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This classic Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is a delicious, comforting soup that can be enjoyed year-round for lunch or dinner.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cheddar Broccoli Soup is the ultimate comfort food! I love it for lunch with a salad or half sandwich, sandwich, or for weeknight dinners as a first course. Healthier and lighter than Panera’s since most recipes us heavy cream and a lot of butter. My lighter version is made with milk and whole cheese, blending part of the soup to help make it creamy without the need to add heavy cream! More Broccoli Soup recipes that are popular here are Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli and Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A Lighter Broccoli Cheese Soup. Most broccoli and cheese soups are very high in calories and fat, add butter and/or heavy cream to cheese, which is already a high fat food. Instead I make a roux to thicken the soup, plus I blend part of the vegetables making it creamy without the extra saturated fats.
- A Perfect Make Ahead Meal. You can make this soup 4 days in advance to heat up for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week.
- A Great Way To Eat More Veggies. If you’re trying to get more veggies into your diet, this kid-friendly, vegetarian soup will adds a whole portion of veggies into your meal.
- Easily Made Gluten-free. I tested this with gluten-free flour and it came out perfect, and creamy.
Featured Comment
The absolute best broccoli cheddar soup I have ever had. I followed everything except I did blend it longer. The consistency of the soup was perfect, it was very tasty, and I only added a very small amount of salt while cooking – also reheats well and tastes just as well the next day.
I served it with berry salad almond cranberry crusted goat cheese balls because the strawberries I had needed to be eaten soon and it actually went well together for our dinner and they both were great leftover for lunch.
I’d love to try it in a hollowed-out bread bowl next time!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make my go-to broccoli cheddar soup recipe. See exact measurements in the recipe card below:
- Small onion, medium carrot, celery stalk, and garlic: Creates the base flavor of the soup, known as mirepoix, which adds depth and aroma to the soup.
- Butter: Used for sautéing the vegetables and as a fat component in the roux.
- Flour (all-purpose flour, whole wheat, or a gluten-free blend): Used to create a roux, which serves as a thickening agent for the soup.
- Less sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth: To make this soup quick, I used canned broth for convenience but if you have homemade, feel free to use that instead.
- Fat-free milk: Adds creaminess to the soup while keeping it light and lower in fat.
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper: For flavor, can be adjusted according to personal your preference.
- Fresh broccoli florets: The star ingredient of the recipe, chopped into small sized pieces for even cooking and easy blending.
- Shredded sharp cheddar: This cheese adds a bold, tangy flavor and creamy texture to the soup. I like to shred it myself off the block, but you can also use pre-shredded cheese.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: Adds a slight nuttiness and depth of flavor to the soup, while also helping to thicken it slightly.
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Here’s the step-by-step recipe. See printable recipe in the recipe card below:
- Prepare the vegetables: Using a chopper or mini food processor, chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
- Cook the vegetables: In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Then add the chopped vegetables, kosher salt, and black pepper, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Make the roux: Stir in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the broth: Gradually whisk in the chicken or vegetable broth, making sure there are no lumps.
- Add milk and other ingredients: Pour in the milk, and increase the heat to high until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the broccoli florets, and grated Parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered over low heat until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Blend the soup: To thicken the soup, use an immersion blender to puree part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove 1-2 cups of soup, then add it back to the pot.
- Add the cheese: Gently stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, allowing it to melt smoothly.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot, garnished with additional cheddar cheese if desired.
Is Broccoli Cheddar Soup Healthy?
Broccoli Cheddar Soup is not only delicious but nutritious as well. Broccoli is loaded with vitamin C and K, potassium, and fiber, offering numerous health benefits like improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and boosted immunity. Cheddar cheese, provides a good dose of protein, calcium, and other essential minerals. The combination of these ingredients creates a nutrient-dense and filling meal.
What To Eat With Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I used to buy soup for lunch when I worked in the city, and if Broccoli Cheddar Soup was on the menu, I ordered it! My homemade version is much lighter and healthier!
- You can serve this for lunch with a piece of bread or cheddar biscuits, some fruit or a side salad to make it a meal.
- For dinner, this would be great with a half sandwich or as a starter to a light meal. If you want to make a bread bowl, you can hollow out a small round bread to serve it in.
