It’s about time you met this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. It’s rich and indulgent, but not so much that it weighs me down.
My husband declared it the best he’s ever had, and started throwing out one-liners in between spoonfuls:
“It’s the velvet of the soup world.”
“All the sin without any of the guilt.”
“This may be the universe’s best delivery system for broccoli.”
“It’s like a warm blanket after being outside on a long winter day.”
I tried to make a great broccoli soup six months ago. I gave up after several failed attempts, and recently tried again after discovering Sarah Jampel’s method in Bon Appétit. Thank you for showing me the way, Sarah.
I have high standards for broccoli cheese soup. I wanted soup that met the following qualifications:
- Sufficiently green and full of fresh flavor
- Cheesy!
- Luxuriously smooth but with some texture from tender florets
- Preferably free of flour and heavy cream
I wanted all that, and I didn’t want to feel like I was eating a bowl of queso (don’t get me wrong, sometimes that’s exactly what I want to eat). This recipe checks all the boxes!
Perhaps the coolest feature of this soup is that it makes use of the broccoli stems that we usually toss. Less waste, more nutrients, can’t lose.
In fact, I feel good after I eat this soup, similar to how I feel after enjoying a big kale salad. Cruciferous veggies work miracles, I tell you, and did you know that broccoli contains loads of vitamin C? We could all use some extra right now.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients
This flavorful soup is made without heavy cream, milk or flour—or even vegetable broth. You’ll just need a few basic ingredients to make it:
- Butter contributes to the irresistible flavor and silky texture. Technically, you could replace it with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, but I like butter better here.
- Onion and garlic form a savory base layer. Since we’re blending them all up later, we don’t need to chop them finely. In fact, you can just smash the garlic with the side of your chef’s knife (be careful), peel off the skin and throw it into the pot. So easy!
- Russet potato, peeled and cooked until tender, lends a luxuriously creamy texture once blended. This is a trick I’ve used in my vegan mac and cheese and vegan queso recipes—it really works.
- Lots of broccoli, of course. The stems contribute body and extra broccoli flavor. We’ll purée half of the broccoli florets, and cook the rest in the pot for texture.
- Water brings it all together. I’ve been experimenting with using water instead of vegetable broth in soups lately, and so far I’ve been impressed. Store-bought vegetable broths can contribute unwanted color, off-putting flavors and excess salt. Water has none of these issues. Plus, it saves you a few bucks.
- Sharp cheddar cheese offers maximal cheddar flavor and a creamy texture. You can start with four ounces (half of a block) and add more to suit your preferences. Hand-grated cheese is best, since pre-shredded cheeses are coated in powders that can cause the cheese to glop together once melted. Buy white cheddar if you can. Yellow cheddar might turn this soup an unfortunate color, but I haven’t tried to be sure.
This soup is vegetarian, gluten free, and I even came up with some substitutions to make it dairy free/vegan (really!). Those details are in the recipe notes.
Equipment Notes & Suggestions
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This recipe yields a substantial amount of soup (around 10 cups). If you are serving two people or don’t want a lot of leftovers, you could easily cut the ingredients in half. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- I swear that soups always taste better when they’re cooked in a Dutch oven. I used my 5.5-quart Le Creuset for this recipe. A large, heavy-bottomed soup pot will also work well.
- You’ll need a lid for the pot. In a pinch, you could use a metal baking sheet.
- If you are making the full batch, you’ll need to blend it in batches in your stand blender. I could not blend the full batch at once in my Vitamix. Transfer the blended portion to a heat-proof pitcher or container as you blend the rest, then combine it all in the soup pot.
- Or, you could use an immersion blender. The trouble with immersion blenders is that they never yield soup as creamy as you could accomplish in your stand blender. I wish it weren’t true!
Safety note: Never fill a stand blender past the maximum fill line, or you could end up with a giant mess (and a hot one, if you’re making soup). You need to know how your blender works. My lid’s design allows for steam to escape, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll want to remove the center piece so the contents don’t build pressure as they blend. Cover the hole with a tea towel, but don’t place your hand over it because the steam is hot.
What to Serve with Broccoli Soup
This soup is a light meal on its own, or would make a proper meal with a sandwich or crisp salad. Here are a few options that are deliberately not very cheesy, for the sake of balance.
- Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill or French Carrot Salad
- Green Goddess Hummus Sandwich or Hummus Quesadillas
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw or Simple Seedy Slaw
Please let me know how your soup turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Craving more creamy soups? Check these out:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Lightened-Up Tomato Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 bowls 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
This broccoli cheddar soup recipe is so satisfying! It’s loaded with fresh broccoli, and creamy thanks to a potato and cheddar cheese (no cream, no flour!). Recipe yields about 10 cups (quite a bit) and is easily halved.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (reduce or omit if sensitive to spice)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds broccoli with stalks (3 large or 4 medium)
- 1 large (about 12 ounces) russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch chunks
- 6 cups water
- 4 to 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese, depending on your mood
- Thinly sliced chives or green onions, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and about 10 twists of black pepper.
- Stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are just starting to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice off and discard the rough bottom ends of broccoli stalks. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the tough outer skin on the stalks, then discard those bits. Slice the stalks off and cut them into pieces about 1 to 2-inches big. Set aside.
- Working with the broccoli tops now, cut as closely to the base of the florets as you can. Slice any remaining stalks into chunks to match to the rest. Reserve the broccoli florets—we’ll use them in a bit.
- Add the chunks of broccoli stalk and potato to the pot and stir. Pour in 6 cups water and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Simmer until the broccoli stalks and potatoes are tender throughout and easily split apart when pierced with a fork, about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the reserved florets into small pieces (I chop them all in one direction, then turn the cutting board and chop again).
- Once the potato and stalks are tender, add half of the florets to pot, stir, cover, and cook until they’re bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Working in a couple of batches (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line or it could explode!), carefully transfer several cups of the mixture—both the liquid and solids—to your stand blender. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer the mixture to a heat-proof vessel temporarily as you blend the rest. Alternatively, use an immersion blender (it just won’t be as lusciously creamy). Return the purée to the pot.
- Return the pot to medium heat and add the remaining florets. Cover the pot and cook until they’re bright green and easily pierced through by a fork, another 4 to 7 minutes. Add almost all 4 ounces of the grated cheddar cheese (reserve a small handful for garnish) and stir until smooth. Carefully taste (it’s hot) and stir in more cheese if you’d like more indulgent flavor/creamy texture, more salt for more overall flavor, and/or more black pepper for kick.
- Divide the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of cheese, plus some thinly sliced chives and/or red pepper flakes, if desired. Leftover soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (though the color darkens a bit with time). I haven’t tried freezing this soup but suspect it will work fine—please let us know in the comments if you do.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit’s broccoli cheddar soup by Sarah Jampel.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the butter with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. When blending the soup, add ½ cup raw cashews (soaked for 4 hours if not using a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, then rinsed and drained), 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and a scant ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard. Omit the cheese.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Judy E
Hi Kate!
I often make your recipes and print for my “cookbook”. This is the second time that the entire recipe, even though I printed “all” did not give the entire sequence of instructions. I have 5 (about half) and then no step 6, and probably some of 7 with the complete instx beginning at step 8. Just an alert for you.
Kate
Hi Judy, I’m sorry to hear that. To be sure, you are using the print recipe button? Does a new window pop-up?
Megan
Looks good! How much red pepper flakes does the recipe call for? The ingredients list just says 1/2
Thank you!
Kate
Sorry about that, Megan! It’s 1/2 teaspoon. I’ve just corrected the recipe.
Marjorie
Looks great without feeling so heavy! Can’t wait to make it!
I started making my own veggie broth because I hate the store-bought. Just put all your vegetable scraps in a gallon zip lock in the freezer; when it is full, dump it into a stock pot and cover with water. Boil an hour or two and strain. Perfect broth every time! :-)
★★★★★
Nathalie
I do the same! Provided that my vegetables are organic or from my favorite local producer. I clean the vegetables before I peel or trim. And when I don’t use the whole batch of broth, I pour it in a silicone loaf pan, freeze it then put it in a bag.
Kate
I hope you love it!
Lisa
Looks delicious! Is it 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes? I think it is but the tsp isn’t in the recipe.
Kate
Sorry about that, Lisa! You’re right. It’s 1/2 teaspoon. I’ve just corrected the recipe.
RavenSoul
My adult son and I had this for an early dinner, along with some sourdough bread. It was quick and easy to make with staples that are always in our pantry and refrigerator. This was delicious, filling, and perfect for an icky, snowy Midwest evening!
