Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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THE BEST broccoli cheese soup there ever was! So creamy, so cheesy. Perfect for those busy weeknights + picky eaters!
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Creamy, velvety, broccoli cheese soup with sneaked in veggies? Yes, absolutely. I am all in. And it is truly the most perfect creamy consistency (with the help of the potatoes) without weighing you down like you’ve just eaten a bowl of queso.
If you want to keep this completely vegetarian, vegetable stock is a great sub for the chicken stock. And if you want an even heartier version, half and half can also be subbed for the heavy cream.
But the most important thing here is to use good quality cheese that has been freshly shredded. It will make all the difference. And be sure to add them a handful at a time to avoid clumps. We do not like clumps here.
When ready to serve, top with additional cheese (if desired) and some crusty bread for dipping purposes.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Use frozen broccoli, potatoes or cheese on hand. This is a great way to repurpose and use up some of those pantry staples in your freezer.
- Freshly grated cheese goes a long way. Add your cheese, a handful at a time, to avoid clumping.
- Make it vegetarian. For our vegetarian friends, vegetable stock is a great swap for the chicken stock.
- Dip the bread. Serve with crusty bread for all the dipping!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Yes! This is a great soup recipe to use up all your frozen broccoli without even needing to defrost.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
We do not recommend freezing this soup as cream soups tend to separate when frozen.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2 cups diced russet potatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 2 cups
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in potatoes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon, mash potatoes until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in broccoli and heavy cream. Cook, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes.
- Stir in cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
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This is definitely the best ever Cheddar Broccoli soup recipe. Give it a go and try it. Won’t be disappointed.
Excellent recipe, quick and easy to make. Thank you.
Easy and delicious
Fantastic recipe ! I skipped the cream and Added more stock.
Top notch! Loved it!
Thank you
Thank you.
Can you freeze the creamy broccoli and cheese
I’ve made this recipe a few times now. Its on repeat at my house. Very delicious.
I have used a number of your recipes but really need to know about the calories. Could you please consider including them? Thank you!
Does this soup freeze well?
So good! Did not mess with it. The recipe was perfect as it is.
I didn’t have heavy cream on hand, so milk had to do.
Used broccoli stock and the slightest amount of Celtic salt with a nice dash black pepper to sweat with the onion at the beginning.
I didn’t see the specified “sharp” cheddar until the end. However, I used just over half of a smaller block of the “Idle of Man” cheddar (from the British idles) which made it jjjust creamy enough (and salty enough). Even though it was not as thick as anticipated, it still turned out good.
Additionally, I plopped some shaved carrots in (I’ll use less of next time so it’s not overpowering) and opted out of the butter for red pepper olive oil instead with a couple drops of basil olive oil too.
I will attempt again, but was still tasty.
Note: The cheese part is pretty important, this cheddar was a wee bit gritty, but hardly noticeable. I’d use sharp cheddar and heavy cream next time, unless you’re watching your weight than try with milk but stick with a hf the sharp cheddar amount instead and cut out the butter with olive oil.
I followed recipe exactly and at end slowly added my freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese and it made entire pot soup all gritty and grainy , why did this happen to my soup ?
Some cheese just aren’t great for Soup, Not all cheddar is made the same, I just an Old Cheddar, though I agree with you on the glorious taste of Sharp Cheddar.
This recipe was easy to follow and so delicious. My whole family enjoyed it. I added a little chicken boullion when I added the potatoes and I fried up some bacon that I crumbled in at the end. Served it with garlic butter sour dough bread. Will definitely make again.
The best DANG CHEDDAR CHEESE BROCCOLI SOUP I’ve ever made .. I will definitely keep it in rotation
Do I assume that 6 servings means 6 cups of soup? Or are the servings larger than a cup? I need to make 6 quarts of soup.
@Diane – if I add up all the cups in the recipe, it looks like it will make maybe a little more than 12 cups. So, doubling it would give you the 6 quarts you’re looking for. If it makes a bit more – bonus!
This is a very hearty soup! A meal in itself! I used a 13″ diameter wok, which I usually use for any dish that requires a lot of space, as this one does.
Here are my notes on my experience of cooking it for the first time:
Two large heads of broccoli are required. I put the broccoli in 5 minutes after putting in the diced potato, but not the cream yet. A little extra boiling water seemed to be needed. Whizzed it up in the blender when done, and returned to the wok. Added crême fraîche, then the cheese – a mixture of mature cheddar, manchego and conte. Topped it off with grated parmesan when serving.
Final note: I’m glad I used the wok. That was a wise move.
My husband & I made this soup. It is absolutely delicious! The recipe is very easy to follow, lots of flavor & the potatoes are a great addition to this soup. Highly recommend. It’s a keeper recipe!
I’d like to try this. I love Cheddar broccoli soup. Could you substitute cauliflower for the potatoes to reduce the carbs? I also plan to add diced carrots.
Really good!!
Yummy soup, I replaced the russet with a white sweet potato and tapioca flour instead of flour. Super tasty gluten free option. Thank you for this recipe.
This is an easy and delicious recipe. It is adaptable and I have made it a couple of times now. I add and adjust my spices and veggies also. It has become an instant fan favorite at my house and I am usually cooking for at least 6 people. I’ve gotten nothing but rave reviews. Thank you for a delicious, nutritious cost effective, easy recipe!!!