Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
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Rich but not heavy, this cheesy cream of broccoli soup will get you through the fall and winter.
This cream of broccoli soup boasts a lovely green color and fresh broccoli flavor. This sets it apart from my popular broccoli cheddar soup, which is more about the cheese than the broccoli. While the soup is rich, it’s not heavy. That said, feel free to replace the heavy cream with half-and-half or cut back on the cheese if you’d like to make it lighter. Enjoy the soup with crusty bread as an appetizer or light meal, or pair it with a sandwich or salad for lunch or dinner. The recipe is modestly adapted from Cook’s Country.
Table of Contents
“The best version of cream of broccoli soup I’ve ever made – delicious!!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
Step-by-Step Instructions
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. (Note that the garlic need only be smashed and peeled, rather than minced, as leaving it in large pieces prevents it from burning, and it all gets puréed in the end anyway.)
Cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes; do not brown.
Add the broccoli stems, broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until the stems are partially cooked, about 10 minutes.
Stir in florets, cream, and nutmeg.
Continue cooking until the florets are tender, about 5 minutes.
Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly and use a blender to purée in batches. Be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters.) Add 1-1/2 cups of the cheese.
Stir until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium heat until hot.)
How To Freeze Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
Although soups made with dairy products are more likely to have flavor and texture changes when frozen, this cream of broccoli soup freezes well. For best results, allow the soup to cool completely, then pour into plastic containers, leaving an inch or two of space at the top to give the soup room to expand as it freezes. Seal the containers and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
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Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
Rich but not heavy, this cheesy cream of broccoli soup will get you through the fall and winter.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled (see note)
- 1¾ pounds broccoli, stems cut into ½-inch pieces/florets cut into 1-inch pieces, separated
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups shredded good-quality medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, such as Cabot (from one 8-oz block)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes; do not brown. Add the broccoli stems, broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until the stems are partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in the broccoli florets, cream, and nutmeg, and continue cooking until the florets are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly and use a blender to purée in batches. Be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters.) Add 1½ cups of the cheese and stir until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Note: The garlic need only be smashed and peeled, rather than minced, as leaving it in large pieces prevents it from burning, and it all gets puréed in the end anyway. To smash and peel a clove of garlic, place the unpeeled clove on a cutting board. Take a chef's knife and place the blade flat on the clove (sharp side facing away from you). Use the heel of your hand to press the blade down on the clove. The garlic should be smashed and the peel should slip right off. It is not necessary to chop the garlic further.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The soup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium heat until hot.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Although soups made with dairy products are more likely to have flavor and texture changes when frozen, this soup freezes well. For best results, allow the soup to cool completely, then pour into plastic containers, leaving an inch or two of space at the top to give the soup room to expand as it freezes. Seal the containers and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 456
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Sodium: 921 mg
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
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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Delicious and so easy to make. I didn’t have heavy cream so I substituted with a half cup non fat Fage plain Greek yogurt and a half cup fat free milk . I also had about one cup of leftover cooked white potato which I added to the pot.
Delicious! – Tho’ I found it a bit too thin, so next time I’ll leave the cup of water out. Others in the family just added crackers which isn’t my thing :-)..
This soup is sooo delicious and satisfying! I made it for the first time today (it was bitter cold outside), and my husband couldn’t stop saying how rich the flavor was, and especially delicious. I think the cream really helped to make this soup extra creamy and meld the flavors of the cheese, onion, garlic and broccoli together. It was easy and fast to make, which was also a big plus. I made it exactly as directed, and Jenn has it nailed! Many thanks!
Delicious broccoli cheese soup. I like that it doesn’t have thickener– no flour or cornstarch. I prefer that thinner consistency. I didn’t have enough fresh cream, so used sour cream to get up to one cup. Since we’re vegetarian, substituted Better than Bouillon Vegetable broth– with 3 teaspoons of the BthanB and 4 cups water so it wouldn’t be too salty. Used Kirkland Coastal White Cheddar Cheese– the best cheddar I’ve found anywhere. Just scrumptious soup! Thank you, Jenn. I use your cookbook every week.
Hi Beth, I’m not 100% but pretty sure that Coastal Cheddar has Rennet in it. I also am 95% vegetarian but this cheese is one I will let slide. It might be worth checking into.
My granddaughter had a broccoli soup at a friend’s house and loved it, so when I saw this recipe I decided to make for her. I’m giving to her tomorrow night for dinner so jury still out. My soup turned out to be very thin. Followed recipe exactly. Is this the way it should be? I love the taste.
This should be about the same texture as gravy. Was yours thinner than that?
The best version of Cream of Broccoli soup I’ve ever made – delicious!!!
This was delicious!!! I was a little disappointed that the color was not as lovely bright green as the example on the website. Any suggestions as to what I might do next time to help preserve the bright green?
Glad you liked it! Is there any chance you overcooked the broccoli? That could account for the difference in color.
Fabulous soup! A new favourite and although I just made it this week, I want to make it again soon!
I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, so I subbed frozen cauliflower for the broccoli and 1/2 cup coconut milk + 1/2 cup almond milk, instead for the half and half. It was a big hit! I’m looking forward to trying it just as it’s intended when I have all the ingredients. As far as soups go, this was pretty easy to make. I will note that the cauliflower didn’t take very long to get tender so I had to keep a close eye on it. Thanks Jenn!
Simpy delicious!
Don’t let the thought of having to purée the soup discourage you. I used my “Magic Baby Bullet” instead of a blender which took longer, but was well worth the effort. And miracle of miracles, even my husband gives it two thumbs up.
Thanks, Jenn!