★★★★★
Kate
That is a great combination! Thank you for sharing and for your review.
linda renfro
when I make soups I always take half and blend then put back in pot – the flavors are wonderful – also I’ve made my own veggie broth ahead of time and frozen, simply veggies cooked together, and blended and put in containers for later use also I distill my own water – try to do my best to be healthy, but have found dear ole Illinois, Nauvoo area,to instill within my Soul, health issues I’ve never encountered before –
comes from moving from a dry area, to a area of moisture and houses with mold – all this does is cause me to try harder and learn new health techiques – your great at what you do
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Linda!
Kandance
Hi Kate,
I love your recipes! I am currently following a low carb diet for health reasons. Can you make a substitute suggestion for the potato that will still allow the soup to be creamy? Thanks!
Kandance
Kate
Hi Kandance, thank you! I tried the soup without the potato and it was still relatively creamy (especially if you blend it in a good stand blender). So, you could just omit it, and potentially use more of the cheese. Be sure to buy your broccoli based on weight, with the stalks, to ensure you’re using enough of it.
Kandance Weems
Hi Kate,
I couldn’t wait to make it, so I substituted about 1/2 head of cauliflower for the potato. I am not sure how others would enjoy it, but I thought it was delicious. Thanks again for your recipes!
Kandance
★★★★★
Jane Keil
LOVE this recipe! thank you – I only came across your recipes a couple of months ago and have made MANY! They are all amazing :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you are loving them, Jane! Thank you for your review.
Holly
Kate, this recipe matches my taste! What is more, previous year I have grown broccoli and there are some left in my basement so definitely I have to try this recipe today! I was growing broccoli from seeds that I bought on https://gardenseedsmarket.com/broccoli-cezar-seeds-brassica-oleracea-convar-botrytis.html . I decided to grow as many veggies on my own as I can, it is much more bio and eco! It’s amazing that there are not so many ingredients, that is what I like in recipes. I don’t have so much time to go shopping for hours so I try to limit products that I use. Less can also taste amazing!
★★★★★
Katy Z
Your timing with this recipe couldn’t be better! I sat down to find a vegetarian cozy recipe to serve at a family lunch on Sunday. Thank you! Quick question – do you think this would reheat well in under 24 hours if I made it ahead of time? I see you mentioned darkening after 4 days but wondering about a shorter time. Thanks :)
Kate
Hi Katy! It’ll be great. I’d say consume within two days for the absolute best flavor.
DJ
I made a version of this after reading the recipe in Bon Appétit also. The potato really added a lot to the soup and I puréed all of it. It had a really nice taste with a richness to it with me adding almost no cheese.
Kate
So good. :) Thanks for your comment, DJ!
Polly
I made the soup this afternoon. I only used 1/2 of the usual amount of red pepper flakes. The soup had a kick to you. It is ok not my favorite. I feel it is missing something. Maybe instead of water I should have used vegetable broth. I thought the cheese would make it creamy tasting but it did not.
★★
Kate
Sorry this one isn’t a favorite. I appreciate your feedback, Polly!
Tamara
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! Have you tried this using frozen broccoli? If so, would you adjust the recipe at all?
Kate
Hi Tamara, I have not but that sounds like a good option (assuming the frozen broccoli is in good shape/not covered in freezer burn). You might run some room-temp water over the frozen broccoli to warm it up a bit. Adding cold broccoli to the soup may mean that you need to cook it a few minutes longer to achieve the desired outcome.
Kara L.
Hi Kate,
This soup looks fantastic, but I’m trying to reduce my sodium intake. Have you made this soup by omitting/reducing the salt, and how did it taste?
Thanks in advance!
Kara
Kate
Hi Kara, good questions! The cool part about this soup is that it uses water instead of broth, which gives you full control over the sodium content (in fact, water would always be a good sub for low-sodium soups). If you are accustomed to lower-sodium foods, I think you would enjoy this soup with a lesser amount of salt. You might find that you need to ramp up the pepper/red pepper flakes/more chives wouldn’t hurt (if you enjoy those flavors). Hope that helps.
Sofie
Yet another triumph! I’ve made about 30 of your recipes in the last couple of months (bit of an addiction apparently- I have your chocolate and cherry cake in the oven as I write this), and they’ve all been absolute winners- but your soups are always on another level. I never even used to like soup that much but my wife loves it, so I was stoked that you made a broccoli & cheddar soup- her all time favourite, which I usually avoid because it’s so heavy. Not this one, which was somehow fresh and vibrant and comforting and creamy at the same time. Totally delicious.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you are loving SO many recipes. :)
Lisa Mc
Hi Kate,
I made this soup this weekend and it is a definite keeper. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. Lots of flavour. I used dried chives which worked fine and I added a swirl of black peppercorn infused olive oil with the garnish. Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for trying it and letting me know what you thought, Lisa! I appreciate your review.
