This hearty broccoli cheddar soup is loaded with mouthwatering flavors, yet uses everyday ingredients, and is ready in about 30 minutes!
No need to go out to a well known bread company, this copycat broccoli cheddar soup is incredibly smooth, rich, and full of great broccoli cheese flavors! The best part, is that it’s made in just 30 minutes on your stovetop!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I’ve been tweaking this recipe for years you guys. So. Many. Bowls. Of. Soup! Some form of this recipe has been on the blog since 2014, and this version takes the cake! Deliciously creamy, thick and rich, with the perfect mixture of smoothness and texture and loaded with broccoli cheddar flavors. You simply can’t go wrong!
This broccoli cheddar soup is sort of a copycat recipe from Panera Bread, but I honestly haven’t had that soup from there in years, so I can’t say for absolute certain if the flavors are spot on or not.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP THICKER?
I’ve found this soup thickens up very well with the roux created by the butter and flour, but if you’re wanting to thicken it up even more, you have a few options.
- You can mix equal parts butter and flour to form a thick paste, then stir that into the soup.
- You can whisk some cornstarch into cold water or broth until the cornstarch is dissolved, and stir that into the soup.
- You can add a bit more cheese.
HOW LONG DOES BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP LAST IN THE REFRIGERATOR?
If you have any leftovers, which doesn’t happen to us very often, they’ll keep in the refrigerator about 3 days.
CAN BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP BE MADE IN THE SLOW COOKER?
Sure can! You’ll want to wait to add the dairy until the end, to prevent any curdling though. I’ll have the directions below the recipe below. The Instant Pot directions will be there as well.
CAN BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP BE FROZEN?
Yes, but just like with the slow cooker, you’ll want to make this soup without adding the dairy, since dairy doesn’t generally freeze well. Just wait and add the dairy when you’re reheating the soup.
HOW DO YOU PUREE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP?
Honestly you don’t even have to puree the soup if you like it chunkier, but if you like it smoother, again, you have a few options. My personal favorite method is to use an immersion blender, which you can use right in the pot! Or you can transfer some of the soup to a traditional blender, just be careful, since the soup is hot.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP:
- Make sure to chop the broccoli into small florets, otherwise they won’t be tender in time.
- Alternatively, you can par-cook the broccoli (and the carrots) in the microwave for a few minutes, which will help them soften in less time in the soup.
- To prevent a grainy soup, add the cheese one handful at a time, mixing well between handfuls, and have the heat turned off when you’re adding the cheese.
- For best results, shred your own cheese. Not only is it cheaper, it melts SO much better than the pre-shredded kind.
- Serve this broccoli cheese soup with some crusty bread, caesar salad, or some ham and cheese sliders!
- I like to garnish this soup with a sprinkle of black pepper, some extra cheddar cheese and sometimes some crunchy croutons. Sounds weird, but croutons in soup are amazing!
OTHER GREAT SOUP RECIPES:
- Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
- Crockpot Taco Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
- Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
- Beef Barley Soup
- Cheese Ham Chowder
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Immersion Blender – No need to transfer anything to another appliance, blend the soup right in the pot!
- Traditional Blender – Sometimes the original is all you need!
- Dutch Oven – Enameled cast iron is my favorite vessel to cook soup in! LeCreuset is my favorite brand, but they’re pricey, so this Lodge is a good alternative!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 12 oz fresh broccoli (I use a 12 oz bag of florets) , roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard (can substitute with about 1/2 tsp regular mustard)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Add 1 Tbsp butter to dutch oven and heat over MED heat. Add chopped onion and saute until onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup butter to dutch oven, still over MED heat. When melted, add flour and whisk together. Cook mixture about 1 minute, whisking often.
- Slowly pour in about a cup of chicken broth, whisking as you pour. Continue with remaining chicken broth and half and half, pouring slowly and whisking as your pour.
- Let broth/half and half mixture cook for a minute or two, whisking often, making sure no flour lumps remain.
- Add broccoli and carrots and stir to combine. Add paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper, stir. Reduce heat to LOW/MED LOW and simmer about 10-15 minutes or until thickened and broccoli/carrots are fork tender. If soup gets too thick for your liking, add a splash of chicken broth or half and half to loosen it up.
