This 30-minute broccoli cheddar soup recipe is the ULTIMATE comfort food! It's rich, creamy, super cheesy, and loaded with tender veggies.
Broccoli cheddar soup is one of Jack’s favorite foods. Ask him about the version at Panera Bread, and he’ll go on and on about its creamy texture and rich, tangy, cheesy flavor. He never expected me to develop a broccoli cheddar soup recipe at home (unless you count this vegan twist), but with the holidays right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to surprise him with one.
So, on a gray, chilly day last weekend, when we were both craving comfort food, I finally made him this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. As we sat down with our steaming bowls, I waited anxiously to see what he’d think. I shouldn’t have worried. He took one taste and declared, “This recipe is even better than Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup!” A few minutes later, he was already heading back for seconds. I hope you love this recipe too!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this broccoli cheddar soup recipe:
- Broccoli, of course! Cut it into small, bite-sized pieces so that you get some in every spoonful of soup.
- Onion and garlic – They add savory depth of flavor.
- Butter and flour – They create a roux that thickens the soup.
- Milk – It perfects the soup’s creamy texture. Whole milk is traditional in broccoli cheese soup, and it works great here, but I often use unsweetened almond milk instead, and it works nicely too. The soup is a tad less thick, but it’s still delicious!
- Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own.
- Carrot – You can finely chop it or julienne it. I personally like to julienne it because the shredded carrots remind me of grated cheese, and I think they give the soup a fun, extra-cheesy look.
- Dijon mustard – It adds tangy, peppery depth of flavor.
- Cheddar cheese – It wouldn’t be broccoli cheddar soup without it! Sharp cheddar cheese is my fave, but feel free to opt for a mild cheddar if your prefer.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
So creamy! So cheesy! Who wants a bowl?
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe Tips
- Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting into a lusciously creamy soup. To ensure that your broccoli cheddar soup has the best smooth and creamy texture, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.
- Whisk continuously when you add the flour and milk. At first, whisking prevents the flour from burning on the bottom of the pot with the butter. Once you add the milk, it evenly disperses the flour and butter in the liquid, thickening the soup and preventing lumps from forming.
- Go low and slow. When you add the cheese to the soup, make sure that the pot is over very low heat. If the heat is too high, the cheese won’t incorporate into the soup, giving it a thin, gloopy texture. I also recommend adding a little at a time and stirring well between additions.
- Reheat it on the stove. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat them, you’ll once again need to go low and slow. Skip the microwave, and warm the soup on the stovetop instead. Place it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir occasionally until heated through. Reheated this way, the soup should stay thick and creamy. If you try to rush the process and crank up the heat, the soup will separate. Trust me, I learned the hard way!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Serving Suggestions
Make this broccoli cheese soup a meal by serving it with good crusty bread or a heap of homemade croutons. If you’re looking for something more to serve with it, I recommend a simple veggie side dish like one of these:
- Sautéed Green Beans
- Green Bean Salad
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Simple Green Salad
- Sautéed Kale
Enjoy!
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this broccoli cheddar soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:
- Vegan Broccoli Soup
- Corn Chowder
- Creamy Potato Soup
- White Bean Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 large carrot, julienned or finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 2 heaping cups
- Homemade croutons, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the flour turns golden. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously.
- Add the broth, broccoli, carrot, and mustard and stir to combine. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
- Gradually add the cheese, stirring after each addition, until all the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy. Season to taste and serve with croutons, if desired.
I madevthis and b4 I added the cheese I used an immersion blender. I reserved some extra broccoli and carrots and added when I combined the cheese. Great texture and flavor.
It was delicious! I added a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and it was an awesome addition to make. Also accompanied with homemade sourdough it’s another level!!
Hi Cat, I’m so glad you loved the soup! I bet it was fantastic with the homemade bread. 🙂
Oh my goodness! This was so good! When my husband likes a food I put together he says “SO GOOD”! Well he must have said it 5 times while eating one bowl !!! We’re now watching TV and he’s still saying it!!! I will be trying many more of your wonderful soup recipes!!!
