Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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The flavors of broccoli and cheese pair really well together in my delicious broccoli cheddar soup recipe. This rich and creamy broccoli soup is the perfect bowl of comfort food, ideal for the cooler days of autumn.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I love cooking soup during the week as it’s simple to prepare. This easy broccoli cheese soup recipe, takes only 10 minutes to prepare, the soup can be cooked and on the table, ready to enjoy, in just 30 minutes. The ideal quick meal any night of the week.

This best broccoli cheddar soup recipe is packed full of flavor, its a soup the whole family enjoy. It makes a great lunch or light dinner option served with a side of crackers or crusty bread.

I like to add heavy cream to the fresh broccoli and cheese, giving the creamy broccoli cheese soup an almost velvety texture. Of course you can adapt the recipe to suit your own tastes, so if you prefer your soup a little lighter you can swap heavy cream for half and half or whole milk.

Broccoli cheddar soup recipe ingredients

• BUTTER: Butter adds great flavor to soup, you can use either unsalted or salted butter, whichever you have in your refrigerator at home.
• VEGETABLES: For the base of the soup I like to use a onion, celery and carrot for depth of flavor.
• GARLIC: I add freshly minced garlic to the soup. Fresh garlic has the best flavor but you can use garlic puree in a pinch.
• FLOUR: all purpose flour is added to thicken the soup.
• BROTH: for flavor I add chicken broth, but you could also use vegetable broth in this soup.
• BROCCOLI: I use 2 whole stalks of broccoli in the soup, which I chop coarsely to give the soup texture.
• CREAM: for a deliciously creamy soup I like to add heavy cream, although you could use half and half if you prefer.
• CHEESE: for the best flavor I like to use sharp cheddar cheese in the soup.
• SEASONING: I keep the seasoning simple with some salt and black pepper.

How to make broccoli cheddar soup

Heat the butter in a stockpot over medium heat.

When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic.

Sauté until the vegetables are tender.

Add the flour and whisk to combine.

Continue cooking until the mixture is golden brown and bubbly.

Stir in the chicken broth and broccoli.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.

Stir in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese.

Continue cooking another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the cream is warmed and the cheese is melted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Flavor variations

• Broccoli – I’ve used regular broccoli in this soup, but this recipe would work equally well with cauliflower or romanesco broccoli, or try a mix of vegetables and make a broccoli and cauliflower cheese soup.
• Cheddar cheese – I like to use sharp cheddar cheese as it has the best strong flavor, however you can use mild cheddar if you prefer.
• Blue cheese – for something a little different try swapping cheddar cheese for blue cheese instead.
• Milk – for a lighter soup you can swap the heavy cream with whole milk.
• Mustard – add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the soup, it adds depth of flavor.

Serving suggestions

Serve this soup with crackers as I have done here, or with some crusty bread or garlic bread on the side. Or for something a little different try my Sprite Biscuits, Angel Biscuits or Homemade Cornbread. 

If you would like to make this a heartier meal, then why not serve with some vegetables on the side. Try a crunchy green salad, or some roasted vegetables like my Roasted Green Beans, or Sheet Pan Roasted Broccoli. 

Recipe hints and tips

• Take time to check the soup for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if required. Proper seasoning will make all the difference to the finished soup.
• If the soup is a little thick you can always water it down a little with a splash of vegetable broth or water.
• I’ve left the broccoli in the soup chunky, as I prefer some texture to my soup. However, you can use a stick blender and blend the soup if you prefer a smoother soup.
• This soup can be made earlier in the day, or the day before. Like most soups it will taste even better if allowed to sit as the flavors will meld together.

FAQs

Try some of my favorite soup recipes here at When is Dinner

• Crock Pot Potato Soup
• Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Soup
• Chicken & Rice Soup
• Black Eyed Pea Soup
• Homemade Tomato Soup
• Lasagne Soup