Broccoli Cheese Soup
Turn a few simple ingredients, into a delicious meal the whole family will love with this cheesy, veggie packed Broccoli Cheese soup recipe.
Why make Broccoli Cheese Soup?
We are a soup family! During the cold Minnesota months, we all love a bowl of hot soup served with a loaf of crusty bread to warm us from the inside out. Soup is the ultimate comfort food.
I have several easy soup recipes in my back pocket, and this homemade broccoli cheddar soup is one of our favorites. I do a creamy broth, with salty cheddar cheese, and pack it with vegetables: broccoli, carrots and onion.
It’s filling, relatively heathy and it really hits the spot. My youngest daughter always requests that I save a little as leftovers so that she can take it in her her thermos for school lunch the next day.
Ingredients for Broccoli Cheese Soup
- fresh broccoli florets
- onion
- carrots, finely diced or shredded
- chicken broth (like this one or this one)
- half and half
- chicken bouillon cube
- butter
- flour
- salt and pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese
How do you make Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Using a sharp knife, dice half a cup of yellow onion.
Finely dice 2-3 carrots (you’ll need 1 cup diced). Tip: I like to use my food processor to get a nice, small dice. You could also use shredded carrots if you prefer.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 6 T of butter and sauté the onion and carrots over medium heat until onion becomes translucent.
Whisk in 3T flour.
Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth, and 1.5 cups of half and half.
Give everything a good stir and drop in the chicken bouillon cube.
Roughly chop 1.5 cups broccoli florets and add them to the pot.
Stir in 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Note: its important to shred your own cheese as pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that prevents it from melting well and could make your soup clumpy.
Sprinkle 1/4t black pepper and 3/4t salt into pot. Note: I use course salt. It using table salt, use less.
Simmer 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until broccoli becomes tender.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a little extra shredded cheddar on top.
How to store leftover soup
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat, simply pour into a small pot an reheat on stove over medium heat until warmed through.
Can you freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup?
Yes. When stored correctly, soup freezes and reheats extremely well making it an easy recipe to make ahead of time. I like to double this recipe and freeze half. That way I can pull it out of the freezer and reheat for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.
Check out my step by step process for freezing soup here.
FAQs
Is this recipe similar to Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup?
This is not a Panera copy cat recipe, but yes, this soup is similar. They also add carrots to their version and a cheesy, creamy texture. Try serving soup in a bread bowl for a true Panera experience.
Is this soup vegetarian?
Because I use chicken stock in the broth, it is not. You could swap the chicken broth and bullion cube for vegetable broth instead if you prefer.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh broccoli?
If using frozen broccoli, be sure to defrost broccoli and pat it dry before adding it to soup. You want to remove all access liquid from broccoli so it doesn’t water down your soup.
What can you serve with Broccoli Cheese Soup?
- crusty bread and butter
- side salad
- ham or turkey sliders
- fresh fruit
- veggies and ranch dip
- Turkey wrap like this one or this one
Bonus Recipes
Looking for other easy soup recipes? Try these:
Chicken Noodle Mac n Cheese Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cheese grater
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 soup ladle
Ingredients
- .5 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup carrots chopped, approx. 2-3 carrots
- 6 T butter
- 3 T flour
- 3 cups chicken broth like this one or this one
- 1.5 cups half and half
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1.5 cups broccoli roughly chopped
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp salt I use course salt, if using table salt, use less
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, dice half a cup of yellow onion.
- Finely dice 2-3 carrots (you'll need 1 cup diced). Tip: I like to use my food processor to get a nice, small dice. You could also use shredded carrots if you prefer.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 6 T of butter and sauté the onion and carrots over medium heat until onion becomes translucent.
- Whisk in 3T flour.
- Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth, and 1.5 cups of half and half.
- Give everything a good stir and drop in the chicken bouillon cube.
- Roughly chop 1.5 cups broccoli florets and add them to the pot.
- Stir in 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Note: its important to shred your own cheese as pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that prevents it from melting well and could make your soup clumpy.
- Sprinkle 1/4t black pepper and 3/4t salt into pot. Note: I use course salt. It using table salt, use less.
- Simmer 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until broccoli becomes tender.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with a little extra shredded cheddar on top.
