by Holly
Broccoli Cheddar Soup is an easy recipe-box favorite! This easy recipe combines broccoli and broth with a bit of cream and heaps of cheddar flavor.
The result is a soup that warms your belly and your taste buds!
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
The best homemade broccoli cheese soup needs just a few ingredients and comes together quickly!
- Saute onion and garlic. Add broccoli, broth and seasonings (per recipe below) and simmer until tender.
- Remove a bit of the broccoli and chop it, blend the rest of the soup.
- Stir in cream and cream cheese until rich and creamy. Add cheddar/parm and the chopped broccoli. Enjoy!
I add the cream cheese while on the heat so it mealts. The shredded cheese is added after the soup is removed from the heat so it doesn’t curdle/separate.
What to Serve with Broccoli Cheddar Soup
So many amazing things go with broccoli cheddar soup!
- Bread: croutons, saltine crackers, garlic bread, or homemade biscuits.
- Veggies: A crisp salad with a tangy vinaigrette dressing, a side of dippable crudites with ranch dressing like celery sticks, carrot sticks, radishes, cauliflower florets, and strips of colorful bell peppers.
- Nuts: toasted slivers of almonds or toasted chopped walnuts
- Others: sliced black olives, sliced pepperoncini or jalapeños and more cheese of course!
Can You Freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup?
This soup can be frozen by putting it into freezer bags or airtight freezer containers that are labeled with the date so you know when to use them by. It may not be quite as thick when thawed but still tastes great! If you’re going to be freezing this, I would suggest using evaporated milk in place of cream.
To Thaw: Refrigerate overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Thawed broccoli cheddar soup may have a slight change in texture because the cream cheese has separated during the freezing and then thawing process. Simply whisk the soup back together and add some more cream cheese to make it creamy again! Refresh the seasonings with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Easy Hearty Soups
- Potato Leek Soup – ultimate comfort food
- Homemade French Onion Soup – classic recipe!
- Sweet Potato Soup – savory & creamy soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup – delicious hot or cold!
- Homemade Lentil Soup – Hearty and healthy.
- Borscht Recipe (Beet Soup) – Family favorite
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Course Soup
Cuisine AmericanIngredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 cups fresh broccoli or frozen
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- salt & pepper to taste
- 12 oz light cream or evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a saucepan, cook onion and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender.
- Add broccoli, chicken broth, thyme and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes.
- Remove 1 cup of broccoli, coarsely chop and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blend remaining soup.
- Combine cream and cornstarch.
- Bring soup to a boil and whisk in cream mixture and cream cheese. Simmer until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese & reserved chopped vegetables and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Other vegetables can be added to this recipe including cauliflower, red bell pepper and/or carrots.
Do you have a recipe for Cream of Broccoli soup. I feel that putting cheese in with the broccoli translates to: “I don’t like the taste of broccoli!”
Hardly Harold! This soup still has a delicious broccoli taste. You can definitely leave the cheese out if you prefer as well. I have enjoyed this soup before adding the cheese and it is still so yummy!