This 30-minute broccoli cheddar soup recipe is the ULTIMATE comfort food! It's rich, creamy, super cheesy, and loaded with tender veggies.
Broccoli cheddar soup is one of Jack’s favorite foods. Ask him about the version at Panera Bread, and he’ll go on and on about its creamy texture and rich, tangy, cheesy flavor. He never expected me to develop a broccoli cheddar soup recipe at home (unless you count this vegan twist), but with the holidays right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to surprise him with one.
So, on a gray, chilly day last weekend, when we were both craving comfort food, I finally made him this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. As we sat down with our steaming bowls, I waited anxiously to see what he’d think. I shouldn’t have worried. He took one taste and declared, “This recipe is even better than Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup!” A few minutes later, he was already heading back for seconds. I hope you love this recipe too!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this broccoli cheddar soup recipe:
- Broccoli, of course! Cut it into small, bite-sized pieces so that you get some in every spoonful of soup.
- Onion and garlic – They add savory depth of flavor.
- Butter and flour – They create a roux that thickens the soup.
- Milk – It perfects the soup’s creamy texture. Whole milk is traditional in broccoli cheese soup, and it works great here, but I often use unsweetened almond milk instead, and it works nicely too. The soup is a tad less thick, but it’s still delicious!
- Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own.
- Carrot – You can finely chop it or julienne it. I personally like to julienne it because the shredded carrots remind me of grated cheese, and I think they give the soup a fun, extra-cheesy look.
- Dijon mustard – It adds tangy, peppery depth of flavor.
- Cheddar cheese – It wouldn’t be broccoli cheddar soup without it! Sharp cheddar cheese is my fave, but feel free to opt for a mild cheddar if your prefer.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
So creamy! So cheesy! Who wants a bowl?
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe Tips
- Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting into a lusciously creamy soup. To ensure that your broccoli cheddar soup has the best smooth and creamy texture, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.
- Whisk continuously when you add the flour and milk. At first, whisking prevents the flour from burning on the bottom of the pot with the butter. Once you add the milk, it evenly disperses the flour and butter in the liquid, thickening the soup and preventing lumps from forming.
- Go low and slow. When you add the cheese to the soup, make sure that the pot is over very low heat. If the heat is too high, the cheese won’t incorporate into the soup, giving it a thin, gloopy texture. I also recommend adding a little at a time and stirring well between additions.
- Reheat it on the stove. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat them, you’ll once again need to go low and slow. Skip the microwave, and warm the soup on the stovetop instead. Place it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir occasionally until heated through. Reheated this way, the soup should stay thick and creamy. If you try to rush the process and crank up the heat, the soup will separate. Trust me, I learned the hard way!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Serving Suggestions
Make this broccoli cheese soup a meal by serving it with good crusty bread or a heap of homemade croutons. If you’re looking for something more to serve with it, I recommend a simple veggie side dish like one of these:
- Sautéed Green Beans
- Green Bean Salad
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Simple Green Salad
- Sautéed Kale
Enjoy!
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this broccoli cheddar soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:
- Vegan Broccoli Soup
- Corn Chowder
- Creamy Potato Soup
- White Bean Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 large carrot, julienned or finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 2 heaping cups
- Homemade croutons, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the flour turns golden. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously.
- Add the broth, broccoli, carrot, and mustard and stir to combine. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
- Gradually add the cheese, stirring after each addition, until all the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy. Season to taste and serve with croutons, if desired.
Delicious! A great decadent soup recipe, and the leftovers kept well in the fridge.
Hi Megan, So glad you enjoyed it!
This was so good! Even my husband, who isn’t usually a soup person, complimented it. Definitely will be making again. I actually made it the day before and set my crockpot to low in the afternoon before serving.
So glad you loved the soup!
Delicious soup! So good and hearty. Perfect for a December night. Will definitely make again.
Hi Susan, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This recipe could not be any easier to follow and make! It all came together super quickly. I ended up blending a cup or 2 of the final product since we didn’t want quite so many chunks of broccoli in our soup and using unsweetened/unflavored oat milk instead of dairy milk or almond milk. Our cheddar didn’t really melt down… rather, it sort of chunked together? That’s very likely more of an us issue though and didn’t stop us from enjoying the soup! We’ll make this again and see how we can incorporate the cheese differently in the future!
Hi Kiley, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! For the cheese, make sure your pot is over low heat when you add it, and add a little at a time, stirring between each addition. That should help it incorporate into the soup.
This soup was exactly what we were craving on a cold winter evening. It was hearty, healthy, delicious and filling! We added extra cheese 🙂 What could be better!!
Thanks so much!!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This soup was delicious. I used the immersion blender towards the end and used a sharp coastal cheddar cheese. Yum!!!
Hi Monica, so glad you loved it!
A great, fast meal after decorating the Christmas tree. I pureed the soup as I used frozen broccoli for a fast dinner and the pieces were really large.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Made this recipe for my husband and (very picky) teenaged stepson. Empty bowls and thumbs up all around. This recipe is going in our regular rotation for cold days that fall for soup.
I’m so glad it was a hit!
Turned out very good! Classic broccoli cheddar soup. Don’t forget to incorporate the milk very slowly.
I’m so glad you liked it!
Perfect lunch when it’s 21 degrees outside! Quick and easy, thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it!
So delicious, everyone loved it!
I’m so glad it was a hit!
Loved this soup! It was perfect for a cozy, rainy night in. I used oat milk and it turned out great. Will be adding to my winter rotation for sure.
So glad you loved it!
Very good. There’s something in the Panera that doesn’t sit well with me so it’s great that I can make it myself without whatever is in the packaged product.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This soup was delicious and the entire family enjoyed it!
I’m so glad it was a hit!
This is even better on day 2! I used yellow carrots (that’s what I had) so I didn’t get the pretty orange specks of color, but still delicious. I’m thinking of blending a bit of the soup next time because my kids balk at pieces of onion. Adding this to my regular rotation!
So glad you enjoyed the soup!
I’m all in- but we don’t really have cheddar here in Paris. What would be a good substitue
Any cheese that melts easily. This is a pretty versatile soup. Just imagine cheese on broccoli and carrots and that will give you a good feel for it.
Hi Allie, Gruyere or another good melting cheese would work well here. I hope you enjoy it!
Truly the best and fastest soup. So delicious!
So glad you loved it!
delicious!! I used frozen chopped broccoli to save time and kept adding vegetable boullion until i was satisfied! BETTER THAN PANERA!
So glad you loved the soup!
That’s a good one!
Can I make this without using onion and garlic?
I don’t recommend skipping the onion and garlic here–they add great flavor.
Hi Angel, I made this soup tonight without the onion and garlic and added paprika and cayenne for flavor. It was great!
Oh good to know! So glad you liked the soup.
Made this after a long day of finals; it was just what I needed to de stress. I can’t wait to make it for my family over winter break!
Hi Alana, I’m so glad you loved the soup!