Thanks so much!
Ha, amazing! I’m so glad the soup was a hit. I hope you love whatever soup you try next too!
This
So was so good, I was sad when it was all gone. I will for sure make this again!
I’m so glad you loved it!
I just had a question about the calories per serving- I know usually this soup isn’t great for you but it has added veg and no heavy cream.. that being asked it’s the only thing with veggies my dad likes haha.
Hi Jules, we don’t calculate nutrition facts but you can use an online calculator like my fitness pal.
can I make this in a slow cooker
Hi Debbie, we haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker, so I’m not sure how it would work.
I followed everything correctly, cheese did not melt and ended up curdling. I read after that cheese tends to curdle when heated at high temperatures. My heating was at medium, I didn’t end up simmering the vegetables as stated in the recipe but kept it at a slightly lower temperature. I wish the recipe warned to not to over heat the cheese as it may curdle that would of been helpful now I have curdled soup that I’m gonna have to stick in a blender to salvage it.
Hi Aida, I’m so sorry to hear the cheese separated! This can also happen if you add the cheese all at once instead of gradually or if you use pre-shredded cheese instead of grating it yourself.
Ok, I’m not so good at measuring. Tend to eyeball things. That being said, I had to add a little more broth and a little more flour. Didn’t use AP only have home ground. This soup still turned out absolutely amazing! Thank you for your great recipe!!
Hi Terri, I’m so glad you loved the soup!
I love this soup recipe. One pot ,easy to assemble , and delicious.
Hi Valerie, I’m so glad you love it!
I made this soup today, and it was Delicious!!! Everyone at home loves it!
I’m so glad it was a hit!
I love making a new soup every Sunday in the winter months. Made this soup today. OMG so yummy. Definitely one of the tastiest soups I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Sammy, I’m so glad you loved it!
This took me by surprise. My tastebuds were dancing with every bite ?
Hi Helena, I’m so glad you loved it!
Amazing soup!. The texture was very smooth. Worked great with frozen cut up broccoli.
Hi Jasmine, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
i made the broccoli cheese soup but could not find my flour so just left that out , smelled wonderful and added beef summer sausage sliced and mushroom too , haven’t finished cooking yet but it smells wonderful thanks for your recipe
This is absolutely delicious!!! It will become my new Broccoli Cheddar soup recipe!! Could it be frozen?
Hi Ruth, I’m so glad you love it! I don’t recommend freezing this one—the soup can separate as it thaws.
Deeeeelicious! Creamy but also light soup! Will make again!
Hi, I’m so glad you loved the soup!
On point for ingredients.. boil broccoli for no more than 8-10minutes.
Hi Scott, Glad you enjoyed the recipe! We’ve found that the broccoli has a great texture after 15 to 20 minutes at a gentle simmer. That timing allows the flavors in the soup to develop too.
I made this and it’s delicious, but I didn’t think 1/2t mustard was going to be enough to contribute anything so used probably 1T or so…. making it again today, going to try it with almond milk since we decided to buy like 12 qtz from costco for some reason
After finishing the soup and tasting it to adjust the seasoning if needed, I said out loud to no one in the vicinity, “hot damn that’s good”. This is delicious. I added extra garlic (tried and true garlic lover here) and 1 tsp of dijon mustard for a little bit more tang. Thoroughly enjoyed!
I love this soup, and so does my family! My father went back for a second (heaped) bowl and I’ll definitely be making it again soon. I used seeded mustard rather than dijon, and it worked out well. It was a little thin (I should’ve made more roux, I will next time) but thickened right up with some flour and water slurry.
I can’t wait to experiment with it – I’m thinking frying bacon with the onion, melting chevre on top, maybe melting cheese over the croutons like a french onion soup… so many possibilities!
Hi Claire, I’m so glad you both loved it!