HomeSoups and StewsBroccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

A rich, thick, creamy, and cheesy Broccoli Cheese Soup. So filling it works as a stand alone meal. What could be more satisfying on a cold evening?

  • Prep10 min
  • Cook27 min
  • Total37 min
  • Serves8
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

A rich, thick, creamy, and cheesy Broccoli Cheese Soup. So filling it works as a stand alone meal. What could be more satisfying on a cold evening?

Broccoli Cheese Soup in a blue soup bowl.

When I go to Panera Bread I love to do the You Pick Two with soup and salad. My favorite soup is the Cheddar Broccoli Soup. Judging by the number of copycat recipes of it on Pinterest, it’s most people’s favorite. And what’s not to love about broccoli and cheese?

As good as Panera’s soup is, homemade Broccoli Cheddar soup is so much better. It has a much fresher taste and I find that a broccoli and cheese soup is the one soup that tastes best served just after it is made.

Broccoli soup in a bowl and fresh broccoli in background.

Three Types Of Cheese

Three kinds of cheese (and lots of them!) make this soup fantastically cheesy. There’s fontina, white cheddar (you could use yellow), and cream cheese which really adds a wonderful creaminess.

There’s no need to cook the broccoli ahead of time, that just adds an extra step. Cut it into small pieces and let it cook in the soup instead. Once it’s cooked I like to take a potato masher and break the broccoli up some. It helps thicken the soup and it’s easier to eat when you only have small pieces of broccoli in the soup.

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe Tips

You can make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Be sure to turn the heat to LOW before adding the cheese or it may separate and give the soup a grainy texture.

Make It Spicy

If you want to make this soup spicy, add half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes instead of a quarter teaspoon.

Can Broccoli Cheese Soup Be Frozen?

Yes! This soup freezes well. Be sure to cool it completely before transfering it to an airtight container. When you are ready to eat it, simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove.

How To Serve

This soup goes great with some crusty bread and a garden salad with Creamy Italian Dressing. For dessert, try some Samoa Bundt Cake!

Broccoli Cheese Soup in a soup bowl.

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Originally published November 7, 2014.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Ingredients

Equipment Dutch Oven

Steps

  1. 1

    In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

  2. 2

    Sprinkle flour over onion/carrot mixture. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

  3. 3

    Gradually add chicken broth, whisking constantly. Add half-and-half. Bring to a simmer.

  4. 4

    Add broccoli and stir into mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If desired, use a potato masher to break broccoli up some.

  5. 5

    Turn heat to low. Add shredded cheeses. Stir until melted. Add cream cheese in small chunks and whisk well to combine.

  6. 6

    Stir in salt, peppers, and garlic powder.

  7. 7

    Let simmer for a few minutes and serve.

Notes

To make this soup spicy, double the amount of crushed red pepper flakes.

Use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.

Nutritional info is provided as an estimate only and will vary based on brands of products used. Not to be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition

  • Calories469
  • Carbs17
  • Protein21
  • Fat37
  • Sodium1161
  • Fiber3
  • Sugar7