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    Home > Blog > Dinner > Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    by Jenny Park · Published: Oct 24, 2022 · Modified: Mar 19, 2023

    Jump to Recipe
    A deliciously cozy recipe for Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup. We love serving it in a sourdough bread bowl or with a side of crusty bread for dipping. This soup is the ultimate comfort food!
    Two bowls of cheddar broccoli soup topped with some more shredded cheese.

    I love Broccoli Cheddar Soup (and soup season in general). It’s such a classic soup and it reminds me of childhood. I remember when I was in junior high going to Panera Bread for a quick dinner after tennis practice and the broccoli cheddar soup (in a bread bowl) always hit the spot!

    Our broccoli cheddar soup recipe is simple and can be made in just 30 minutes. It’s super flavorful and has the perfect balance of a salty, cheesy soup base with loads of perfectly cooked broccoli goodness!

    How to Make Our Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Ingredients for Broccoli Cheddar Soup laid out in bowls.
    1. Place large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and sweat, about 5 minutes.
    2. Add flour to butter and onion mixture.Stir together and cook for about 2 minutes. This will remove the raw flour flavor.
    Onions and butter melted in a stock pot.
    Combined melted butter and flour in a stock pot to make broccoli cheddar soup.
    1. Stir in chicken stock and season generously with salt and pepper. You want to make sure that no flour lumps are left after adding the stock.
    2. Add celery and broccoli.
    The beginning to making broccoli cheddar soup.
    Broccoli and celery combined with a stock to make the start of broccoli cheddar soup.
    1. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
    2. Stir in milk and continue to simmer until soup is thick enough to just coat the back of a wooden spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. The soup should still have a thinner, ‘soupy’ texture.
    Broccoli cheddar soup with celery soup made in a stock pot.
    Milk added into a stock pot with broccoli cheddar soup.
    1. Remove pot from heat and stir in cheddar in small handfuls, waiting until cheese melts to add more cheese. Adding the cheese slowly will help to create a smooth soup in the end.
    2. Continue to add more cheese to the soup until the soup has thickened and has a smooth velvety texture. Season with salt and pepper and top with more cheddar. Serve.
    Hand fulls of cheese added into a stock pot to make broccoli cheddar soup.
    Broccoli cheddar soup in a stock pot.

    Tools You Will Need

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • liquid measuring cup
    • dry measuring cups
    • cheese grater
    • pot
    • wooden spoon

    Tips to Make the BEST Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Our broccoli cheddar soup recipe is very easy to make but there are a couple important factors to make it successfully.

    • It’s important to remember that low and slow for adding the cheese is key. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese in small handfuls. Removing the pot from the heat will ensure your soup doesn’t separate, while still maintaining enough heat to melt the cheese.
    • Also make sure the added shredded cheese fully incorporates and melts into the soup before adding more. This will guarantee the soup stays creamy and smooth. If the cheese is added too quickly you run the risk of your soup becoming gritty.

    Make Ahead Instructions for Our Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Make Ahead

    Our soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    To reheat, pour soup into a pot and place over medium-low to low heat. Stir soup occasionally to ensure it heats back up evenly. It’s important that the soup comes back up to temperature slowly so that it stays thick, creamy and smooth. Reheating the soup too quickly can make the soup gritty and lose its body.

    If you find that your soup still gets too thin after its been heated scoop 1/2 cup of the warm soup into a small bowl and whisk together with 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot, stir together and simmer until soup slightly thickens.

    Can I Freeze This Soup?

    We really don’t recommend freezing this recipe because the consistency will be very thin and the texture will be off (gritty) once it’s thawed and heated back up. The cornstarch slurry trick also doesn’t work nearly as well for when the soup has been frozen.

    Best Way to Serve Our Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Our favorite way to serve this soup is to ladle it into a crusty, sourdough bread bowl! The last bits of the soup absorb into the inner crust of the bowl and it’s so satisfying to tear away pieces of the soup soaked bread bowl and scarf them down as you finish up the soup.

    Broccoli cheddar soup in a bowl up close with shredded cheddar cheese on top.

    More Delicious Soup Recipes You Will Love

    • Tomato soup recipe in two bowls with garlic bread on the side.
      Tomato Soup Recipe
    • Clam chowder in two bread bowls.
      Clam Chowder Recipe
    • Zuppa toscana in two bowls with bread on the side.
      Zuppa Toscana
    • Bowls of loaded baked potato soup with spoons.
      Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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    A close up of a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup with a spoon.

    Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    4.99 from 55 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    A deliciously cozy recipe for Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup. We love serving it in a sourdough bread bowl or with a side of crusty bread for dipping. This soup is the ultimate comfort food!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 25 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 6 people

      INGREDIENTS  

    soup

    • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
    • ½ onion chopped
    • ⅓ cups all purpose flour
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1 celery stalk finely diced
    • 2½ cup broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar
    • salt and pepper to taste

    garnish

    • 1 cup shredded cheddar

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Place large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and sweat, about 5 minutes.
    • Whisk in flour and cook for about 2 minutes.
    • Stir in chicken stock and season generously with salt and pepper.
    • Stir in celery and broccoli and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
    • Stir in milk and continue to simmer until soup is thick enough to just coat the back of a wooden spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. (soup should still have a 'soupy' texture)
    • Remove pot from heat and stir in cheddar in small handfuls, waiting until cheese melts to add more cheese.
    • Season with salt and pepper and top with more cheddar. Serve.

