More Rich & Creamy Soup Recipes To Love
A Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe Worth Staying In For
Whether it’s ultra-basic Steamed Broccoli on a weeknight or vibrant Broccolini for a dinner party broccoli is usually thought of as the quintessential vegetable side dish. Here, though, it gets the superstar treatment that broccoli lovers like us feel it deserves. This cheddar-broccoli soup recipe yields a pot of soup that’s every bit as creamy, cheesy and indulgent as the infamously savory, rich Panera broccoli cheddar soup, but inherently better, fresher and (of course) more economical because homemade food always is. If you’re committed to broccoli tonight, but aren’t in a soup mood, check out this healthyish Broccoli Beef Soba Bowl, or this rich, cozy Baked Gnocchi with Broccoli.
Homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
Salted butter (if all you have is unsalted butter, that’s OK, just be sure to check the seasoning of the soup at the end. You may decide to add a bit more salt to taste.)
Onion
Carrot
Garlic
All-purpose flour
Sea salt
Mustard powder
Nutmeg
Whole milk or half-and-half
Stock (use vegetable stock, if you want to make this broccoli cheddar soup vegetarian)
Broccoli
Parmesan
Extra-sharp cheddar cheese (while you could opt for medium cheddar, the soup won’t be as richly flavored. If you can spring for it, we really recommend using extra-sharp cheddar.)
Black pepper
- Make the creamy soup base. You’ll warm the carrots and onions in butter in a large pot or Dutch oven, followed by garlic and spices. A dusting of flour turns that fragrant glory into a paste. Slowly pour in the milk or half-and-half, whisk it constantly, and voila — a viscous, creamy base that’s strong enough to play nicely with all the cheese you’re about to ask it to absorb.
- Soupify that base! If you have an immersion blender, it is your friend here, saving you the trouble of pouring hot liquid into a blender. Off the heat, blend the stock and creamy base together until smooth and cohesive.
- Add the broccoli and some heat. You’re half way to broccoli and cheddar cheese soup! Simmer gently until the broccoli is nice and fall-apart tender.
- Little by little, stir in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Slower is better here.
- Dig in! While this soup is hearty all on its own for a simple, quick supper, we like to pair it with bread on the side for dipping and dunking. Try our Parker House Rolls, Herby Rhodes Rolls, or even these buttery Onion Chive Biscuits.
How To Store + Tips For Making The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Why is my broccoli cheddar soup gritty? Did you stir the cheeses into the broccoli soup all at once? Did you use pre-shredded cheese? Stirring the cheddar into your soup all at once may result in a gritty or grainy texture, rather than the creamy luxurious texture you want your cheddar broccoli soup to have. Likewise, pre-shredded cheese sometimes has anti-caking additives to keep it from clumping in the bag and those very anti-caking additives (like potato starch or cellulose) will prevent it from melting into the soup.
Leftover cheddar and broccoli soup will keep, stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze broccoli cheddar soup? While you technically can freeze this soup, we don’t recommend it. Generally, soups with dairy — and this recipe has a lot of dairy — don’t reheat very well.
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