Broccoli Cheese Soup

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Quick Summary

This easy Broccoli Cheese Soup is rich, creamy, and super cheesy! Everyone loves this classic soup recipe with tender broccoli and sharp cheddar cheese. It is the perfect comforting meal for a cold day or any day!

Broccoli Cheese Soup in bowl on plate.

Broccoli Cheese Soup is a classic and one of my favorite soups. This creamy, rich, cheesy soup with tender broccoli is made in ONE pot and so comforting.

It is made with simple ingredients and only takes about 30 minutes to make. It is better than any broccoli cheese soup you can buy at the store or order at a restaurant (yes, even better than Panera’s famous soup). I promise, homemade is the way to go. This is the BEST broccoli cheese soup recipe out there!

We love to serve the soup with a loaf of crusty bread for dipping. Plus, what’s the best way to get your kids to eat broccoli? Cover it in cheese! This soup is a decadent recipe that the whole family looks forward to. We all go back for seconds every time!

Broccoli Cheese Soup in ladle.

Soup Ingredients

There is nothing fancy about this soup, but when all of the ingredients come together in one pot, magic happens! Here is what you need to make the soup!

  • Olive oil– for sautéing the veggies.
  • Onion– the start of any good soup.
  • Carrots– I like to sauté the carrots with the onion so they are nice and tender.
  • Garlic– there are 5 cloves of garlic in the soup, it might sound like a lot, but trust me. It’s a big pot of soup.
  • Butter– butter adds great flavor!
  • Flour– to create a little roux. If you need the soup to be gluten-free, you can use an all-purpose gluten-free flour.
  • Broth– you can use vegetable or chicken broth.
  • Half-and-half– to create a super creamy soup! If you don’t have half-and-half, you can use half whole milk and half heavy cream, which is half-and-half:)
  • Dried mustard– it compliments the cheese perfectly!
  • Paprika– it adds a slight sweetness.
  • Red pepper flakes– add a pinch for a little kick. It doesn’t make the soup spicy. If you are worried, you can leave it out.
  • Salt and black pepper– always!
  • Broccoli– I use 3 cups broccoli florets and 1 cup of chopped broccoli stems. The stems cook up nicely in the soup, no need to waste them!
  • Cheddar cheese– Use sharp cheddar cheese for the ultimate cheesy flavor. I also recommend shredding your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded cheese has a powdery coating and doesn’t melt as well. We want a luxuriously creamy cheese soup! Use the good stuff!

How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup

Making a thick and creamy soup from scratch is easier than you might think! Let’s get this soup party started!

onion and carrots being sautéed in pot to make broccoli cheese soup.
  • Cook the onion and carrots in olive oil and then add the garlic. I always wait to add the garlic after the veggies are tender so it doesn’t burn.
making roux for broccoli cheese soup in pot.
  • Melt butter in a hot pan and whisk in flour to make a roux (that just means you’ve created a sauce with butter and flour that will thicken the final product!).
making broccoli cheese soup in pot with wooden spoon.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the broth and half-and-half. Stir until the flour dissolves into the liquid. Add the seasonings (salt, dried mustard, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes) and let the soup simmer so it can thicken a little.
broccoli being added to broccoli cheese soup in pot.
  • Add the broccoli and broccoli stems and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
shredded cheese being added to broccoli cheese soup in pot.
  • Stir in 2 cups of the cheese. Make sure you save ½ cup of the cheese for topping individual bowls. Trust me, everyone is going to want a sprinkle of cheese in their own bowl. It will melt in and create the perfect cheesy finishing touch!
  • Oh, and once you add the cheese to the soup pot, make sure the heat is on medium low and you stir it in. You don’t want the soup to get too hot or the cheese might get funky…and nobody wants funky cheese soup.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a little extra shredded cheese. Serve immediately.
broccoli cheese soup in bowl with spoon.

Serving Suggestions

When it comes to soup sides, I always say CARBS! Bread is my favorite thing to serve with a creamy soup like this one. It’s so good for dipping!

How to Store and Reheat

  • Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • To freeze the soup, let it cool to room temperature and store it in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.
  • The reheated leftovers are just as good as fresh-off-the-stove soup. You can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you are heating on the stovetop, stir frequently and don’t let the soup boil.
close up of broccoli cheese soup.

