My Mom’s delicious Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is better than a restaurant and made with real cheddar cheese and tons of hidden vegetables.
Try some more soup recipes! I love Chicken Enchilada Soup, Clam Chowder, and Classic Homemade Chili!
There are a few soups that my mom made growing up that have had my heart for years, and this Broccoli Cheese Soup is one of them! (Her Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and famous Gumbo, also make the list!)
Years ago when I was a new mother and cooking for my family I made her walk me through the recipe, step-by-step, so I could document it for all of us (she never uses a recipe). I hope you all love it as much as I do!
What makes it unique? The shredded potato and other hidden veggies. The shredded potato adds texture, creaminess and flavor. This is a hearty soup, but healthier than most recipes you’ll find, and I’ve included additional tips below to make it even healthier.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients:
- Vegetable broth: Using vegetable broth keeps the soup vegetarian, but you could use chicken broth. I love better than bouillon vegetable base, which is also a great way to add flavor at the end of cooking the soup, if you feel it needs it. You can find it at your local grocery store or Walmart.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, broccoli, yellow onion: this soup is full of vegetables to give it an awesome texture and taste! The grated potato cooks down so you don’t notice it but it ends up giving an extra depth and creaminess to the broth. I grate the potatoes with the skin on, but you can peel them first.
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Half and half: regular or fat-free
- Whole milk
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Good quality sharp cheddar cheese, at room temperature, will taste the best and melt smoothly. Freshly shredded cheese is a ESSENTIAL! The pre-shredded kind will not melt very well, or taste as good.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup:
Prep Ingredients: Grate or chop vegetables. Shred cheese and set aside to allow it to come to room temperature.
Make Soup: Add vegetable broth to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and potatoes. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes.
Add Broccoli: Add chopped broccoli and simmer for another minute or two, depending on how chunky or fine you chopped it. Remove from heat.
Sauté Onion: In a separate skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender and lightly browned. Add onion to pot with vegetables.
Make Roux: Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in ¼ c. flour and stir well to make a roux.
Add Half and Half: Pour in half and half and milk, one cup at a time, stirring constantly. Cook roux, stirring continually with whisk until thickened, smooth, and bubbly. Season well with salt and pepper.Slowly add rue to the pot of cooked vegetables, stirring carefully to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add Cheese: Remove from heat and add grated cheese, stirring until melted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper or vegetable bouillon base, to taste, if needed.
Serve: These Homemade Bread Bowls take this meal to the next level!
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Pour in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in microwave or on stovetop.
To Freeze: Place in a freezer safe container before adding the roux, milk, and cream (otherwise the half and half may separate upon reheating and the soup could develop a slightly grainy texture).
Recipe Variations:
- Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup: Use leaner milk and half and half. I have used fat free half and half with great results and low fat milk works well, the broth is not as creamy.
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Add broth and all veggies to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure/manual for 2 minutes. Quick release steam. Cook roux in a separate skillet and add to the pot. Stir in cheddar cheese.
- Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup: Add broth and all vegetables to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Cook roux in a separate skillet and add to the pot. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
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Recipe
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth*
- 1 cup grated carrot , about 1-2 carrots
- 1 cup finely diced celery , about 2 ribs celery
- 2 small/medium potatoes , grated (Yukon Gold or Russet)
- 4 1/2 cups chopped broccoli , about 3 small heads of broccoli
- 1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped, (about 1 cup)
- 5 Tablespoons butter , divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half (fat free works well!)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Salt and Pepper , to taste
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables by grating or chopping. Shred cheese and set aside to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Add vegetable broth to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes, cover pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Add chopped broccoli and simmer for another minutes or two, depending on how chunky or fine you chopped it. Remove from heat.
- In a separate skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender and lightly browned.
- Add onion to pot with vegetables. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in ¼ c. flour and stir well to make a roux.
- Add the half and half and milk, one cup at a time, stirring constantly. Cook roux, stirring continually with whisk until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Slowly add rue to the pot of cooked vegetables, stirring carefully to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add grated cheese, stirring until melted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper or vegetable bouillon base, to taste, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
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This post was originally shared September 2019. Updated January 2022.
So easy to make and makes a cold day feel warm! Served it in a bread bowl it was DELICIOUS !
This was really yummy broccoli cheese soup! Easy to make and delicious to eat! I used frozen broccoli because that’s what I had and it turned out great…and less prep. Thank you for sharing your mom’s recipe! It’s sweet that she taught you how to make it step by step. So special ☺️
This is delicious, but I wish I had seen the crock pot option. The original stovetop recipe has a lot of jumping between pot/pan and the veggies were too crunchy for my taste. The flavor’s delicious. I’ll definitely try it again in the slow cooker and might add more cheese to round it off. Thanks as always, Lauren!
Not nearly enough broth. 3 cups of broth to roughly 9 cups of vegetables? Had to add 3 more cups of liquid to cook the veggies properly before the roux step
The veggies will steam since you bring the broth to a boil and then cover and reduce the heat! Adding milk and half and half later will bring your liquids up to level! Hope you can try it again soon!