Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Vegetables, cheese, and a delicious creamy texture come together to warm your belly with this broccoli cheddar soup. What could be better?

Don’t be put off by the green color of this soup. It does not taste as healthy as it is. This broccoli cheddar soup takes broccoli and carrots and disguises them into a creamy, cheesy comfort food even your kids will love. And with the added addition of nutmeg to this broccoli cheddar soup, an earthy, warming spice truly takes it to another level.

I find that when the weather is cold or I’m not feeling very well, nothing perks me up like a piping hot bowl of soup, like tomato ravioli soup or corn chowder. But this recipe is starting to become one of my new favorites. With a slice of crusty, warm, buttered bread, and I’m in heaven. What makes this recipe even better? It comes together in half an hour, giving you even less hands on work to worry about on a day you might not feel 100%.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This soup is so delicious! You will love the creamy and tangy flavor, as well as the beautiful aroma of nutmeg.
Ten times better than a store bought soup.
Broccoli cheddar soup is the ultimate comfort food for bad days or chilly weather.
Once you get the chopping out of the way, this soup needs very little effort to come together.
The best way to disguise broccoli.

Ingredients

It doesn’t take much to bring this recipe together. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

2 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 tbsp flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup – The Steps

Step 1: On the stove in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and then sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Once the onions are cooked, sprinkle in the flour and use a whisk to slowly whisk in the half-and-half and stock. Add in the broccoli, carrots, and nutmeg and stir. Then replace back onto the stove and turn the heat down to medium-low, put the lid on, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Once the broccoli is cooked, stir in the cheese and then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Use a stick blender to blend the soup a little until still somewhat chunky, but this is your choice. Top with your choice of toppings and enjoy.

Variations

There are so many ways you can make this broccoli cheddar soup your own. Have a play with the recipe and see what you come up with, but first, here are a few ideas to get you started:

Extra creamy broccoli and cheddar soup: By replacing the half-and-half with heavy cream, you’re left with an even creamier soup. This isn’t as healthy, but on a day you feel like eating soup, why not treat yourself?
Spicy broccoli cheddar soup: Incorporating diced jalapeños, red chilis, or chili flakes as you’re cooking can yield some serious heat. The cream and cheese in this recipe tend to bring down the spiciness a little, but this can be a delicious variation of the soup.
Broccoli cheddar bacon soup: Everything is better with bacon! Simply fry up some bacon bits first, remove them but leave the fat, and cook your garlic and onions in it. Throw the bacon bits back into the pot right before stirring in your cheese and you have a tasty, meaty soup.
Cheesy cauliflower potato soup: Replace your broccoli with cauliflower florets and add in cooked and peeled potato chunks. The soup won’t have the same greenish tinge, but this is a great way to make a more filling soup with ingredients you have on hand.

Serving Suggestions

You truly can’t go wrong with a slice of warm bread when it comes to soup. I’ll serve this broccoli cheddar soup as a lunch or dinner with a toasted piece of ciabatta or baguette, butter it lightly, and use it for dunking.

You could also serve this soup as a side. It would go great with an air fryer chicken breast, or with a light salad to make a well-rounded meal. To dress this soup up a little, like say, if you’re serving it to guests, just top it with a sprinkling of cheddar, parsley, and set out a warm loaf of bread.

FAQs

Is this gluten-free?

It isn’t as if it has flour, but you can easily substitute this for gluten-free flour or corn flour. Also, be sure you are using a gluten-free stock powder, too.

Can I use a different cheese?

Yes, you can use any cheese that will melt in the soup. The sharper the better, in my opinion. Gruyere, fontina, Monterey Jack, or Stilton would be delicious.

Is there a way to make this broccoli cheddar soup vegan?

Yes, you can make it vegan by using vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock, coconut milk instead of the half-and-half, and a vegan cheese instead of cheddar. Personally, I haven’t found a vegan cheese that melts nicely into the soup, so I use a tablespoon of nutritional yeast instead to add the cheesy flavor.

How to Store Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Before you whisk any leftovers to the refrigerator, let your soup cool completely and seal it in a food storage container. It will keep well in the fridge for 4 days, or you can keep it in the freezer for 3 months if you plan to eat it much later.

When reheating, let your frozen soup defrost in the fridge overnight. Then, gently heat it in a pan over a medium heat until heated through. You could also microwave it for a couple of minutes, covered, so it doesn’t splatter and make a mess. Top it with a little more cheese and you are ready to eat!