Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a thick, creamy comfort food recipe loaded with tender broccoli florets and plenty of melty cheddar cheese.

This easy homemade soup comes together in just 35 minutes, making it perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or a quick cold weather lunch.

The buttery onion base, chicken broth, milk and seasonings create a rich, savory soup that tastes like it simmered much longer than it actually did.

Serve it with crusty bread, biscuits or in a bread bowl for the full cheesy soup experience.

Why This Recipe is a Winner!

• Ready in 35 minutes: This recipe comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights or an easy lunch.
• Simple ingredients: You only need basic pantry and fridge staples like butter, onions, flour, broth, milk, broccoli and cheese.
• Perfect for cold weather: This is the kind of warm, comforting soup that hits the spot on chilly days.
• Great with bread: Serve it with crusty bread, biscuits, garlic toast or in a bread bowl for an extra satisfying meal.
• Family friendly: Creamy, cheesy soup is an easy way to get everyone excited about broccoli.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Butter: Creates the rich base for the soup and helps cook the onions until soft and flavourful.
• Yellow onions: Diced yellow onions add savoury flavour and a little sweetness to the creamy soup base.
• All purpose flour: Used to thicken the soup and give it that hearty, creamy texture.
• Chicken broth: Adds depth and savoury flavour to the soup. Use your favourite store-bought broth or homemade if you have it.
• Milk: Helps create a smooth, creamy soup without making it too heavy.
• Onion powder and garlic powder: These simple seasonings boost the flavour of the soup base.
• Salt and pepper: Bring out the flavour of the broccoli, cheese and creamy broth.
• Broccoli florets: Chopped broccoli florets are the star of the soup. Chop them into smaller pieces so they cook quickly and are easy to scoop up in every bite.
• Shredded triple cheddar cheese blend: Adds bold cheddar flavour and melts into the soup for that rich, cheesy finish.

Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.

Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don't miss out on any important tips and tricks!

Step By Step Instructions

Once the butter was melted, I added some diced onions to the pot.

Then I added some all purpose flour to the pot.

After three minutes, I added some chicken broth to the pot.

Then I added some milk to the pot.

Then I added some onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pot.

Then I added some chopped broccoli florets to the pot.

I left the soup to simmer over medium heat for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently.

I stirred the cheese into the soup.

Every spoonful is thick, creamy and packed with tender broccoli and melty cheddar cheese.

It’s the kind of cozy soup that feels extra satisfying with a chunk of crusty bread for dipping.

If you are looking for an easy broccoli soup recipe, then you need to try this Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

• Chop the broccoli small: Smaller pieces cook quickly and make the soup easier to scoop up in every spoonful.
• Cook the flour mixture for a few minutes: Letting the butter, flour and onion mixture cook helps remove the raw flour taste and gives the soup a better flavour.
• Whisk the broth in slowly: Add the chicken broth gradually while whisking so the soup base stays smooth and lump-free.
• Stir often while simmering: This helps prevent the creamy base from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Remove the pot from the heat before adding cheese: Cheese melts best when the soup is hot but not boiling, which helps keep the texture smooth and creamy.
• Use freshly shredded cheese if you prefer a smoother melt: Bagged shredded cheese works well for convenience, but shredding it yourself can make the soup extra silky.
• Taste before serving: The saltiness can vary depending on your broth and cheese, so give the soup a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use vegetable broth: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make the soup vegetarian-friendly.
• Try a different cheese: Sharp cheddar, white cheddar, marble cheddar or a cheddar Monterey Jack blend can all work well in this soup.
• Add carrots: Stir in shredded carrots or finely diced carrots with the broccoli for extra colour, flavour and texture.
• Make it extra cheesy: Add an extra handful of shredded cheddar at the end if you want an even richer soup.
• Use half and half: Replace some or all of the milk with half and half for a creamier, more decadent soup.
• Add cooked bacon: Crumbled bacon makes a delicious salty topping or mix-in.
• Blend part of the soup: Use an immersion blender to blend a small portion of the soup if you want a thicker, smoother texture while still keeping some broccoli pieces.
• Add a little heat: Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
• Serve it in bread bowls: Turn it into a restaurant-style meal by serving the soup in hollowed-out bread bowls.
• Use frozen broccoli: Frozen broccoli florets can be used in place of fresh. Chop them smaller if needed and simmer until tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to remove the pot from the heat before adding the cheese?

• Removing the pot from the heat helps the cheese melt smoothly. If the soup is boiling when the cheese is added, the texture can become grainy.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

• Yes, but it is best served fresh. If making it ahead, reheat it gently over low heat and stir often so the creamy base stays smooth.

How should I store leftovers?

• Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

How do I reheat broccoli cheddar soup?

• Reheat the soup in a pot over low to medium-low heat, stirring often. You can add a splash of milk or broth if it has thickened in the fridge.

Can I freeze broccoli cheddar soup?

• Creamy cheese-based soups do not always freeze well because the texture can change when thawed and reheated. For best results, enjoy this soup fresh or refrigerate leftovers for a few days.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Yield: 4 people

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a thick and creamy soup recipe loaded with broccoli florets and cheddar cheese.

4.5 Stars (206 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 10 oz broccoli florets, chopped
• 3 cups shredded triple cheddar cheese blend

Instructions

1. Dump the butter into a large pot over medium heat.
2. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onions to the pot.
3. Cook the diced onions until they are translucent.
4. Add the flour to the pot and stir well.
5. Continue cooking the flour, butter and onion mixture for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add the chicken broth to the pot and whisk until a thick mixture forms.
7. Add the milk to the pot and whisk well.
8. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pot and whisk well again.
9. Add the chopped broccoli florets to the pot and stir them into the soup.
10. Leave the soup to simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
11. After 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese to the pot.
12. Stir the cheese into the soup.
13. Serve and enjoy!

Recommended Products

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  Kraft Finely Shredded Natural Triple Cheddar Shredded Cheese (8 oz Pouch)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 799Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 34gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 2177mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 33g

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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