Agata
Holy Cow!!! Just made this soup and I have to say it’s FIRE!One of the best soups I have ever made. My good friend introduced me to Cookie and Kate, and boy am I thankful. You rock it all the time, Kate! Way to go!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray!! Thank you for sharing. :)
Tasma
Amazing!! Enjoying it right now. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Jill
I made this the other night, and my husband and I both love it! I did use 8 oz of cheddar cheese instead of 4 oz. This recipe made 12 cups of soup! We are going to enjoy it all week long!
Veronika
This is such a great recipe to make for a lazy cold day! It’s comforting but still healthy! I will make it tomorrow and will let you know how it went!
★★★★★
Kate
What did you think?!
Kelly
I was afraid to make broccoli and cheese soup thinking that it would be too cheesy. This soup actually made me feel good and light. My son enjoyed it with a steak and cheese quesadilla so I guess he got some extra cheese in for himself. I had it plain with French bread. It makes a nice healthy meal.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you tried this one and was just what you wanted! I appreciate your review, Kelly.
Lauren
Hi Kate! Made this soup last night and all loved it! I really like how accurate your “prep/cooking time” is. I used my favorite cheddar—“Unexpected Cheddar,” which crumbles and melts so easily, I didn’t even need to grate it! Also, I did use the immersion blender, and maybe I missed the true “velvet,” but I didn’t miss any of the delicious! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you think so! I’m happy it still tasted good, though. Thank you for your review, Lauren!
Hilary Sellen
Made this Sunday, Loved it!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Hilary!
Vicki Holt
Kate, you have a great eye for a tasty recipe. Oh my goodness, this soup is incredibly delicious. And so simple to make. The only changes I made were to use vegetable stock instead of water and to skip the red pepper flakes, although I used lots of fresh ground black pepper. When I looked at how few ingredients it had I couldn’t imagine that it would be so good. It’s hearty, healthy, and satisfying, and yet has a very reasonable calorie count.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing and your review, Vicky!
Tina
This soup is delicious. I made the vegan version, not because I am vegan but because I am looking for ways to cut back on dairy products in my diet. I don’ t miss the cheese in the vegan version. It is creamy, hearty, full of flavor, and filling. I have never used nutritional yeast before but it truly does have a kind of cheese like flavor. Now that I have it, I am interested in trying it in more recipes. Thank you, Kate and keep the awesome recipes coming!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love it! Thanks for sharing, Tina.
Jessica
Omg this is sooooo good. I have never made any version of a broccoli cheddar soup so I didn’t know what to expect. I usually don’t like cream soups and the broccoli is always mushy.
This was perfect. And I like that it is made with fresh potatoes (Not flour) because contrary to popular belief, potatoes have nutritious value. White flour does not.
I used 6 cups of cheese.
★★★★★
Jennifer C.
I made both the broccoli cheese soup and the French carrot salad tonight and we loved them both!!! Thank you so much! I will make these again for sure. I used 8 ounces of cheese In the soup and omitted the beans in the salad. ❤️
★★★★★
Marisa
Another amazing soup Kate!!! The entire family loved it.
So creamy and delicious!!
★★★★★
PEG
I made this soup and it was delicious. Will be making it many times in the future. Thank you!
★★★★★
Samantha
As soon as this recipe came in my email inbox, I knew I had to make it! I’ve been waiting for a healthy, creamy broccoli/cheese soup recipe for years, and FINALLY I’ve found it! I made it for dinner tonight, and it is divine! It definitely took some time to blend it all, and I ended up waiting for it to cool a bit to be on the safe side, so it was actually about 2 hours worth of total cooking for me. But I listened to some music, made a night out of it, and it came out great! I plan to freeze half of it, so I’ll let you know how that goes!
★★★★★
Velasco
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the recipe, my people think I’m a genius! Take care, talk to ya soon and give your dog cookie a pet for me.
Marc-
★★★★★
Maureen
My first time making broccoli cheese soup. Is my soup so green because I used white cheddar? Your pic looks more inviting. Personal preference, use red pepper flakes a lot, but 1/2 tsp. was a bit too hot. I thought it was missing something, maybe try it with broth for added depth of flavor? Overall, good recipe and healthier version for sure. Thanks!
