There's something about broccoli cheese soup that just feels like home. I remember the first time Emily asked me to make it after we had it at a restaurant. She was seven, and she said, "Mom, can we have that green soup that tastes like cheese?" I couldn't help but laugh!
That was three years ago, and since then, this soup has become our go-to comfort meal on chilly evenings. The creamy texture, the sharp cheddar flavor, and those tender broccoli florets make it so satisfying. Plus, it's surprisingly simple to make from scratch.
If you're looking for more cozy soup recipes, you'll love my slow cooker lasagna soup recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Ingredients For Homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup
- How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup From Scratch
- Storage And Reheating Tips
- Variations For Your Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Serving Suggestions For Broccoli And Cheese Soup
- FAQ
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts On This Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
Why You'll Love This Broccoli Cheese Soup
This homemade broccoli cheddar soup is going to become one of those recipes you make over and over again. Here's why it's so good:
- Quick weeknight dinner - From start to finish, you're looking at about 50 minutes, and most of that is hands-off simmering time.
- Loaded with veggies - Fresh broccoli, carrots, and potatoes make this soup hearty and filling without feeling heavy.
- Restaurant-quality taste - The combination of sharp cheddar, buttery roux, and perfectly cooked vegetables creates that rich, velvety texture you'd pay good money for.
- Family-friendly - Even picky eaters love this soup because the cheese flavor is front and center, and the veggies are tender and mild.
- Great for meal prep - This soup keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so you can make it ahead and reheat it when you need something warm and comforting.
- Budget-friendly - You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already, and nothing here is expensive or hard to find.
Ingredients For Homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup
Let me walk you through what you'll need to make this creamy broccoli cheese soup. The ingredient list might look long, but I promise everything is straightforward.
For The Soup Base:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
The Vegetables:
- 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
For Seasoning:
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For The Cheese:
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (use a block and grate it yourself)
A quick note about the cheese: I know it's tempting to grab the pre-shredded stuff, but trust me on this one. The extra two minutes it takes to grate a block of cheese makes a huge difference in how smooth and creamy your soup turns out.
Pre-shredded cheese has additives that prevent it from melting properly. I learned this the hard way when my first attempt at this soup came out grainy instead of silky!
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup From Scratch
Making broccoli soup recipe from scratch is easier than you think. Let me break it down step by step so you can see exactly what to do.
Start With The Aromatics
Heat your olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Once it's hot, toss in your diced onion and shredded carrots.
Cook these for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the onion to become transparent and soft.
Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute, stirring constantly. Garlic burns quickly, so keep it moving!
Build Your Roux
This is where the magic happens. Lower your heat to medium-low and add the butter to your pot.
Once the butter melts completely, sprinkle in the flour. Using a whisk, mix the flour into the butter right away.
Keep whisking gently for 3-4 minutes. You're looking for a light golden color and a slightly nutty smell. This step is so important because it cooks out the raw flour taste and creates that thick, creamy base for your soup.
Add The Liquids
Slowly pour the vegetable broth into your pot, whisking as you go. This helps prevent lumps from forming.
Add the milk next and whisk everything together until smooth. My trick here is to pour the liquids in gradually rather than all at once.
Reduce your heat to low and let everything simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will thicken up during this time, and you'll start to see it transform into a creamy base.
Cook The Potatoes
Add your chopped potatoes along with the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. The paprika adds a subtle warmth without making the soup spicy.
Let everything cook for 12 minutes. The potatoes need this time to become tender and help thicken the soup naturally.
Add The Broccoli
Stir in your broccoli florets and continue cooking for another 7 to 8 minutes. You want the broccoli tender but still bright green.
Nobody wants mushy, gray broccoli! I set a timer for this part because it's easy to overcook.
Finish With The Cheese
While your broccoli cooks, grate your block of sharp cheddar cheese. Set aside about ⅓ cup for topping when you serve.
Once the broccoli is perfectly tender, remove your pot from the heat. Add the grated cheese gradually, stirring gently until it melts completely into the soup.
The key word here is gently. Aggressive stirring can make the cheese stringy instead of creamy.
Ladle your homemade broccoli cheese soup into bowls and sprinkle that reserved cheese on top. I also like to add a little extra black pepper and sometimes a few crackers on the side.
Storage And Reheating Tips
This soup keeps really well in the fridge for 3-4 days. I store mine in an airtight container and just reheat what I need.
When reheating, use low heat on the stovetop and stir frequently. The soup will thicken as it sits, so you might need to add a splash of milk or broth to thin it out.
Just add the liquid a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Variations For Your Broccoli Cheese Soup
Once you've made this easy broccoli cheese soup recipe a few times, you might want to mix things up. Here are some ideas I've tried:
Make it heartier: Add cooked, diced chicken or crispy bacon bits for extra protein. Emily loves it when I add bacon!
Switch up the cheese: Try a combination of sharp cheddar and gruyere for a more complex flavor. Just keep the total amount at 8 ounces.
Add more veggies: Cauliflower works beautifully in this soup. Use half broccoli and half cauliflower for a different take.
