This Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup is a delicious and quick weeknight meal! I love this recipe because there is plenty of broccoli to go around. The sharp cheddar flavor really comes through thanks to a few spices, and the creamy sauce is velvety and smooth. Plus, it’s done in 30 minutes! It’s even better than Panera. How can you go wrong here? Originally published January 21, 2021.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Cheddar Broccoli Soup Ingredients
- Cheddar Broccoli Soup Recipe
- How to make Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
- What to serve with this Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- How to store Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe FAQs
- More winter soups you are going to love!
- Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Well, we finally got a cast put on poor Edison. He fell off the top of this human pyramid the kids put together.
Oh my gosh, I’m totally kidding!! Look, he already has a splint in this picture! (The kids organized this pyramid themselves, by the way, and they were soooo excited about it. Eric held Edison on top as the final touch. I love our neighborhood kids and their creativity!)
Edison broke his wrist when he fell off the changing table last week. I feel terrible about it. Not stepping away from the changing table is like Mom 101 stuff, and here I am on my fourth kid, totally dropping the ball!
It actually makes me feel better to tell people about it, because I am inevitably rewarded with “even worse” stories, like the one time when my friend sent her daughter to school with a broken arm (“it wasn’t even bruised. I told her to stop whining.”), or when another friend let her baby on the trampoline and he broke his leg, then had to re-learn how to walk.
Now that I’ve horrified all of you more-attentive moms, I just want to put it out there for the record that this is our family’s first break and I’ve been at this mom-ing gig for 10 years now. Don’t I get any points for successful (and non-violent) time-served??
Why You’ll Love this Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Broccoli cheese soup is the perfect warm and cozy weeknight dinner. It’s ready in no time. This one has the ideal blend of ingredients: the perfect amount of cheese, the just-right size of broccoli pieces, and a flavorful combination of spices. All you need to make this a complete meal is a loaf of crusty bread or some rolls!
Cheddar Broccoli Soup Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- Butter
- Onion
- Salt and pepper
- Dry mustard powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Whole milk
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Heavy cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Green onions (to garnish)
Cheddar Broccoli Soup Recipe
Who loves a good broccoli cheese soup? It’s hard to beat this old classic! I could eat it every day.
The problems with some broccoli cheese soup recipes are many fold: some recipes I’ve seen blend up the soup. I suppose there is a time and place for this, but call it something else; broccoli cheese soup has whole florets of tender broccoli in it, and a to-die-for cheesy base, thankyouverymuch. Other recipes don’t add enough broccoli, and you are left hunting. Other recipes add so much cheese that you feel like you should be dipping chips in it (not a bad idea for game day, I suppose.) Other recipes don’t add enough spices, and it turns out boring and bland.
I wanted a classic recipe that was perfectly balanced: creamy and cheesy without being overwhelming, lots and lots of broccoli to go around, and with a few choice spices to enhance the broccoli and let it shine. This is the one! It’s so good, especially on a rainy day with some nice crusty bread.
How to make Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
The nice thing about this soup is that we are not taking any shortcuts to make this a simple weeknight meal. It really is just an easy soup to put together.
1 – I like to start out by chopping all the veggies. The soup is a little fussy in that you have to be prepared to add certain ingredients at certain times, so it’s best to have everything prepped before you move to the stove.
Does anyone eat these leaf thingies? I always peel mine off. I feel like this is a moment where my mother-in-law is going to come swooping in, “Oh I always add those in, they have great flavor!” At least that’s what she said about celery leaves. (And she was right.) But, sorry imaginary Kris, I think those broccoli leaves are weird and I’m taking them off.
Here’s how I chop my broccoli. Chop as far as you can up the stem, break the florets apart, then cut off more stem as far as you can, etc. Then flip the larger florets over and chop from the bottom stem into smaller pieces.
I like fairly small pieces of broccoli in my soup; bite sized pieces are just easier to eat! Nobody wants huge chunks in their soup.
But what about the stems? Don’t be a broccoli stem hater. If you chop them small, they will become nice and tender in the soup. They taste great. No sense in throwing half your broccoli away.
Don’t forget the carrots! You can grate them or chop them into matchsticks, or just chop them regular, don’t let some food blogger tell you what to do. (They need to be kinda small though, so they don’t take longer than it takes the broccoli to cook. Say no to mushy overcooked broccoli.)
2 – Saute your onions in some butter and spices. I like to add dry mustard (it compliments cheddar so well!) and a little cayenne (it adds flavor, not heat) and smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is the secret ingredient in so many recipes, and it does amazing things for broccoli cheddar soup! Who can say no to a little smokey flavor?
3 – Next add in some flour to absorb all that butter and make a paste.
4 – Make a roux by adding broth and milk to the paste. Go slow adding in your liquids. If you add it too fast, the sauce won’t be smooth.
