Broccoli Cheese Soup

Name: Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets; 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 carrot, finely diced; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 cup vegetable broth; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Creamy soup with tender broccoli and rich cheddar cheese. Comforting, hearty, and perfect for chilly days.

35 minEasyServes 4320 cal/serving

AmericanSoupStovetopVegetarianHigh FiberHigh ProteinLow CarbLow-SodiumAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.
2

Add 1/2 finely diced yellow onion and 1 finely diced carrot and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
3

Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
4

Add 2 cups cut into small florets broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5

Sprinkle 1 tbsp all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour and form a roux. This will help thicken the soup.
6

Gradually pour in 1 cup vegetable broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
7

Add 1 cup milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork.
8

For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, transfer about half of the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, then return it to the pot. Be careful when blending hot liquids.
9

Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
10

Gradually add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, stirring until completely melted and incorporated. Do not boil the soup after adding the cheese to prevent it from becoming grainy.
11

Season with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and a 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg.
12

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
13

Serve hot, garnished with additional shredded cheese and croutons if desired.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The American Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How much time should I plan for Broccoli Cheese Soup?

As written, 35 minutes: 10 of prep and 25 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 7 (15 minutes): "Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork."

Do I need any special equipment for Broccoli Cheese Soup?

Beyond a knife and a board, the method uses a Dutch oven (step 1), an immersion blender (step 8) and a blender (step 8). If you do not have one, any heavy pot with a tight lid does the work of the Dutch oven.

What can I use instead of heavy cream in Broccoli Cheese Soup?

The entry for Broccoli Cheese Soup calls for 1/2 cup heavy cream. In its place: In sauces and soups, use half-and-half with a teaspoon of cornstarch per cup, or evaporated milk. Neither will whip.

Can I make Broccoli Cheese Soup dairy-free?

Not cleanly. Here the dairy (2 tbsp butter, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded) is the backbone of the dish, and plant-based substitutes change both its texture and its flavor. If you need strictly dairy-free, start from the dairy-free soup collection instead.

Can I make Broccoli Cheese Soup gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Broccoli Cheese Soup is 1 tbsp all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How much protein is in Broccoli Cheese Soup?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) has 27 g of protein in about 320 calories, alongside 7 g carbohydrate and 20 g fat, plus 6 g fiber and 153 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list. More like it: the high-protein soup collection.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.