More Broccoli Recipes You Will Love!
- Broccoli and Orzo
- Crustless Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
- Roasted Broccoli Parmesan
- Broccoli Salad
- Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This classic Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is a delicious, comforting soup that can be enjoyed year-round for lunch or dinner.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 generous cup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour, AP, whole wheat or gluten-free flour
- 3 cups less sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup fat free milk
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces, about 2 heads
- 1-1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or mini food processor.
- In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the chopped vegetables, salt and pepper and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour to create a roux, cooking for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Add the milk and increase heat to high until it comes to a boil, then add broccoli florets, Parmesan cheese, and stir well.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered over low heat until broccoli is cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of soup and blend, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.
- Gently stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, allowing it to melt smoothly.
- Serve the soup hot, garnished with additional cheddar cheese, if desired.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 generous cup, Calories: 242 kcal, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Protein: 12.5 g, Fat: 12.5 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 37.5 mg, Sodium: 360 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g
Best Cheddar Broccoli soup I’ve ever had or made. I am a really good cook and this is REALLY good soup! Making another pot as I type. I’m going to share with a neighbor who is going through so health issues.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope your neighbor feels better.
Just made this and tried a cup of it myself before our tea tonight and omg if I hadn’t of told my partner I’d made it I would be eating the whole pot!!! It is absolutely amazing and will be a new favourite in our house!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was so good!!
This soup is good and I will make it again, I think it needs a little something more. Maybe I used too much broccoli, I didn’t measure the florets. I used two crowns.
Kids loved it and were loved it! I honestly just blitzed all the veggies in the food processor. Cooked it as directed, blitzed it again with my immersion blender instead at the end. So my one year old and my two other kids could eat it. It was delicious I have to give high thank you right now. I haven’t had good recipes consistently in a longgggggg time. You do put in the effort!
Thanks Barb!
This was super easy to make and came out delicious. I sauteed the veggies in olive oil and did not do the butter and flour part.
Easy, delicious and healthy!
Easy and delicious. I did sauté the vegetables with nutmeg. I would add one more clove of garlic.
This soup came out amaaaaazing! It was SOOOO easy to make and I feel like it’s so much healthier than any store bought one. I know exactly what is in it and even grated my own cheese to avoid the anti-caking ingredients and such in the pre-shredded packaged cheese. A little more work but absolutely worth it in my opinion. Really great recipe! Definitely recommend!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Super easy, delicious and quick. It was a little thick for my taste after it started to cool in my bowl a little. I added an extra cup of broth to what was left in the pot and for me he texture was perfect. This one will be on repeat this winter for sure!
This was very tasty, quick, and easy. I will be saving this recipe to make again – and again….
Loved this soup! It was easy.
Next time I would not add grated Parmesan. I might shred fresh!
So yummy! My 7 year old asks for it all of the time.
This soup is incredibly good! I like the lighter version better than others that I’ve tried
Absolutely delicious!!! Didn’t even miss the heavy cream. Just took a pot over to my daughter who’s in college and she’s in heaven! Thank you 😊
Perfect!
It’s a good recipe, but as I find with a lot of recipes, timings are off. Carrots and celery take longer to soften than onion and garlic and need to be done over medium heat. I start sauté of veggies with carrots and celery first. Broccoli needs to be cooked longer than indicated here. I add much more salt and pepper and also a bit of red pepper flake. I love Skinnytaste recipes, but this isn’t one I would make again.
Delicious!
I bought a monstrous head of broccoli at the farmers market so this recipe was perfect.
An excellent, satisfying soup; a few tweaks I made:
1. Added a little nutmeg as the veggies sautéed.
2. Added a handful each of fresh dill & parsley to the soup just before blending it.
3. Topped with fresh chives just before serving.
Also, I needed a lot more salt & pepper (like, A LOT).
I have made this so many times. When in a hurry, I use Costco frozen broccoli.
Excellent! Love that is had a lighter cheese flavor. I puréed 1cup of white beans and added it to the soup for extra protein. Will definitely make this again!
Great idea on adding beans!! Thx
Had the white beans out and forgot to add them….. good to know it works and will add next time for sure!
SO good and incredibly easy to make. I blended most of it, just leaving a few pieces of the florets. I was going to share some with a coworker but I ate it all myself!
