Broccoli Cheddar Soup

My oldest son, Leo, absolutely LOVES broccoli cheddar soup. He discovered it a few winters ago when he tasted it from the salad bar at Whole Foods. And now he requests it often … any time of the year, even on the hottest day in the summer. It’s by far his favorite soup, and I love it, too. When I told him I was creating my own version of this classic recipe, he cheered so loud! 

Main Ingredients And Substitutions

This soup comes together quickly from everyday ingredients, both pantry staples and a few fresh foods. Here are my notes about the main ingredients needed: 

• Broccoli – I use a head of fresh broccoli that I cut into uniform pieces (as uniform as they can be) that are about 1 to 1 ½ inches. I use both the florets and the stems. Frozen broccoli also works, and it can remain frozen or be thawed first, but be sure to break it into small uniform size pieces or cut them up with kitchen shears as they start to thaw in the soup. Using broccoli that’s still frozen will require adding some more cooking time. 
• Carrots – I love the addition of shredded carrots for both color and additional veggies in this soup. I use store-bought shredded carrots because I like their thick uniform size, but feel free to shred the carrot at home and then chop it quickly into smaller pieces. 
• Butter – This is an important ingredient that helps create the roux (when mixed with flour) that thickens this soup. For dairy free, use plant-based stick butter. 
• Flour – When flour is added to the melted butter, it forms the roux, which is kind of like a paste-like mixture. When liquid is added to the roux and brought to a simmer, the roux is what thickens it. I’ve also made this soup with gluten-free flour, and it works great and turns out just the same. 
• Milk – when I make this soup, I use 2% dairy milk since the soup has plenty of richness from the cheese. But it can be made with 1%, whole milk, or half-and-half too, if that’s what is typically in the fridge. It also can be made dairy free by using an unsweetened non-dairy milk, such as soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, or non-dairy half & half. 
• Broth – I use either chicken broth or vegetable broth. Since this soup has lots of salty flavor from the cheese, I use low-sodium canned broth or homemade chicken stock. 
• Sharp cheddar cheese – I prefer to use a block of sharp cheddar cheese that I shred myself on a block shredded. I find that the cheese melts more smoothly into the soup when I shred it myself. But to save time, pre-shredded cheese also works. 
• Dijon mustard – This adds a little bit of acidity and tang to help cut through the richness of the soup and make all the flavors pop. 
• Seasonings – I season the soup with simple dried herbs and spices, including garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, paprika, kosher salt and pepper. Smoked paprika can be used, too, for a little flavor addition. I prefer using garlic powder over minced fresh garlic cloves to help keep this soup as creamy in texture as possible. 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

From The Stovetop To The Soup Bowl

This recipe is a fun one to make. I love standing at the stovetop and working through the steps, which feel a little magical, such as the thickening of the creamy soup base right in front of me as I stir and it slowly heats up. And then watching the cheese melt into the sauce and create a beautiful backdrop for the bright green broccoli and orange carrot pieces. Here’s an overview of the quick steps: 

1. Make the roux: I start by melted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s melted, I sprinkle some flour over top and stir it in until a paste-like consistency forms, which is called a roux. 
2. Add the liquid: Next, I slow add the milk, stirring it into the roux. As the milk warms up, the roux helps thicken it, kind of like a thin gravy. When the base liquid is thick, I add the chicken broth or vegetable stock and seasonings. The soup is kind of an off white shade at this point. 
3. Stir in the veggies: Then I add the broccoli pieces and shredded carrots. I bring the soup to a very low simmer, avoiding a rapid boil, which could cause the dairy to curdle. Instead I hold it at a low simmer at medium to medium-high heat, uncovered, until the broccoli pieces are tender. It’s important to cut the broccoli into similar-size small pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the liquid. 
4. Add the cheese: When the veggies are tender, I remove the pot from the heat. Then I add the shredded cheese and stir gently until it melts into the warm liquid. All that’s left to do is ladle the soup into bowls, garnish each serving with crackers or croutons, and serve with a side of crusty bread. 

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Make It Gluten-Free

This soup can be made gluten free with one ingredient swap. I’ve tested it and it works great. Instead of using regular all-purpose flour, use an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. 

Also, use gluten-free garnishes for the soup, such as gluten-free croutons or gluten-free crackers. 

Favorite Ways To Serve It

As a child, I remember enjoying the broccoli cheese soup from Panera served inside of a sourdough bread bowl. At the time, that was about the pinnacle of culinary adventure for me. I thought it was so innovative to have a bowl made out of sourdough bread. Haha!

While I no longer feel the need to have an entire bowl made out of bread, I do think a side of good toasted bread or even just a topping of thick crusty homemade croutons or good crackers is the perfect pairing for this soup. Plus maybe a tangy green salad to balance the richness of the soup. To make it a bigger meal, I’d add a sandwich or wrap, like a grilled cheese, as well. 

Storing And Reheating Leftovers

This makes a big volume of soup (10 cups) but it honestly disappears so fast. I didn’t have any leftovers after just one meal, which is pretty shocking for my family.

But, if I did have leftovers, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, I reheat a portion in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments or over low heat in a saucepan on the stovetop. I don’t recommend freezing this soup, since the dairy can separate as it thaws.  

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The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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