Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup is a bowl full of comfort! Thick, cheesy, and addictive, this delicious soup simmers all day in the crock-pot and is ready to eat when you are, with just a few finishing touches.
This rich velvety soup is loaded with broccoli and lots of cheese for the perfect slow cooker soup recipe! It’s creamy, dreamy, delicious!
While I do love a good quick Broccoli Cheese Soup, making Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup can be a real lifesaver on those busy family days when everyone is coming and going! The crockpot is the real hero in this broccoli and cheese soup recipe because you just set it and forget it! In fact, why not put it together before work and come home to a healthy, filling dinner that everyone will love! Better yet, only one pot to wash!
How to Make Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- BROCCOLI: Be sure to properly prep the broccoli by removing the fibrous outer skin and chop into uniform pieces. Place in the crock pot and onions and chicken stock. Make sure there is enough stock to completely cover the broccoli because this will be the base.
- COOK: Cover the crockpot and cook (on low or high) until the broccoli is tender. Add evaporated milk 30-60 minutes before serving.
- BLEND: You can leave it chunky or puree it with a hand blender until it is smooth. Personally, I like to take some of the broccoli out and chop it, puree the remainder using a hand blender and then add the chopped broccoli back in!
- CHEESE: Add the cheese just before serving. Dairy (including cheese) can break down and separate if cooked too long or too hot (the exception to this rule is Velveeta, it can be added a bit sooner to melt).
- ADD-INS: This soup is versatile. We sometimes add in some chunks of processed cheese (Velveeta), a half the jar of Alfredo sauce or a few spoonfuls of pesto. Top it with bacon, add in some garlic or serve it with croutons!
Add some diced potatoes for a heartier broccoli potato cheese soup. Or leave the recipe as is and enjoy it as a low carb broccoli cheese soup! Great for a potluck!
Rich and Creamy
When pureeing the soup, remember not to put hot soup in a blender with a lid! I used an immersion blender (hand blender) in the slow cooker. The addition of alfredo (I used light) makes this soup extra rich and creamy!
What to Serve with Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Broccoli and cheese soup is rich, so pair it with simple sides like a crisp salad or coleslaw, some fresh fruit, or some crusty bread and croutons. Let the soup be the star of the show!
Better with Bread: This soup is terrific when served in homemade bread bowls, or with homemade buttermilk biscuits or dinner rolls on the side. It’s even better the next day!
You can freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup! Ladle portions into Ziploc bags, label, and lay flat so when they freeze, they will stack easily and save space!
This soup is low carb so it’s a great recipe to add into your regular rotation! It’s tough to find a good broccoli cheese soup without Velveeta so don’t forget to bookmark or pin this recipe to save it!
Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 6 cups broccoli florets about 2 heads
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter in a small pan over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until tender, about 3 minutes.
- Wash and chop the broccoli and place in the slow cooker. Add cooked onion, garlic powder, bay leaf, chicken broth, cream cheese and salt & pepper to taste.
- Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours, or until broccoli is tender. Add evaporated milk and cook 30 to 60 minutes more. Discard bay leaf.
- Remove one cup of broccoli and coarsely chop. Puree remaining soup using a hand blender. You can puree a bit to break up the broccoli or until completely smooth depending on preference.
- Add chopped broccoli back into the soup. Stir in all of the cheeses until melted.
- Garnish with additional shredded cheeses, or ½ teaspoon of pesto sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Soup
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Cant wait to try this! How many days is this good for in the fridge? Can it be frozen?
You can freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup! Ladle portions into Ziploc bags, label, and lay flat so when they freeze, they will stack easily and save space! You can also store broccoli cheese soup in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy Jessica!
Love your recipes!
Hello Holly. I’d like to make this soup, but don’t have a hand blender. Do you have an alternative suggestion and/or does it
have to be blended?
Hi Catherine, you could mash it with a potato masher or try blending it carefully in a traditional blender. You could also leave it chunky if you prefer.
Made this soup last night and came out great. Used three small heads of broccoli which took forever to clean. Next time I will get a couple of bags of florets which will save time. Added extra cheddar and used the slurry to thicken it.
Can I substitute cauliflower for broccoli and if I do, any seasoning corrections you might suggest.
Love your recipes!
Hi Linda, I think cauliflower would be an easy substitute. You shouldn’t need to correct anything. We also have this delicious cauliflower soup recipe you could try!
Made soup with cauliflower, didn’t over blend, so it was chunkier. Added the slurry and served with croutons, but would be better with garlic breadsticks or Texas toast. Came out great. Will have the rest Super Bowl Sunday.
That is great, Linda! Glad you enjoyed it.
Delicious! I made it on the stove instead of the slow cooker. It has lots of flavor.
Came out great. I just added more cheese and flour and water to thicken.
Glad you enjoyed it, Sam!
I’ve made this soup like four times now and i love it. Made it this morning. Had the onions in the pan when i realized i was out of cream cheese. So i decided to substitute sour cream (1/2 cup when i put the cheese in) worked out great.
I like easy and cheap recipes, I have 5 kids and a husband so anything helps!
Curious as to why you said to put cream cheese in at the beginning when you later talked about dairy clotting in the slow cooker. I followed the directions and was dismayed to find little white clumps os cream cheese floating in the soup. Blending took care of most of it but there are still a few “pearls” in there.
Cream cheese holds up fine in the slow cooker, I find the problem comes more with sour cream or milk. I haven’t had any issues with the cream cheese not melting.
Mine also came out extremely watery :( what did i do wrong?
If you prefer a thicker soup, add the chicken broth a cup at a time until you get the consistency you’d like Sarah. Enjoy!
Can you tell me what the carb and fiber content of this recipe is? I am on a low carb high fat diet.
Please check the recipe for nutritional information Brenda!
Is the pesto necessary?
It adds great flavor to this recipe.
All that cheese does it make it stringy when ur eating it? Or does the cheeses turn gooy and melty like Mac and cheese?
The cheese should turn creamy and melty because it is added at the end of the recipe. Cheese becomes stringy when it is overheated, boiled or cooked for long periods of time.
Hello! I made this recipe today, but the cheese ended up getting gloppy. Would you be able to think of anything I may have done wrong? Thank you in advance!
Did you add the cheese in after the 6-8 hour cooking period? If it was cooked with the other ingredients it may changed the texture. I add it in just shortly before serving.
Can this soup be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t say for sure. If you do happen to try it please let us know how it works for you because I’m sure others wonder the same thing!
Will do!!!
could you do 1 head broccoli and 1 head cauliflower???
I haven’t tried it but I”m sure it would be delicious!
This looks and sounds delicious, I am making it tomorrow night for supper!
This is my daughters favorite soup
Thanks for sharing! Ill have to give this recipe to my brother. He loves cheesy broccoli soup.
lovr Cheese broccoli.have to try this soup on a cold nite. add croutons.