5 – Add in your broccoli and carrots, and let them simmer just a few minutes until tender. See, I told you this was a fast soup!
6 – Don’t you skimp on the cheddar now. We’ve made it this far. Don’t let your broccoli down by not giving it the cheesy support it needs. I know a pound of cheese sounds like a lot, but remember, this soup serves 10! You may as well grate some extra cheese right now for garnishing each bowl.
7 – And that is it! Add some chopped green onions on top, plenty of extra cheddar, and voila! This soup is so warm and comforting!
What to serve with this Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Broccoli cheese soup is almost a complete dinner all by itself. All you need to add is some crusty bread or rolls (and maybe a salad for bonus veggie points). Here are some of my favorite pairings (imagine me with my pinky raised, so fancy):
Quick and Easy French Bread << this crusty goodness is ready in ONE HOUR people.
Soft and Fluffy Parker House Rolls << the buttery companion to your bowl o’ soup.
Garlic and Rosemary Skillet Bread << impress yourself with this garlicky cast iron recipe.
Green Salad with Feta and Beets << the easiest no-chop salad ever!
Raspberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Dressing << bright and refreshing.
How to store Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Broccoli cheese soup can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat. If you microwave leftovers, the sauce will become a bit grainy (it does still taste good, just not the same texture as freshly made).
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe FAQs
Bland soup, no thank you!! Broccoli soup can be bland if you don’t add the right blend of spices (or, heaven forbid, any spices at all). This recipe calls for dry mustard powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic. I also recommend plenty of sharp cheddar, not mild. The flavor of the cheese is really important, so use a high quality cheddar that you enjoy eating on its own.
It depends on how long you’re simmering the soup. This broccoli cheese soup comes together really quickly; since it only needs 5-10 minutes, most of the liquid will remain in the pot and only a little will evaporate. Soups that simmer for an hour or so need a lid to keep too much liquid from evaporating.
More winter soups you are going to love!
- Easy Homemade Tomato Soup << this recipe is so quick and SO much better than the can.
- Easy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup << this blended soup has tons of cheesy flavor. Probably one of my favorite weeknight soups.
- Zuppa Toscana Copycat << just like from Olive Garden! It’s irresistible!
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup << just like from the Chili’s restaurant. It really does taste like an enchilada.
- Weight Loss Soup (Turkey Vegetable Soup) << Love this stuff for when I’m trying to lose a few pounds! Alll the veggies.
- Chinese Beef and Broccoli Soup << just like your favorite Chinese restaurant, but it’s soup! Yum.
- Seven Can Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe from Six Sisters Stuff
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup from Belle of the Kitchen
- Instant Pot Low Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup from Kalyn’s Kitchen
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Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 & 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 cups chicken broth*
- 3 cups whole milk , OR half and half
- 3 large heads broccoli, about 8 cups chopped (1.5 lbs)
- 3 carrots, shredded or cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, packed (about 14-16 ounces)
- more cheddar cheese, to garnish
- chopped green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- Start by preparing your vegetables. Chop 3 large heads broccoli (I used 1.5 lbs and it came out to about 8 cups chopped. Don’t throw out those stems! They are delicious!), shred your 3 carrots (or chop into matchsticks), chop the 1 onion and smash and mince 2 cloves garlic. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and stir to combine.
- Add all the spices: 1 and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Continue sautéing the onion until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and saute another minute until fragrant.
- Gradually add 1/3 cup flour over the onion mixture. Don’t add it all at once. Sprinkle a little bit on, stir to make it absorb into the butter, then add more, until you’ve added all of it and you have formed a paste with the butter and flour.
- Use a whisk to gradually add in the 3 cups chicken broth. Go slow! Be careful! We are creating a roux; if you add the liquid too quickly, your sauce will never become creamy. Add in a little broth at a time, stirring until incorporated each time, until you’ve added it all.
- Continue this same process with the 3 cups of whole milk. You can go a little faster this time.
- Turn the heat up to medium high to bring to a low simmer.
- Add in all the broccoli and carrots. Once you have reached a low simmer (small bubbles, nothing to wild) turn the heat back to low to maintain a very slow simmer. Let the mixture continue at a light simmer until the broccoli is just barely tender. Nobody wants mushy broccoli, so keep an eye on it. It shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes. Do not let the soup come to a rapid boil, it will make your sauce grainy.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in 1/2 cup cream.
- Shred 4 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, or about 14-16 ounces. Shred it yourself, if possible! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients that inhibit melting.
- Add in the shredded cheddar cheese, one cup at a time, stirring every time. Stir until the cheese is melted before adding in the next bit. If your soup has cooled and the cheese is not melting, turn the heat back on to low until it melts. Then turn the heat off right away. (If you heat it too much at this point, your sauce will get grainy.)