I’ve made this many times. My favorite broc cheddar soup.
Easy and delicious! My daughter and husband both loved this soup. I was surprised how flavorful and creamy this soup turned out using chicken broth and low fat milk. I used my Vitamix to blend the soup since I don’t have an immersion blender, and it worked beautifully. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
absolutely delicious. This soup is rich tasting and very simple. I used one large broccoli , not just the florets. I used 4 c chicken broth because that’s the amount in the box. Perfection!
Total comfort food Made it 20times or more. Easy and fast right atop the stove!
this is delicious. I added white beans and a cup more milk and have the amount of cheese to make it healthier and it delicious.
This recipe is super delicious. This is the third time I’m making it and I rarely stray from exactly how it’s worded except maybe add some more carrots and celery. Everybody in my family loves this! thank you so much ☺️
Even my husband with the very discerning palate loved it!
Only substitution I made was to use full fat cheddar cheese. I always grate my own & I personally don’t like the texture of the low fat cheeses.
We also added red pepper flakes tableside. I will add that earlier next time.
Another fantastic recipe from Skinny Taste! We like spicy so added Smoked Paprika, Italian Seasoning & a little Cumin. Both my husband & I were delighted with how tasty it is. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Is it possible to substitute with a non-dairy milk?
Yes, made mine with Almond milk yesterday. I’m not normally a broccoli cheese soup fan but that has changed. Delicioso.
I have not made the soup yet but would like to know if it can be frozen. I need to make a big batch to share with several people and they will want to freeze it.
DELISH. I didn’t have FF milk and used whole milk and it was still Delish.
So yummy and easy to make!!
Easy to follow 👌 . Delicious and healthy 😋
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Yes! I did
Very Good. Even my picky people ate it. Really enjoyed it. Thanks
Absolutely delicious!
Gina, this was delicious! I wanted to lick the bowl clean! (I used frozen broccoli, thawed, because that was what I had on hand.) I will be making this regularly!
This is my second time making it and it turned out great. I mistakenly added the broccoli in with the carrots, celery, onions and garlic but no harm done. Thanks for your great recipes.
Delicious! So good and my kids liked it too. Homemade soup is the best in the winter months.
Definitely!
We’ve made this soup twice this month. So good, so healthy. And once all the chopping is done and ingredients are assembled, it comes together quickly.
Absolutely Delicious!! I love Broccoli Cheddar soup but usually avoid it due to the fat content and salt. This recipe is a much healthier option and doesn’t skimp on flavor. Not only was it easy to make, it’s just as yummy on days 1-4! I used a package of lower fat Mexican Cheese blend and I did not blend the soup as the recipe calls for. I love a chunky soup! 🙂 This recipe is going into my winter weekly rotation. Thank you so much , Gina for reminding me that low-fat options can be flavorful and fulfilling!
Glad you enjoyed it Lori!
Delicious! It’s soup season and this fits the bill!
Very very delicious soup
Yum! I had to cook the broccoli longer to get it done but I used all the stalk and maybe cut it too big. It’s nice and thick and the parmesan gives it a nice flavor. I’ll be making this again!
Just made this tonight! Delicious and creamy. Added about 2 c cheese instead. Other than that amazing!
Perfect and delicious, thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Easy and delicious as usual.
I didn’t have enough cheddar so I did part cheddar, part feta and it was delicious. Also didn’t have celery so I increased carrots. So good!
This looks delicious! Going to make for soup day at work. Just curious if it freezes well?
This recipe was delicious!! Followed as directed and satisfied three picky kids and a picky husband. Will be making this again!
Perfect!
Very very delicious! Put in a bread bowl, felt like decedent rich soup. Will definitely make again
My husband and I really enjoyed this soup. The only difference between this and a restaurant is it is thinner but the tasted is the same.
The absolute best broccoli cheddar soup I have ever had. I followed everything except I did blend it longer. The consistency of the soup was perfect, it was very tasty, and I only added a very small amount of salt while cooking – also reheats well and tastes just as well the next day.
I served it with berry salad almond cranberry crusted goat cheese balls because the strawberries I had needed to be eaten soon and it actually went well together for our dinner and they both were great leftover for lunch.