      NOTES  

    Makes: ~1 1/2 quarts
    Tips and Tricks for Broccoli Cheddar Soup Success
    This Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is really simple but there are a couple important factors in making it successfully.
    • It’s important to remember that low and slow for adding the cheese is key. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese in small handfuls. Removing the pot from the heat will ensure your soup doesn’t separate, while still maintaining enough heat to melt the cheese.
    • Also make sure the added shredded cheese fully incorporates and melts into the soup before adding more. This will guarantee the soup stays creamy and smooth. If the cheese is added too quickly you run the risk of your soup becoming gritty.
    Make Ahead Instructions for Our Broccoli Cheddar Soup
    Our soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    To reheat, pour soup into a pot and place over medium-low to low heat. Stir soup occasionally to ensure it heats back up evenly. It’s important that the soup comes back up to temperature slowly so that it stays thick, creamy and smooth. Reheating the soup too quickly can make the soup gritty and lose its body.
    If you find that your soup still gets too thin after its been heated scoop 1/2 cup of the warm soup into a small bowl and whisk together with 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot, stir together and simmer until soup slightly thickens.
    Calories: 445kcal Carbohydrates: 17g Protein: 21g Fat: 33g Saturated Fat: 20g Cholesterol: 97mg Sodium: 524mg Potassium: 414mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 8g Vitamin A: 1263IU Vitamin C: 35mg Calcium: 547mg Iron: 1mg
    CUISINE: American
    KEYWORD: broccoli cheddar, soup
    COURSE: dinner, lunch, Soup

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    October 24, 2022 / 28 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

    Previous Post: < Previous Post Pork Katsu
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    Reader Interactions

    October 24, 2022 / 28 Comments

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      Recipe Rating




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    1. Oliver

      February 06, 2023 at 4:16 pm

      4 stars
      I gave this recipe a five 1/2 fast, simple, tasty and just a kick it up a little bit. I added some Frank’s hot sauce.

      Reply
    2. Val

      January 10, 2023 at 6:34 pm

      5 stars
      Cheesy broccoli soup. Decadent and delish!!! Oh my

      Reply
    3. Saros Bar

      December 21, 2022 at 8:58 pm

      A Great and Easy dish to soup to make the video uploading makes it more easier to make it.

      Reply
    4. Keith

      October 07, 2022 at 4:16 pm

      If I’m doubling this recipe, do I double all ingredients? it’s probably a simple yes that just seemed like allot of butter

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        October 07, 2022 at 6:24 pm

        Correct, everything is doubled. It’s really not a lot of butter considering doubling the recipe makes about 3 quarts of soup

        Reply
    5. Stephanie

      January 17, 2022 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      This is probably the best broccoli and cheese soup. I added some air fried bacon and I added a large handful of shredded carrots. Thank you for adding the part about taking the soup off the heat and add the cheese.

      Reply
    6. Brenda

      December 31, 2021 at 9:19 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Made as instructed and it was delicious! I added a little more cheese and some bacon bits to add a llttle more umami.

      Reply
    7. Lesa

      November 24, 2021 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      Made this soup today and yummy yummy yummy! I didn’t get the thickness I desired but the soup was delicious!

      Reply
    8. Terri

      September 28, 2021 at 5:31 pm

      Just made this last night…probably the best broccoli cheddar soup I’ve ever made, great recipe…I did add some carrots as I had some that needed to be used…great flavor. Loved the tip about adding cheese a little at a time, definitely makes it creamier and great texture!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        September 29, 2021 at 9:14 am

        So happy you enjoyed this recipe!!!

        Reply
    9. Dennis

      January 07, 2021 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe! Just thinking about holding a bowl of warm delicious soup makes me feel so happy!

      Reply
    10. Bob

      October 22, 2020 at 7:57 pm

      5 stars
      This was really easy to make! A+

      Reply
    11. Alex T

      October 04, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      I used a lot of vegetables I had in my fridge and it came out so well.

      Reply
    12. Vicky

      October 03, 2020 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      This was a great recipe— easy and very tasty. I did up the broccoli a little just because I had some that I wanted to use up and it was still really good! Your advise on taking the pan off the heat to mix in the cheese was spot on! I’ve wrecked so many other sauces because there is too much heat. Thanks for the great recipe:)

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        October 04, 2020 at 7:13 am

        So happy you enjoyed the soup!

        Reply
    13. Mike

      October 01, 2020 at 11:27 am

      5 stars
      This was so good! AND SO SIMPLE!

      Reply
    14. Jordan

      October 01, 2020 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      This is my favorite broccoli cheddar soup! The whole family loved it. Thanks!

      Reply
    15. Amy

      June 22, 2020 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is great for kids. They loved it.

      Reply
    16. Aubrey

      May 05, 2020 at 7:58 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night and it’s so easy and delicious. A keeper for sure!

      Reply
    17. Nicole A

      May 04, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy and so delicious. I have made it every week for a month. I am usually really awful with making soups but I was able to do this one easily!

      Reply
    18. NinaAnderson

      April 05, 2020 at 1:26 pm

      Suggestion for replacing flour (also not cornstarch)?

      Reply
    19. Hali

      April 05, 2020 at 10:57 am

      I saw that you mentioned a cornstarch slurry in the background, but not in the recipe. When are you adding this?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        April 05, 2020 at 12:25 pm

        That’s only if you need to reheat the soup :)

        Reply
    20. Lisa

      April 05, 2020 at 8:36 am

      Only have frozen broccoli. Will this work?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        April 05, 2020 at 12:30 pm

        Yes! I would just thaw the broccoli first so that the excess water doesn’t thin the soup out

        Reply
    21. Ape21

      March 17, 2020 at 1:51 am

      5 stars
      Being a regular reader, spoonforkbacon never disappoints you. Thank you for a new recipe.

      Reply
    22. Sabrina

      March 16, 2020 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      yum, still cold at night so soup still works, thank you!

      Reply
    23. Julie S

      March 16, 2020 at 8:50 am

      Score! I think I have all of this stuff on hand. Yum!

      Reply

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