- Blend soup until desired texture is reached, using either immersion blender or by transferring soup to traditional blender.
- Add grated cheddar cheese a handful at a time, stirring to melt the cheese into the soup after each handful. Taste soup and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot with additional black pepper and shredded cheese on top if desired.
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Chef Tips
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
- Omit butter from the recipe, add onions, broccoli, carrots, salt, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, and black pepper to the slow cooker.
- Whisk flour and chicken broth together until no lumps remain, then add to slow cooker and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add half and half and cheese, stirring well.
- Cover and continue cooking until cheese is melted.
- Blend to desired texture and serve.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Press Saute and cook butter and onion until onions are soft.
- Add additional butter and flour, then whisk. Cook about 1 minute.
- Add broccoli, carrots, salt, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, and black pepper to pot. Pour in chicken broth.
- Secure lid and move valve to the sealing position. Set on Manual/Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally, then stir in half and half and cheese until cheese is melted.
- Blend to desired texture and serve.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Jamie says
Soup was pretty good. It wasn’t as thick as I wanted it to be, but I’m wondering if it’s because I substituted the flour for almond flour.
Donna Bielecki says
Its a keeper for sure!
Brenda says
How many people does this serve…as us.
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve estimated this serves about 4. For future reference, the amount of servings in each recipe is always in a light green colored bar in the recipe card, right underneath the recipe name, cook time, etc 🙂
Meghan says
Can you substitute the heavy cream for half and half?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, you can use heavy cream if you’d like.
Jen says
Best broccoli cheddar recipe I’ve found. This was delicious! Thanks!
Lavender says
Can you make this without flour
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, but you’ll need to make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup (since you aren’t using the roux called for). So after your pour in the chicken broth, in a separate bowl whisk together the half and half and about 3 Tbsp or so of cornstarch until smooth, whisk that into the soup and proceed with the recipe.
Kim says
has anyone tried substituting evaporated milk or even heavy cream for the half and half?
Mary says
This is it. No Panera in Hawaii, I’ve been craving it for 10 yrs. Ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner- delicious
Trudy Bognar says
This was soo yummy!! I added shredded chicken to mine but added 3 cups of chicken broth and a half a 1/4 cup more of flour, plus a little more half and half and cheese..it came out perfect!!
Trudy Bognar says
Also I did mine in the crockpot ☺️
Su H says
Just made this. Initially, this was to be for my lunch, but it smelled so good and I had to taste test (right?) that I ate some for breakfast at 8:30 this morning.
I made this exactly as written. I think I may need to add more chicken broth when I do finally eat this for lunch as it “feels” like it would thicken.
Lex says
Just a quick question. How long should I let instant pot naturally release? Do you have a rough estimate?
GREAT RECIPE by the way. (:
The Chunky Chef says
I would give it about 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure 🙂
Jill says
I have a few cans of Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup that I’d like to use up. I assume that I can use it in place of grated cheese, but how many cans should I use?
The Chunky Chef says
I couldn’t say for certain, as I haven’t tested this recipe using condensed cheddar cheese soup.
Holly says
Great!!!
Paula says
My only mistake was not doubling the recipe! It was delicious and we will definitely be making this again!
Blake says
Made this for the first time last night! This was AMAZING and so easy to make. I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation. It’s also a very versatile recipe! I used heavy cream instead of half and half, and 86’d the carrots (my boyfriend has an allergy), but other than that I stuck to the recipe beat for beat. It seems super versatile though, I could definitely see adjusting the spice blend to preference, adding some other veggies, etc. This is just the perfect base for really good creamy soup!
Paula says
My only mistake was not doubling this recipe! It was delicious and we will definitely be making this again!
Michelle says
Love, Love, Love. Definitely a keeper.
Helle says
Yummy and quick!
Valerie says
My family loved the soup! I will definitely be making this again! Although I’m probably going to add more half&half and chicken broth since I think it needs to be thicker. But besides that, it’s very good!
Kari says
Would it work with heavy whipping cream or would that make it too thick?
The Chunky Chef says
You can use heavy whipping cream if that’s what you have. It may be a little thicker, but if you’re concerned, you could always use 1.5 cups of heavy cream and 2.5 cups of chicken broth.