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Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons

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By Jenn Segal
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Topped with homemade croutons, this creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself and ready in under an hour.

Bowl of broccoli soup topped with croutons.

Topped with crisp homemade croutons, this rich and creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself. It’s perfect to ward off the evening chill, and it’s ready in under an hour.

What you’ll need to make Broccoli Soup

Soup ingredients including chicken broth, carrots, and celery.

For the ingredients, you’ll need the basics, plus white wine and Gruyère, a nutty and earthy-tasting cheese from Switzerland. It is available at most large grocery stores, Whole Foods, or gourmet markets.

Since the recipe only calls for a half cup of wine, I use a small bottle from a four-pack — they’re inexpensive and great to keep on hand for cooking.

How to make broccoli soup

Chopped vegetables on a cutting board.

Begin by chopping your vegetables. No need to chop them too finely since they all get puréed in the end.

Cutting board with broccoli florets.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.

Butter melting in a pan.

Cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.

Pan of sauteed vegetables.

Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced.

Wine pouring into a pan of vegetables.

Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper.

Broth pouring over broccoli in a pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Soup simmering in a pan.

Add the cream.

Cream pouring into a pan of soup.

Then purée until smooth.

Immersion blender in a pan of soup.

Gradually add the cheese, stirring until smooth. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Person adding cheese to soup.

What you’ll need to make the croutons

While the soup is cooking, make the croutons. You’ll need bread cubes (preferably day old), butter, salt, and pepper.

Bread, sea salt, pepper, and butter on a countertop.

How to make the croutons

Melt the butter in the microwave, then toss it with the bread cubes directly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Bread tossed with olive oil and seasonings on a lined baking dish.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.

Croutons on a lined baking dish.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons. Enjoy!

Spoon in a bowl of broccoli and gruyere soup with homemade croutons.

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Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons

By Jenn Segal

Topped with homemade croutons, this creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself and ready in under an hour.

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Soup

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 1¾ cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 pound broccoli, florets and stems, roughly chopped
  • 4 cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half, for a lighter version)
  • 1 heaping cup grated Gruyère, packed (you'll need about 3 oz.)
  • Pinch nutmeg

For the Croutons

  • 2 cups cubed French Bread, preferably day old
  • 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the Soup

  1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced, a few minutes.
  3. Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  4. Add the heavy cream; then, use a hand held immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape.) Bring the soup to a simmer, then gradually stir in the cheese, stirring until melted. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper). Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons.

For the Croutons

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
  2. Directly on the baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for 13-15 minutes, tossing once, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
  3. Note: The soup thickens as it sits; add a bit of water to thin it out if necessary.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 414
  • Fat: 31g
  • Saturated fat: 18g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 13g
  • Sodium: 700mg
  • Cholesterol: 95mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

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  • It was great! Even my one picky eater in my family loved this soup! I’ve made so many of Jenn’s recipes and this recipe will be another add on to our meal menu options. Thanks!

  • I make this soup twice a month. It is our favourite broccoli soup. We eat half and freeze half for the following week.

    • This is a great soup & a great way to have broccoli & vegetables. I submitted black pepper for white pepper. Also, I used gluten free bread,because I have Celiac.Thanks for ALL of your recipes!! Mary D

      • — Mary Louise Davis
      • Reply

  • Hi Jenn, I am a huge fan of your site and I have loved every recipe I have tried. While this recipe was flavourful, your photo looks quite different than my finished product. Your photo looks much more blended and creamy. My soup was not that visually appealing. It resembled a creamy broth with micro bits of vegetables. I used an immersion blender and perhaps I should have used my blender?

    • Hi Jane, sorry to hear you weren’t thrilled with the soup. If you prepare it again, yes, I’d suggest using a regular blender. My immersion blender worked well for it, but I’m sure there’s a lot of variance there.

  • Is there a trick to adding the cream so it won’t break when it hits the hot liquid?

    • Hi Kelly, you’ll be blending the soup after you add the cream, so if it does separate at all when you add it, this will help to thoroughly combine it. Hope you enjoy!

      • Thanks. It worked and It is soo good!

  • This soup is simple and delicious. The white wine adds a nice, light acidity; the homemade croutons add a lovely crunch; and Gruyere is a much nicer cheese than the cheddar I’ve previously used in broccoli soup. Oh, and heavy cream is always yummy. 🙂 I think this is my new go-to broccoli cheese soup recipe!

  • Such a quick, easy and elegant soup. This is a fabulous recipe. It will great to take to the office paired with either half a sandwich or a quick light salad.

  • Is there any substitute for white wine in the broccoli/cheese soup (and all other recipes for that matter) or will it just taste a bit different if left out?

    • — Meredyth Brown
    • Reply

    • Hi Meredyth, It really depends on the recipe. Here, the wine adds depth of flavor and a touch of acidity. It’s fine to leave it out. If you find the soup could use a burst of flavor, try adding a squeeze of lemon at the end — but go easy…a little goes a long way. Hope that helps!

    • I only have frozen organic flowered on hand –
      Anything in particular to adjust if using frozen?

      • Hi Marsha, I’m not sure which ingredient you’re referring to – can you clarify?

  • Would cauliflower work in place of broccoli?

    • Yes Adriann, I don’t see why not! I’d love to hear how it turns out with cauliflower.

      • Just as lovely as with broccoli! My 2 year old loves it!

        • So glad– thanks for the follow-up!

  • Just made the broccoli and cheese soup. It’s delicious and perfect for a chilly, windy day in Chicago! Will be on our Thanksgiving “weekend” menu! Thanks Jen.

  • This is a delicious, hearty soup, great for a fall lunch with a baguette and salad.

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