Broccoli Cheddar Soup
on Oct 11, 2021, Updated Apr 10, 2024
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Creamy and prettily flecked with green bits of broccoli, this cheesy broccoli soup is pure comfort food.
My sister and I were both avid cooks as kids, and clearly, my affinity for cooking stuck… and so did hers! She cooks as much as anyone I know who doesn’t cook for a living, and she’s quite excellent at it. When we were kids, we each had a small arsenal of recipes that we made on repeat. Broccoli soup was one of hers, and I can still smell the thin green-flecked soup if I close my eyes and concentrate.
My sister’s soup was lighter than this one, with simply cooked (not roasted) broccoli, and it was delicious and, I think, somewhat healthy. But then I was galvanized by a recipe I read in Chef Alex Guarnachelli’s book The Home Cook (I’m an Alex Guarnachelli fan). Alex’s soup is super rich and decadent, with an amount of cream that would make a cow blush, and I decided to split the difference and land on a recipe that isn’t what one might call health food…but also doesn’t quite make you feel like you need to lie down and rest after eating it.
Also check out Easy Cheesy Rice with Broccoli.
Table of Contents
Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Creamy and prettily flecked with green bits of broccoli, this cheesy soup is pure comfort food.
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Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Use vegetable broth instead of chicken for a vegetarian soup, and obviously skip the bacon at the end.
How to Prevent Creamy Soup from Separating
When you add dairy to soup, whether milk, cream, or cheese, there is a risk of separating because of the fat in the dairy. First, know that the soup will be delicious even if that happens; it just won’t be as emulsified, maybe a bit grainy, and perhaps not as pretty, but it will be fine.
One way to prevent separation is to watch carefully that your soup doesn’t come to a boil, or even a simmer once the dairy is added. I like to add all dairy at the end, and then heat it slowly over low heat. Even better, if there is a small amount of dairy or cheese, add it once you have removed the soup from the heat. This is important with certain cheeses, like cheddar, which have oil in them which can cause the soup to curdle.
Using All of the Broccoli in Broccoli Soup
Broccoli soup is the perfect way to use up a whole head of broccoli, stems, and all. Just make sure you trim off all of the tough and fibrous parts. First, cut off the stems, then trim the woody, dried inch or so bottom of the stem. Peel the stems tough outer skin using a vegetable peeler. Proceed with the 2-inch pieces of the broccoli crowns, or the florets, as well as the stems as you head to the roasting step.
Roasting Broccoli for Broccoli Soup
In this recipe, the broccoli is roasted before it’s added to the soup mixture, and then it gets pureed all up into a creamy, smooth soup. Roasting the broccoli first allows it to become tender and also to caramelize, browning and turning sweeter thanks to the time in a high-heat oven.
Make sure the broccoli is roasted until it is fairly tender; it will continue to cook in the liquid, but it needs to be pretty soft for it to puree into a smooth soup.
You can use other cooked broccoli in the soup (a nice way to transform leftovers) rather than roasting it specifically for this recipe, but using roasted broccoli really provides a depth of flavor that the soup won’t have without it. I’m a fan — try it at least once and see what you think!
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roast the broccoli until tender, and there are nice brown bits on the edges of the broccoli pieces.
- In a large pot, heat the broth to a simmer over high heat, then add the roasted broccoli, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes until the broccoli is completely tender, adjusting the heat so the liquid stays at a slow simmer. Then add the milk and cream and bring it to a simmer.
- Puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, then return to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender right in the pot. Taste and see if the seasonings need adjusting.
- Remove from the heat and gradually add the cheddar, stirring, until it is all melted and blended in.
- Serve hot, garnished with sour cream and bacon if desired.
What to Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Soup
More Fall Soup Recipes
- Indian Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup
- Parsnip and Golden Beet Soup
- Spicy Roasted Root Vegetable Soup with Parmesan Croutons
- Very Mushroomy Mushroom Barley Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves (very thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (preferably less-sodium)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
To Serve (Optional):
- Sour cream
- Crisped pieces of bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Roast the broccoli: Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper, and place the broccoli on the baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil, and then sprinkle over red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Use a spoon or your hands to toss until the broccoli is well coated with the seasonings and oil. Spread the broccoli out on the baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes, then sprinkle over the sliced garlic, toss, spread it out once more, and roast for another 10 minutes until the broccoli is tender and there are nice brown bits on the edges of the broccoli pieces.
- In a large pot, heat the broth to a simmer over high heat, then add the roasted broccoli, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes until the broccoli is completely tender, adjusting the heat so the liquid stays at a slow simmer. Then add the milk and cream and bring it to a simmer. Puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, then return to the pot. You can also use an immersion blender right in the pot. Taste and see if the seasonings need adjusting.
- Remove from the heat and gradually add the cheddar, stirring, until it is all melted and blended in. Serve hot.
Thank you so much for your recipe.