- After all the cheese is added in, taste the soup and see if you want to add in that extra half cup of cream. Add more salt and pepper if it needs it.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top and some chopped green onions! This soup goes really well with One Hour French Bread.
- Reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat. If you microwave leftovers, the sauce will become a bit grainy (it does still taste good, just not the same texture as freshly made).
I Love this soup…..perfect for our cold snap here in Texas.
I really like your recipes, Karen. Even after cooking for my family for decades (I am much older than you my dear) I have still learned things from your entertaining notes.
I tell all my cooking friends about your site.
Thank you……Yummy stuff here :-)
You are the sweetest ever Pam! Thank you so much for taking the time to write me this little note, it totally inspires me to keep going on this blog! 💕 And thank you so much for sharing with your friends, that means a lot to me. Happy new year and happy cooking!
This is very, very good. Much better than at Panera or other chains. Thank you for this foolproof recipe. Sometimes I’m not very exacting with my cooking and this turned out great without following exactly. :)
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Genny! You must be a pretty great cook :) thanks for taking the time to leave a review, that’s so helpful and kind!
Honestly, super delicious! The spices made it feel like more than just a cheesy broccoli soup, it had robust flavor. If you follow her directions and heed her warnings (which is super nice of you to give the heads up, by the way), you can’t go wrong. Totally adding it to my repertoire.
So glad you’re loving it Kellyann, and love seeing you here!
I’ve made this soup several times now, I love it! I don’t like food too spicy-hot, but the cayenne and smoked paprika give it just the perfect flavor. As often happens to me [!], I didn’t have a couple of ingredients I thought I did – I had a little less broccoli, so I put in a little more carrot; 4 c. broth and two cups milk; and just over 2 cups of cheese. Still delicious! I also made your jiffy corn casserole to go with the soup – with every ingredient called for :)
This is so delicious. Better than Panera :)
Hi praise Andrea! So glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much for leaving a review. The best gift you can give a food blogger! 🖤
Oh dear. This is just awful: bland, milky and nowhere near enough cheese for the amount of liquid. The smoked paprika overpowers the soup. I added some nutmeg and cinnamon, doubled the amount of mustard and increased the cheese by almost another full pound. The soup was still kinda dull, but at least it no longer tasted like a bowl of milk with cheese flavoring .
Karen – have you ever used vegetable broth with this? Will it work? I live with a vegetarian.
I never had Kathy but yeah it will definitely work! I highly recommend Zoup veggie broth, it’s really good!
Hi Karen,
Your cheese sauce recipe today reminded me that I neglected to comment on the broccoli cheese soup from January. The soup recipe arrived in my inbox just as my husband was scheduled for dental surgery and would not be on solids for several days. I made the recipe as directed and blended up half so no broccoli chunks would delay his healing. We both loved the flavors, and I know this nourishing soup assisted his speedy recovery.
Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that the soup was a success Margaret! Great idea blending up half, especially after surgery! I do hope your husband is recovering well. Thank you so much for taking the time to review the recipe!
Can you make this recipe without onions as my family doesn’t care for them? Will that affect the flavor outcome much?
I think you could leave them out Rechard! Enjoy!
I was hesitant with this soup because I’m not a big soup person a a vegetable person for that matter. But oh my goodness! This soup is amazing! Cheesy and creamy and rich! And who would know cover veggies with cheese and they are so good! My family of 5 ate the whole pot in nearly one sitting! I highly recommend it!
“not a vegetable person” lol!! This used to be me. Cheese really does make anything go down easy though, amiright?? So glad you all loved it!! Thanks for reviewing Kim! <3
This is a great recipe that is going to replace our other broccoli cheese recipes. I used extra sharp white cheddar cheese, 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. The smoked paprika is such a great idea along with the ground mustard. FANTASTIC soup recipe.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it DeVon! So glad you liked the spices. I bet the sharp white cheddar was totally delicious. Thank you so much for taking the time to review!
You could also make this soup with half broccoli and half cauliflower. I got a cauliflower soup recipe from a friend a long time ago, and always use both vegetables when I make it. I am going to give it a try with this recipe…
That’s a great idea Vikki! Love me some cauliflower :) Thanks for sharing! Enjoy!
This looks amazing. Do you think you can freeze leftovers? I don’t think we’d eat a whole batch but I love making extra and having meals in the freezer for those crazy days.
Having soup ready to go in the freezer is one of my life’s greatest comforts Laura, I hear you. Haha! I meant to add freezer instructions, I will go add them now. Yes, you can freeze, but you have to be pretty careful when reheating. Thaw completely and reheat as low as possible on the stove. The sauce will curdle if you heat it fast. Great question! Enjoy the soup!