The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
The best Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is here and it is total comfort food, making it perfect for the chilly days of winter. It’s creamy, cheesy and full of fresh, tender broccoli and carrots. If you like Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar soup you will love this one as much, if not more! This soup is great served in a bread bowl or with a side of crusty bread to dip up all of that delicious creamy broth.
Broccoli Cheddar soup is probably my favorite soup and Panera Bread’s version is/was my favorite until I made this. This broccoli cheddar soup recipe has quickly replaced Panera Bread’s version as the best broccoli cheddar soup recipe. I know everyone says homemade is better, and in this case, truly it is. You can’t beat a soup that is made fresh using fresh ingredients. The fresh broccoli and carrots and if you choose freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese really take the flavors of this soup up a notch.
When I eat soup I am a sucker for having a side of bread with my soup. It’s the perfect vehicle to suck up all of that leftover rich, delicious broth. I love serving this soup in homemade bread bowls, but certainly a side of crusty bread will be just as good.
Here’s Why This is the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
- Fresh ingredients – freshness truly matters! The broccoli and carrots are both fresh in this soup. Frozen broccoli tends to get watery and mushy when cooked for some time. I prefer using fresh broccoli when making a soup for this reason.
- Freshly grated cheese – Store bought cheese contains preservatives which interfere with the cheese melting as well. This can cause the texture of the soup to be a bit grainy and not as smooth. Freshly grated cheese tends to melt better.
- No added sugar – While you generally don’t think of adding sugar to soup, a lot of manufactured soups contain sugar. The carrots in this soup actually have natural sweetness in them, and add enough sweet flavor to contrast the spices in the soup.
- This soup is easy to make and comes together in one pot. It takes less than 30 minutes to make. Leftovers taste even better the next day. The soup freezes well too, so you can make it in advance.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this cozy and delicious Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe.
- unsalted butter
- shallots
- garlic
- carrot
- Salt and pepper
- all-purpose flour
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- paprika
- ground mustard
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- broccoli florets
- sharp cheddar cheese
Here’s How to Make This Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
The thing I love about this broccoli cheddar soup recipe is that it comes together quickly in under 30 minutes. Plus, it only uses one pot, so clean-up is way easier!
melt the butter and saute the vegetables
Using a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. After the butter has melted, you’ll add in the shallot, garlic and carrot. Carrots take some time to cook, so I like to give the carrots a few extra minutes to get tender in the beginning. Pre-cooking the shallot helps the shallot release flavors, making the soup more flavorful.
sprinkle in the flour
After the vegetables have softened slightly, about 4 minutes, you’ll sprinkle flour over the mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. This helps to cook the flour so that you don’t end up with a flour taste in the soup. The flour helps to thicken the soup.
add the remaining ingredients except the cheese
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the carrots and broccoli are tender.
reduce heat and stir in cheese
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese until melted.
serve and enjoy!
Serve the soup in bread bowls, or in a soup bowl with a side of crusty bread. You don’t want to leave any of that delicious broth behind in your bowls!
Storage
If you have leftover broccoli cheddar soup, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You may also freeze this soup for up to 2 months.
Reheating Instructions
If you froze the soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When reheating this soup, add the soup to a saucepan or pot over medium-low heat. Stir the soup frequently until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh? Absolutely! While I prefer fresh, as I feel the texture of the fresh broccoli is better in this soup, frozen broccoli will work perfectly fine. Also keep in mind depending on the time of year you make this soup, the frozen broccoli may be of better quality than the fresh broccoli.
- What can I use instead of heavy cream in this broccoli cheddar soup recipe? If you would like a lighter option, or just don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can substitute the heavy cream for half-and-half, whole milk, or even a dairy free milk option, like coconut or almond milk.
- Can I substitute the dairy milk in this recipe for a dairy free milk option? Yes, you can! I recommend coconut or almond milk.
- How do I thicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup? This broccoli cheddar soup recipe contains flour which helps to thicken the creamy broth. If you prefer the soup to be thicker, you can add more cheese, or take out about 1 cup of the soup, puree it, then add it back into the soup. The pureed portion will be thicker in consistency and will help to thicken the soup.
- Can I add other ingredients to this broccoli cheddar soup recipe? Yes! Feel free to get creative. You can add sausage, bacon or even potatoes for a heartier soup.
Here are a few of my favorite soup recipes
Pair this soup with a bread bowl or delicious piece of bread. Here are my favorites.
Let me know what you thought!
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The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
The best Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is here and it is total comfort food, making it perfect for the chilly days of winter. It’s creamy, cheesy and full of fresh, tender broccoli and carrots. If you like Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar soup you will love this one as much, if not more! This soup is great served in a bread bowl or with a side of crusty bread to dip up all of that delicious creamy broth.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, julienned or finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
To Serve:
Instructions
1. In a large pot over medium heat add butter. Once melted, add onion, garlic and carrots. Cook 4 minutes stirring frequently. Sprinkle flour over mixture, then cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard and broccoli. Whisk in the milk, heavy cream and chicken broth. Cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
3. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pair this soup with my homemade bread bowls for an ultimate cozy meal.
- Fresh ingredients: I recommend using fresh broccoli, carrots and freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese. I’ve noticed frozen broccoli can sometimes be watery and mushy when cooked in a soup, plus I prefer the enhanced flavor from the fresh vegetables. Freshly grated cheese tends to melt smoother leading to a more velvety smooth broth. Store bought cheese contains preservatives that interfere with it melting as smoothly. However, you may certainly use frozen broccoli, carrots or store bought cheese for convenience. The soup will still be delicious!
- Storage: Store leftover Broccoli Cheddar Soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing Instructions: While some dairy based soups don’t freeze well, due to separation issues, this broccoli cheddar soup recipe does freeze well. Allow the soup to completely cool to room temperature, then pour into airtight containers, leaving a 1-2 inch headspace to allow for expansion once the soup is in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator the night before. Heat up in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until warmed through.
- Thickening Soup: This broccoli cheddar soup recipe contains flour which helps to thicken the creamy broth. If you prefer the soup to be thicker, you can add more cheese, or take out about 1 cup of the soup, puree it, then add it back into the soup. The pureed portion will be thicker in consistency and will help to thicken the soup.
- Thicken soup after freezing and thawing: If you notice your soup is too thin after freezing and thawing the soup out, you may scoop 1/2 cup of the soup into a bowl, then add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Whisk this into the soup as you heat it on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
