Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli cheddar soup is the kind of soul-warming, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that turns any chilly day into a cozy kitchen moment! This creamy, dreamy bowl of goodness brings together tender broccoli florets, sharp cheddar cheese, and a velvety base that’ll have your family asking for seconds before they’ve finished their first bowl.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup or this Creamy Mushroom Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Done in 35 minutes – perfect when you need dinner fast but want it to taste homemade
• Uses stuff you probably have – butter, milk, flour, broccoli, cheese – nothing weird or expensive
• Rich but not heavy – fills you up without that overstuffed feeling
• Kids actually eat it – mine fight over the last bowl every single time
• Tastes better tomorrow – leftovers are a gift to future you

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large carrot, chopped small
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Croutons if you want them

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Why These Ingredients Work

Starting with butter and onions gives you that sweet, caramelized base that makes everything taste like home. The flour might seem boring, but it’s what turns regular milk into something thick and creamy. That tiny bit of Dijon? My mom’s trick – it makes the cheese taste more “cheesy” without being obvious about it.

Fresh broccoli holds its shape better than frozen, but honestly I use frozen half the time because life is busy. The carrot adds sweetness and those pretty little orange bits that make it look fancy. Sharp cheddar is non-negotiable here – mild cheese just doesn’t have enough personality for this soup.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Big pot, sharp knife, cutting board, wooden spoon, whisk, measuring cups, cheese grater.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Create Your Flavor Base

Melt butter in your big pot over medium heat. Toss in the onion, salt, and pepper. Stir it around for about 5 minutes until the onion gets soft and smells amazing.

Step 2: Add the Garlic

Throw in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Don’t walk away – garlic goes from perfect to burnt really fast.

Step 3: Make Your Roux

Sprinkle the flour over everything and whisk like crazy for 1-2 minutes. You want it to turn golden and smell a little nutty.

Pro Tip: Keep that whisk moving! Nobody wants lumpy soup, and this step prevents that flour taste from ruining everything.

Step 4: Add the Milk

Pour in the milk super slowly while whisking. I’m serious about the slowly part – dump it all in at once and you’ll have chunky soup instead of smooth soup.

Step 5: Build Your Soup

Add the broth, broccoli, carrots, and that Dijon. Give it a good stir to mix everything together.

Step 6: Simmer to Perfection

Bring it to a gentle bubble and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. The broccoli should be fork-tender when it’s ready.

Step 7: Add the Cheese Magic

Here’s where people mess up – add the cheese slowly! Like, a handful at a time, stirring until each bit melts before adding more. Turn your heat down low for this part.

Pro Tip: Patience pays off here. Rush the cheese and you’ll get a grainy mess. Take your time and get that silky smooth finish.

Step 8: Season and Serve

Taste it and add more salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Croutons make everything better if you’ve got them!

You Must Know

Do NOT add cheese over high heat. I learned this the hard way. The cheese will clump up and look gross. Keep heat low when you add cheese. Add it slow. Stir after each handful.

Personal Secret: I always keep back some cheese to stir in at the very end. Makes it extra cheesy and creamy.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded stuff has powder on it that makes soup weird. If you’re lazy like me sometimes, at least buy the good pre-shredded kind.

Want it fancier? Roast the broccoli first. Just toss it in the oven for 15 minutes before adding to soup. Tastes nutty and amazing.

My grandma always added a tiny drop of hot sauce. Not enough to make it spicy, just enough to wake up all the flavors. Works every time.

Don’t let it boil hard once you add milk. Just gentle bubbling. If it’s too thick, add more broth. Too thin? Mix some flour with cold milk and stir it in.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Add bacon. Everything’s better with bacon. Cook it first, crumble it, throw it in at the end.

Use different cheese. Gruyere if you want to be fancy. Pepper jack if you like spice. Even American cheese works – don’t judge me.

Throw in other veggies. Corn, potatoes, cauliflower. Whatever you got. Just add the hard stuff with the broccoli so it cooks through.

Make it a meal by adding cooked chicken. Leftover rotisserie works great. Add some rice or pasta if you want it really filling.

Make-Ahead Options

Make it 3 days early. Keeps fine in the fridge. Tastes better the next day anyway. Reheat on low heat and stir a lot. Add milk if it got too thick overnight.

Freezes for months. Cool it completely first. Put in containers but leave room at the top because it expands. Thaw in fridge overnight before heating up.

Don’t add that last bit of cheese until you reheat. Keeps it tasting fresh.

What to Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Grilled cheese sandwich. Obviously. Crusty bread for dipping. Cornbread if you got it.

My kids love when I make bread bowls. Just hollow out round bread loaves. They think it’s the coolest thing ever.

Goes good with a simple salad. Cuts through all that cheese. Beer or white wine if you drink. Milk if you don’t.

Allergy Information

Has dairy and gluten. For dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter, almond milk, and vegan cheese. Add the vegan cheese slow like regular cheese.

For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour or cornstarch. If using cornstarch, only need 2-3 tablespoons instead of ¼ cup flour.

No eggs or nuts unless you use almond milk.

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers last 4 days in the fridge. Reheat slow and stir lots. Add milk if needed.

To freeze, let it cool first. Use freezer containers. Good for 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating. Heat slow and add liquid as needed.

Emily’s Kitchen Secret: I always make double and freeze half. When I’m tired and everyone’s hungry, I just microwave a container. Past me was smart!

FAQs

Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?

Yep! Don’t thaw it first. Just throw it right in. Might need to cook a few extra minutes.

Why did my soup turn out grainy?

You added cheese too fast or heat was too high. Cheese freaked out. Next time go slower and keep heat low.

Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?

Sure. Cook the onions in a pan first, then dump everything except cheese in slow cooker. Low for 4-6 hours. Add cheese last 30 minutes.

My soup is too thick – how do I fix it?

Add more milk or broth until it looks right. Taste as you go.

Can I add other vegetables to this soup?

Yeah! Cauliflower, corn, potatoes, peppers all work. Hard veggies like potatoes need longer cooking time.

This soup is pure comfort in a bowl. Makes everything feel better on cold days. Way better than canned soup and you know what’s in it.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me what you thought! Did you add bacon? Try the roasted broccoli? Make it dairy-free? I love hearing how it turned out for you!