Broccoli Cheddar Soup
intro
Rich, velvety comfort soup loaded with tender broccoli and sharp melted cheddar, perfect for pairing with crusty bread on cold days.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all ingredients
Chop broccoli into 1cm florets, peel and dice tender inner stems into 0.5cm pieces; finely dice the onion, mince garlic, grate carrot, and shred cheddar directly from a block (skip pre-shredded cheese coated in anti-caking agents). Measure all remaining ingredients and arrange within arm’s reach of your stovetop for smooth cooking.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
Heat a heavy-bottomed 4-liter soup pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, and once melted and foaming subsides (about 1 minute), add diced onion and grated carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent with no browning. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Cook the roux base
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked vegetables, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to fully coat all pieces. Cook the roux for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring nonstop, until it turns a pale golden color and smells faintly toasty, with no raw flour taste remaining. This creates a stable thickener for the soup.
Simmer soup with broccoli
Slowly pour in 750ml (3 cups) vegetable broth and 500ml (2 cups) whole milk, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking at the surface, no rolling boil) over medium-low heat, then add all chopped broccoli, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until broccoli is fork-tender but still bright green, not mushy.
Blend to desired texture
Turn off the heat. For a classic semi-chunky texture, use an immersion blender to pulse 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup directly in the pot, leaving plenty of distinct broccoli pieces intact. If using a countertop blender, carefully transfer 2 cups of hot soup to the blender jar, vent the lid with a kitchen towel to release steam, blend until smooth, then stir back into the pot. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Melt cheese and serve
Return the pot to the lowest heat setting. Add shredded cheddar one large handful at a time, stirring constantly after each addition until fully melted and smooth, about 3 minutes total. Do not let the soup boil after adding cheese, as high heat will cause cheddar to separate and turn grainy. Taste and adjust salt if needed, then ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Never bring the soup to a rolling boil after adding cheese, as high heat breaks down dairy proteins and causes curdling, resulting in a greasy, separated final product.
3.For a fun serving twist, top bowls of soup with buttered croutons, a sprinkle of extra shredded cheddar, crispy bacon bits, or a dash of hot sauce for added flavor and texture.
OMG this soup is a total game changer for our weekly family dinners! I was so worried it would be grainy like other broccoli cheddar recipes I’ve tried, but it came out perfectly silky. My 3 and 5 year old ate two full bowls each and asked for seconds! I tossed in a tiny pinch of nutmeg like my grandma used to and it hit even harder.
Really solid recipe, super easy to throw together on a Sunday for meal prep! Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I felt like it needed a little extra sharp cheddar for my taste, and I added a handful of crispy bacon bits on top for serving. Holds up great in the fridge for 4 days no problem.
Brought this to my office potluck last week and people were literally scraping the pot clean! I served it in mini bread bowls and it was the first dish gone. So easy to make a double batch for a crowd, 10/10 will be making this all fall and winter.
As someone who can barely boil pasta without messing it up, this was SO easy to make! I had all the ingredients except heavy cream so I used half and half and it still came out so rich and creamy. 10/10 for dorm cooking if you have a little hot plate.
Made this to go with my smoked brisket sandwiches last night and it was a killer combo. Only note is I’d recommend adding a little hot sauce for a kick if you like things zesty, cut through the richness really nice.
I was skeptical a creamy soup could fit my high protein goals, but I swapped regular cheddar for low-fat sharp cheddar and added a scoop of unflavored protein powder and it was amazing! Didn’t taste “healthy” at all, my roommate even stole a bowl.
This tastes exactly like the broccoli cheddar soup I used to get at the mall food court as a kid! I haven’t found a recipe that nails that nostalgic flavor until now. My grandkids thought it was takeout, win for grandma!
This was good, but I wish there was more broccoli in it! I ended up adding an extra full head of florets because I like my soup chunky, not just cheese broth. If you’re a veggie lover like me, don’t skip adding extra!
Threw this together after work tonight in under 35 minutes like the recipe said, and my whole family devoured it. Even my super picky tween who “hates all vegetables” asked for a refill. It was SO good, total weeknight win, will be on our regular rotation!
Made this today while it was snowing outside and it was the coziest meal ever. Paired it with grilled cheese dippers and it was the perfect cold weather lunch. No changes needed, the recipe is perfect as written!
First time making homemade soup ever and it turned out pretty good! I accidentally burned the garlic a tiny bit at the start but it still tasted fine. Next time I’ll keep the heat lower like the instructions said, oops. Definitely making it again!
I made a big batch of this and froze half of it for quick weeknight meals later. Thawed and reheated perfectly, no weird texture changes at all! This is going to be a staple for my freezer stash going into busy school season.