoning – Ground pepper, nutmeg, and sweet paprika (mild or smoked paprika would also do the trick).
- Shredded cheddar cheese – You could use low-fat or full-fat cheddar, or any other good melting cheese.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Saute the veggies. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the veggies, season with salt, and saute for 5 minutes.
- Make a roux. Add the rest of the butter to the pot and let it melt before whisking in the flour.
- Make the soup. Slowly whisk in the milk, followed by the chicken broth and the bay leaf. Turn the heat to high and bring everything to a boil.
- Add the broccoli. Stir in the broccoli, season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Blend. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. You could also use an immersion blender.
- Make it cheesy. Return the soup to the pot and cook over medium heat for 1 minute before stirring in the cheese. Stir until the cheese has fully melted into the soup.
- Season and serve. Stir in the nutmeg and paprika, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the broccoli cheese soup from the heat and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Whisk it well. When whisking the flour into the butter and sautéed veggies, and then again when whisking the milk into the mixture, keep that whisk moving. If you don’t, the flour will clump up, and you’ll find yourself with a lumpy soup.
- Choose fresh broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets tend to provide better flavor and texture compared to frozen.
- Careful with heat. Cooking with high heat will result in a grainy soup. Keep things super smooth and creamy by cooking this soup over medium (or even medium-low) heat and stirring occasionally.
- Remove the soup from the burner. Once the soup is done cooking, remove it from the heat. Overheating the soup or heating it for too long will cause it to separate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this broccoli soup as a main course with a fresh La Scala chopped salad, or enjoy it as a starter before stuffed flank steak or roasted chicken. And don’t forget some warm, crusty bread for dipping! My homemade focaccia is always a good choice, but I also love this slow cooker bread with basil pesto.
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Broccoli Cheese Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup is the epitome of comfort food! It's wonderfully cheesy, incredibly rich and creamy, and loaded with fresh broccoli in every bite.
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Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 to 3 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 to 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, start with 2 cups and add more, if needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 ounces broccoli florets, thaw if frozen
- 8 ounces low fat shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and salt to the melted butter and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Whisk in the flour. Add the rest of the butter and let it melt. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk until incorporated.
- Stir in the milk and broth. Slowly add the milk and whisk until everything is well combined and there are no clumps. Whisk in the chicken broth, add the bay leaf, and turn up the heat to high; bring the soup to a boil.
- Add the broccoli. Stir in the broccoli florets, season the soup with salt and pepper, and cook the soup over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Blend it. Remove the soup from the heat, then pour it into a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Return the soup to the pot; continue to cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the cheese and stir until melted and completely combined. Stir in the paprika and nutmeg. Taste the soup for salt, pepper, and seasonings, and adjust accordingly.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and let it stand for a couple of minutes. Ladle the broccoli cheese soup into bowls and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Continuously whisk, where applicable, to avoid clumps and ensure a creamy soup.
- Use medium or medium-low heat and stir occasionally for a creamy soup without graininess.
- Remove soup from heat once cooked to prevent separation.
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding milk or cream if too thick, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6090IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 316mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Store & Reheat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- To store. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer the leftovers to the fridge to thaw before reheating.
- To reheat. Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warm, stirring occasionally. If it’s too thick, just stir in a little milk or heavy cream. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until heated through.
This was excellent. We added more cheese on top:).
I also used the stems. I just microwaved them first for 5 minutes and then added with the rest of the broccoli.
Thank YOU! I’m very glad everyone enjoyed it! 🥰