Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Easy 30-Minute Recipe)
Few soups give you that warm, cozy feeling inside, especially during the colder months, quite like broccoli and cheese soup. This soup is made by making a roux from butter and flour, to which diced onion, then stock and water are added. The broccoli and grated carrot are simmered until tender. The soup is then blended before heavy cream, cheddar, and lemon are added. Every spoonful is rich, creamy, and earthy, with delicate amounts of sharpness and zest.
Serve it with grated cheddar and croutons. You could also make this homemade parmesan garlic bread to go with it. I love to make this soup when the nights start drawing in, as it’s warming, filling, and really comforting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you want to make this hearty soup, you will first need the following ingredients (for about 6 servings):
- Broccoli – 1.5 lb broccoli florets (680 grams), the florets from about 3 medium broccoli heads, chopped
- Carrot – 1 large carrot, about 1 cup when grated
- Stock – 3 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock for a vegetarian option)
- Water – 3 cups water
- Onion – 1 brown/yellow onion, about 1/2 cup when diced
- Butter – 4 tbsp unsalted butter (60 grams)
- Flour – 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (4 tbsp, 30 grams)
- Heavy Cream – 1 cup heavy cream (double cream)
- Salt – salt, to taste
- Black Pepper – black pepper, to taste
- Cheddar – 8 oz sharp cheddar (white or yellow, 225 grams), divided 6 oz/170 grams for the soup, and 2 oz/85 grams for the topping
- Lemon – 1 tbsp of lemon juice (or more to taste) and, optionally, lemon zest from a lemon
- Croutons – croutons to serve, to taste
How to Make it (with Photos)
Prep. Chop the broccoli
Step 1. Make the roux. Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat and stir until it’s melted and bubbling for a few seconds. Add the flour and stir to combine with the melted butter, cooking it until the flour has a lightly cooked aroma (about 1 minute). This is the start of the roux that will help thicken the soup.
Step 2. Add onions. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute them, stirring, until lightly softened (about 2 minutes).
Step 3. Add stock and water. Add the chicken stock initially very slowly while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so that the flour/roux does not stick to the pot. Then, add the water. Cover the pot and increase the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
Step 4. Simmer the veggies. Add the chopped broccoli florets and grated carrots and cover the pot. Decrease the heat so the liquid is simmering (not rapidly boiling). Simmer until the broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally (about 12-15 minutes, more or less depending on how big the broccoli pieces are).
Step 5. Blend. Once the veggies are tender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. Use an immersion blender if you have one (it’s safer and easier). I like the soup just very slightly chunky (mostly smooth), but you can blend it until as smooth as you like. If you want a silky smooth soup, pass it through a sieve after blending or use a high-speed blender like Vitamix.
Note: If you have to use a countertop blender, follow safety precautions. Use care when transferring the hot soup to the blender. Only fill the blender halfway. Put the lid on, but remove the center cap from the lid, cover the top well with a kitchen towel, and hold it down to prevent the hot soup from splashing. The towel allows steam to escape rather than build inside the blender but be careful that the top is well-covered with the towel so that the liquid doesn’t splash on you.
Step 6. Add cream and cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Once you’ve blended the soup, add the cream and then the cheddar. Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference. Add a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tbsp or to taste) and, optionally, lemon zest.
Step 7. Garnish. Serve the soup with the reserved grated cheddar on top and croutons.
Note (Homemade Croutons): In the picture above, I’ve used homemade croutons. They’re really easy to make. First, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Then, cut the bread into bite-sized pieces. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil (or your preferred oil) and a pinch of salt. Spread the bread cubes evenly on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake them in the preheated oven until golden (about 10-15 minutes), stirring them halfway through to ensure they bake more evenly.
This is a rich and creamy soup the whole family can enjoy together. Blending the soup gives it a velvety smooth texture, with the grated cheese and croutons adding some crunch.
If you made this soup and really enjoyed it, I’d love to hear your thoughts in a review below.
More Comfort Foods
Looking for more comfort dishes to make in the fall and through winter? Some of my favorites include this roasted tomato soup, these twice-baked stuffed potatoes, this baked cheesy mashed potato, and these kotleti-style chicken meatballs with a hearty side of mash.
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb broccoli florets 680 grams, the florets from about 3 medium broccoli heads, chopped
- 1 large carrot about 1 cup when grated
- 3 cups chicken stock or veggie stock for a vegetarian option
- 3 cups water
- 1 brown/yellow onion about 1/2 cup when diced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 60 grams
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 tbsp, 30 grams
- 1 cup heavy cream double cream
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 8 oz sharp cheddar white or yellow cheddar grated at home, 225 grams, divided 6 oz/170 grams for the soup, and 2 oz/85 grams for the topping
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice or more to taste and, optionally, lemon zest from a lemon
- croutons to serve to taste
Instructions
- Make the roux. Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat and stir until it’s melted and bubbling for a few seconds. Add the flour and stir to combine with the melted butter, cooking it until the flour has a lightly cooked aroma (about 1 minute). This is the start of the roux that will help thicken the soup.
- Add diced onion. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute them, stirring, until lightly softened (about 2 minutes).
- Add stock and water. Add the chicken stock slowly while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot so that the flour/roux does not stick to the pot. Then, add the water. Cover the pot and increase the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
- Simmer the veggies. Add the chopped broccoli florets and grated carrots and cover the pot. Decrease the heat so the liquid is simmering (not rapidly boiling). Simmer until the broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally (about 12-15 minutes, more or less depending on how big the broccoli pieces are).
- Blend. Once the veggies are tender, blend the soup to your desired consistency. Use an immersion blender if you have one (it’s safer and easier). I like the soup just very slightly chunky (mostly smooth), but you can blend it until as smooth as you like. If you want a silky smooth soup, pass it through a sieve after blending or use a high-speed blender like Vitamix.
- Add cream and cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Once you’ve blended the soup, add the cream and then the cheddar (reserving a handful to serve on top of the soup). Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference. Add a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tbsp or to taste) and, optionally, lemon zest.
- Garnish. Serve the soup with the reserved grated cheddar on top and croutons.
Notes
Want to make this soup, especially during the fall and winter? Don’t forget to save it to one of your boards, ready for when you go ingredients shopping.