I’d love to try it in a hollowed-out bread bowl next time!
It’s taste great but I would suggest no carrots
Delish and the kids and hubs loved it too!
Perfect!
Way too sticky. Fat free milk is a no from us.
Made it for my whole family and they loved it! This recipe was very easy to follow. It was simple and straightforward. I made it exactly as it was written, no substitutions.
love this!
I substitue the milk with soy milk, the parmesan with half the amount nutritional yeast, and vegan cashew cheddar cheese for the sharp cheddar. It is wonderful!
Delicious and on repeat in my house. Also a big hit with the grand kids!
So delicious and so easy to make!
Delicious soup.
Made this for my family (including two toddlers) and everyone loved it. Only change I made was adding one head cauliflower along with the one head of broccoli. It was fantastic, will definitely make this again!
Love this recipe!! Tons of veggies packed into this delicious soup. Thank you for sharing!!
One of our favorites for lent!
I tried this recipe because it has so much less fat than other versions. Easy prep and quite flavorful. Next time, however, I might use less than 6 cups of broccoli. Thanks!
Absolutely delicious, even kid approved!
Delish
I’ve made this many times at the request of my picky 11 year old. He had thirds today!! I’m going to have to start doubling this recipe. Thank you for this and all the amazing recipes you create and share.
Lost my favorite low fat Broccoli Cheddar soup and this one is even better. Quick and easy to make.
So good! Loved by my entire family, which is no small feat.
Added a can of Great Northern bean to up the protein and puréed the entire pan of soup with the stick blender. Outstanding!
Does it freeze well?
This is delicious. I made two swaps – I used Earth Balance vegan butter and almond milk. No difference in taste to me, I absolutely loved it for lunch. Great recipe!!
can i freeze this?
Really enjoyed this soup! Will definitely make again.
So good!
Yum-meee!
Such a easy flavorable soup!
I make this soup all the time and it is always a favorite! Delicious and simple a great soup for winter days!
So creamy and delicious without all the fat, a definite repeat recipe!
This soup looks delicious! And, it has ingredients I want in my broccoli soup. I wonder if there is a way to make it with fewer steps–without having to make a roux? Sorry but I am a lazy cook!
Susan, I sometimes skip the roux part of the instructions and use arrowroot near the end of the recipe, adding it with the cheddar cheese as it works best if you don’t boil it. Just reserve a little of the chicken broth [water works too, if you forget to save broth], stir in 3 teaspoons of arrowroot into the liquid and then stir into the soup. Thickening takes about a minute.
Great soup. Kids loved it. Modify it with any extra veggies and or make it vegan.
The whole family enjoyed this soup.
Another awesome recipe! I made this soup today and last weekend. It was the perfect lunch for a rainy day! My husband loves it and he is a picky eater! I live outside of Philadelphia and am fortunate to have a farmers’ market available year round. All the veggies I used in making this soup are from the market including the garlic! Thank you Gina for another delicious recipe!
After dental surgery I was desperate for something that felt like a heartier soup. This filled the bill and was very easy to make. I am going to put it in our regular rotation. Very tasty!
Very good! I grated the carrot instead of using a processor and added less than half the cheese. I probably added bit more broccoli but it was all very good and reheated it comes together very well!
Very good! Love the larger bites of broccoli within the broth of the soup. Will make again and share. Thank you Gina
Just perfect! Absolutely delicious on a cold night!
Delicious, nutritious, and easy! What more could one want in a recipe?!
Ummmmmm delicious!!! I added some cubed ham and it was amazing!!
Yummy and super quick and easy , I love hearty soups and this one was a dream!
delicious! Perfect soup for fall cool days.
Great recipe! Love that it feezes easily. Should’ve doubled the recipe!
I’ve made this recipe so many times and it is one of my absolute favorites!! The flavor is amazing and it’s incredibly easy to make. It also freezes well so you can make a bunch to have for later.
Why anybody uses any other site to get recipes is beyond me. Only cook skinnytaste and never disappoints! This one comes together so quickly. Next time, I’ll double the recipe for a family of 5 (and also so that we have leftovers for lunch)
Thank you!!!
So good😍
Delicious! Used Ripple oat milk and vitalife vegan cheddar shreds because my husband can’t have milk products. This would be easy to make totally vegan.