Make it vegetarian-friendly: The recipe already calls for vegetable broth, so it's naturally vegetarian. Just double-check your cheese doesn't contain animal rennet if that matters to you.
Boost the flavor: A teaspoon of Dijon mustard stirred in at the end adds a nice tang without being noticeable. It just makes the cheese flavor pop.
Make it spicier: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes if you like heat.
One time I accidentally added way too much paprika and the soup turned this weird orange color. It tasted fine, but Emily refused to eat it because it "looked wrong." Kids, right?
Serving Suggestions For Broccoli And Cheese Soup
This soup is pretty filling on its own, but I usually serve it with something on the side. Here are my favorite pairings:
A crusty bread or dinner rolls are perfect for dipping. Sometimes I make garlic bread, and Emily gets so excited she almost forgets about the soup!
A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances out the richness of the soup.
Crackers work great too. Saltines, oyster crackers, or even those fancy butter crackers all taste good with this soup.
For more soup recipes that pair well with bread and salad, check out my collection of comfort soup recipes.
FAQ
Yes, you can make this soup 1-2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat it on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
You may need to add a splash of milk or broth when reheating, as the soup tends to thicken as it sits.
For best results, add the cheese just before serving if making far ahead, as this helps maintain the smoothest texture.
I actually think this soup tastes even better the next day because all the flavors have had time to blend together. Just remember to reheat it slowly and stir it often.
While you can freeze this soup for up to 2-3 months, cream-based soups with cheese don't always freeze perfectly. The dairy may separate slightly when thawed, resulting in a grainy texture.
If you do freeze it, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly on the stovetop, whisking well to help re-emulsify the ingredients.
For optimal texture and flavor, this soup is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for a few days.
I tried freezing a batch once, and honestly, it just wasn't the same. The texture was off, and it took forever to thaw properly. Now I just make smaller batches more often.
Freshly grated cheese from a block melts much more smoothly into the soup because pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents like cellulose or potato starch that prevent the shreds from sticking together in the bag.
These additives can cause the cheese to clump or create a grainy texture in your soup rather than melting into a creamy, velvety consistency.
Taking the extra minute to grate your own cheese makes a noticeable difference in the final result.
The first time I made this soup, I used pre-shredded cheese because I was in a hurry. Big mistake! The soup had this weird grainy texture, and little bits of cheese just floated around instead of melting in.
Now I always grate my own cheese, and the soup comes out perfect every single time.
To make the soup thicker, you can either simmer it longer to reduce the liquid, add an extra tablespoon of flour to the butter-flour mixture at the beginning, or mash some of the cooked potatoes against the side of the pot before adding the cheese.
To thin the soup, simply stir in additional milk or vegetable broth, about ¼ cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Add liquid gradually and stir well to maintain the creamy texture.
I like my soup pretty thick, so sometimes I mash a few of the potato pieces right in the pot. It adds body without changing the flavor at all.
Recipes You May Like
If you enjoyed this broccoli cheese soup, you'll want to try these other comfort soup recipes from my kitchen:
- Tuscan White Bean And Kale Soup - This hearty Italian-inspired soup is packed with white beans, fresh kale, and savory seasonings. It's just as comforting as broccoli cheese soup but with a completely different flavor profile.
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup - All the cozy flavors of chicken pot pie in soup form, but lighter and easier to make. Emily requests this one almost as much as she asks for broccoli cheese soup!
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup - If you love cheese soup, you have to try this one. It tastes just like a bacon cheeseburger but in a warm, creamy bowl. The kids go crazy for it.
You might also enjoy my Marry Me Chicken Soup for another creamy, cheese-forward option, or my Kielbasa Potato Soup for something hearty and filling.
For more delicious soup ideas, browse through my full soup recipe collection.
Final Thoughts On This Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
This creamy broccoli cheddar soup has honestly become one of our family favorites. It's warm, comforting, and hits the spot every single time.
The best part is how simple it is to make. You don't need any fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Just fresh vegetables, good cheese, and a little patience while everything simmers together.
I hope you love this soup as much as we do! Give it a try this week and let me know what you think.
Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you need something warm and comforting!
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Equipment
- Large Soup Pot
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
For The Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and shredded
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
For The Vegetables
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 large russet potato peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
For Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For The Cheese
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese use a block of cheese and grate it yourself
Instructions
- Cook the onion, carrots and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add butter and flour. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pot. Once it melts, add the flour, then with a whisk mix the flour into the butter. Continue whisking gently for about 3-4 minutes until it has a slightly nutty smell and is light golden in color.
- Add broth and milk. Slowly add the broth to the pot, whisking it into the flour mixture. Add the milk and whisk that in with everything else.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has thickened up a bit.
- Add in the potatoes and season it. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Add broccoli. Stir in the broccoli and continue cooking for another 7 to 8 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
- Grate the cheese. Using a cheese grater or food processor with a grater attachment, grate the block of sharp cheddar cheese. Set aside about ⅓ of a cup to sprinkle on top of the soup when you serve it.
- Add cheese to the soup. Gently add the rest of the cheese to your soup and stir in until it melts.
- Serve. Ladle the broccoli cheese soup into bowls and top with reserved cheese before serving.