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Broccoli Cheese Soup

This easy Broccoli Cheese Soup is rich, creamy, and super cheesy! Everyone loves this classic soup recipe with tender broccoli and sharp cheddar cheese. It is the perfect comforting meal for a cold day or any day!
4.65 from 39 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli stems
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  • Add the butter and stir until melted. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the broth and half-and-half. Stir until the flour dissolves into the liquid. Add the salt, dried mustard, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it thickens a little.
  • Add the broccoli and broccoli stems and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
  • Stir in 2 cups of the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a little extra shredded cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 798mg, Potassium: 345mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 3780IU, Vitamin C: 44mg, Calcium: 355mg, Iron: 1mg
Keywords broccoli, cheese

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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Comments

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    1. If I wanted to make ahead, would you suggest leaving out the cheese until itā€™s almost time to serve?

  1. 5 stars
    This was so delicious! I added some fresh thyme I had and blended it all up before adding the cheese. Yum! Thanks for the great recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    SO GOOD! Easy to follow recipe that is better than any Broccoli Cheddar soup Iā€™ve had in a restaurant. My husband and I loved it.

  3. 3 stars
    I wanted to love this so badly, but the flavor wasn’t my favorite. Not sure if it was the dry mustard or paprika… I would probably look for a different broccoli cheddar soup recipe next time. With that said, I have loved so many of your other recipes!

  4. 5 stars
    Family requests this soup every week now!
    I add kale to it sometimes but other than that I stick to the recipe exactly!!
    Love it!!

  5. 5 stars
    Best Broccoli Cheddar soup I’ve made! Made it, along with another soup, for a family camp-out. Will need to double the recipe next time. Everyone wanted this soup!

  6. 5 stars
    Simply outstanding! Thank you Maria for sharing these recipes. I made this today as I am sad my mom passed away a few weeks ago. It made me think of her. Everything turned out perfect. I admire and appreciate you!

  7. 5 stars
    Iā€™ve been missing broccoli cheddar soup from an old favorite restaurant, so I thought Iā€™d give your recipe a try despite my kids not all being fans of broccoli soups. Well, tonight everyone loved it! Your recipe was simple for a busy weeknight and delicious enough that everyone scraped their bowls. Iā€™m in a soup phase and every soup I have made using your recipes has been kid and parent approved in our household. Thank you for sharing your talent!

  8. This is the best broccoli cheese soup ever!
    The only thing we did differently was swap the paprika for some freshly grated nutmeg.
    This is FAR BETTER than the well known restaurant favorite- my daughter loves that soup but she had this one today and will be making it for herself soon.
    Next time we may make a double batch…
    Also-
    Do you think you could adapt this recipe to make a broccoli with cheese sauce side dish?
    Thank You So Much for all your amazing recipes.

  9. 5 stars
    So amazing! I love a good broccoli cheddar soup and this hit the spot! Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow. YUM YUM!

  10. I made it and everyone loved it! I will have to double it next time if I want leftovers. Thanks for a great recipe.

  11. 5 stars
    Delicious! I only added about half the cheese that was called for because the soup was already so rich and thick. Perfect with some crusty bread.

  12. I have been making broccoli cheddar soup for years. I always wing it. I decided to give your recipe a try. My broccoli cheddar soup is now next level! So yummy! Thank you!

  13. Making just now! Super easy so far and I think I went too crazy on how much broccoli I chopped up for this soup! I had to take some out as itā€™s simmering but next time Iā€™ll double the ingredients!!

  14. 5 stars
    This soup is so delicious! Made it for dinner tonight and all three of my kids loved it. For liquid I used 1 cup of heavy cream, 3 cups of chicken broth, and 2 cups of water. Also used Bobā€™s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 flour instead of regular flour. Will definitely add this to my dinner rotation.

  15. 5 stars
    Made this recipe last night and it turned out wonderfully. My families comment when it came to the table – “Wow, this looks joyful!” And eating it was joyful!

  16. 5 stars
    WOW! This is the second recipe of yours that Iā€™ve tried this weekend and Iā€™m so impressed. This soup is just perfect, thick and creamy but not overdoing it, the crushed red pepper added a nice kick and I will absolutely be making this again!