Whole family loved this .. they said it was better than Pannera’s … easy recipe, definitely make again
Sooo good and easy to throw together quickly! Love it and definitely will make again!
I’ve made this recipe more than 1 dozen times! Never disappoints! Anymore, and for some time now, I ONLY make Gina’s recipes…incredible variety, healthy and so delicious! Since summer is fast approaching and family starts traveling in to visit in large numbers, I would love to see a section for large gatherings…even make ahead if possible. Many thanks!
My daughter has MANY allergies, so I made several substitutions and it still turned out INCREDIBLE!!! I’ll double it next time! I used butternut squash instead of the carrot, cassava flour, and had to leave out the garlic. I also added a lot more cheese. I feel like you could use this recipe as a base for so many combos! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it and that it worked for your daughter! 🙂
I apologize because you’ve explained this before. I’m a fairly new WW member. Someone on Connect mentioned your blog so here I am. Your comments seem to indicate the point value can be found in the WW app in recipe builder? I can’t find that on the app and WW chat couldn’t help. Would explain again how to find the points value without entering the whole recipe under Create? Thanks.
Its the ww button in the recipe card.
This was quite easy to make (confession: I used two frozen garlic cubes I keep in case I run out) and SO SO DELICIOUS. I think I like it better than your version with potatoes, because this is a bit lighter while still so comforting. Used GF AP flour (King Arthur- worked perfectly as you said) Thanks for all the great recipes and for testing gluten free when you can!
The best! I used almond milk.
So good- have made twice. The second time I subbed 1 cup of the cheddar with reduced fat cheese to cut down on the saturated fat, it was just as good.
Love this soup and so does my picky vegetable adverse 8 year old. I’m wondering if this freezes well?
Can you use unsweetened almond milk in place of the fat free milk?
I dont see why not
Super easy and super delicious! I added red pepper flakes for a kick. Will definitely make this again.
Oh my! This soup is fantastic. I used vegetable Better Than Bouillon because hubs is vegetarian. I like that the ingredients are simple and I generally have everything on hand. My house smells amazing. This one goes in the recipe binder.
Delicious!!
how much bouillon do you use?
Great recipe! Made this for my fiancé for his birthday dinner, it was very easy to do and it tastes delicious and I will make it again!
This was a very easy soup recipe and my fiancé loves this soup so I decided to find a recipe to make for his birthday. He loves it. I’m so happy to make this for him and it’s a great recipe and very easy and delicious!
The soup is excellent and easy to prepare! My husband does not care for cheese soup, but he loved this one!
This soup is FABULOUS! The only thing I would change is to DOUBLE the recipe next time! 🙂 It makes a comfortable 4 servings.
This soup is delicious! It will definitely be added to our rotation.
I have to say that this is totally awesome and the whole family loves it. Thank you 😊
ABSURDLY DELICIOUS! My new fav!
YAY!
I really liked it. It was easy to make and very tasty. During the cooking process, I added some crushed red pepper and sirracha to kick it up a notch! Delicious! Thank you!
This soup was so good, family had no idea it was healthier than most. Used gluten free flour, lactaid fat free milk and grated Kerrygold cheddar. Came together quickly, served with salad greens and a slice of homemade sourdough. Perfect dinner for a chilly night! Another hit, thanks Gina!
Delicious!!! Thank you Gina!
Awesome!!
Love this recipe
Another great recipe from Skinnytaste! Great texture and flavor. Definitely a keeper!
I haven’t made this recipe, but I’m going to. This is one of my favorite soups. It being skinny makes even better.
Soup was great. I used I can’t believe it’s not butter to lower the fat and used velveeta shreds. That lowered my points for weight watchers.
Thank you Teresa – how many points did you calculate?
It came out to 5 points
It is a chilly day here so when this recipe was featured in my weekly email from Skinnytaste, I decided to try it. I followed it exactly and I really like it. The freshness of the broccoli and the cheddar blends nicely. I will definitely make this again.
So happy you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe. I skip the flour as it is thick enough after using the immersion blender. I also use almond milk. So good!
Can this work with frozen broccoli?
I am wondering the same thing.
Excellente recette
We loved it, did not miss the cream at all. Will be making it often.