★★★
Kate
The color of cheese could matter. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate your feedback.
Maureen
Can you edit a comment? Just hit post comment & think it had 3 stars when I intended to give it 4.
★★★★
Melissa
Followed the steps exactly and the soup is creamy and delicious. Thank you The family loves it.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Melissa!
Andrea Hurst
It’s a keeper. I have an obstinate kindergartner who started out declaring that it was yucky (a new thing for him). I calmly told him “thanks for telling me. Once I’m done with my first serving, I can get you peanut butter on bread.” He got bored waiting, and finished his bowl. And my toddler asked for three refills. Everyone finished theirs (an accomplishment in itself), and I love that I used 4 pounds of broccoli (I made a double batch because motherhood).
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Toddler asked for refills, I love it. Thank you for your review and comment.
Andrea Hurst
One note – I had to guess when to put the onion/garlic mixture in and when to re-add the blended soup. Could you update the recipe to clarify? Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Andrea, The onion mixture is in the first step and you continue to add in the other elements as directed. I hope that helps?See step 7 for blended.
Kim
Delicious! I’ve never had success with broccoli soup. My family of soup connoisseurs (including a 6 and 4 year old) loved this soup and asked for repeats and my husband did not believe me that there was no cream. Also freezes really well. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you tried this one, Kim! Thank you for your comment and review.
Nicole
I’ve never made B&C soup from scratch but it’s one of my favs so I had to try. I wasn’t sure about the pepper flakes and even though it’s a tiny amount compared to the huge pot it makes you def taste it. At first I was mad that I didn’t just omit it but after rave reviews from the neighbors I shared with (cook for some elderly in my bldg during this situation) I am a convert to leaving it in.
The soup is great but don’t stop at a simple bowl full! Try it over roasted/smashed crispy potatoes, or over cooked pasta and vegs. I added crispy “bacon” tempeh and HELLO deliciousness! So versatile. Thanks Kate :)
(Only changes made: 2 C. of veg broth in place of h2o and about 10 oz of sharp white cheddar)
★★★★
Natascha
Deliciously creamy and not heavy! I halved the recipe since I was just cooking for two, and there’s still enough left over for tomorrow’s lunch. I was so glad to be able to use the stalks as well, since I hate food waste.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for letting me know you loved it, Natascha! I appreciate your review.
Bonnie
Once again an amazing recipe. I had everything in the house to make this soup and it is even better two days later. I love the options for substitutions that you offer with each recipe. I am so glad to have found your website Kate. I have made quite a few of your recipes and all have been delicious.
Stay healthy!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Bonnie! To you as well :)
Jane Scanlon
Wondering how this would be with some roasted mushrooms Toston? I have mushrooms I need to use up!
Kate
I’m not sure mushrooms in this soup. You could always try some on top?
Tracy
Yum. I had a pound of leftover broccoli stalks from another recipe, which I combined with a bag of frozen florets. Worked perfectly. I did not peel the stalks, not sure why it is necessary to peel them and I was feeling lazy. We also used a sweet potato because that is what we had. Added low sodium vegetable boullion cubes and no red pepper flakes. Delicious.
★★★★★
Mary Beth Smith
This soup surpassed my expectations! I was a little concerned about how the stalks would end up “creamy”, but thanks to the Vita-Mix this soup was super creamy and very tasty. I used Yukon Gold potato which added to the creamy texture and Gruyere cheese as it was in my refrigerator and it added a wonderful nutty flavor. My husband loved it as well!
★★★★★
jenni
Thank you so much for this recipe! This is definitely on our favorites list now! I made a couple small changes. I used 4 cups Brad’s Organic Low Sodium Veg Broth with 2 cups water and omitted the added salt. I also used cayenne pepper in place of pepper flakes, as it’s what I had, and I used all 8oz cheese. I was needlessly concerned that this would lack depth and flavor, but it came out sooooo yummy! I’ve now frozen some for another day. Thank you!
★★★★★
Fla LB
So delicious! Family loves it. I used shallots instead of onion—otherwise all the same. This recipe could even work without the cheese if someone was non-dairy. The flavor was well-established before adding the cheese. Thank you!
★★★★★
Becky
This soup was amazing…I tasted it before the cheese went in and was blown away by how good it was even without it! I blended mine completely because I like the creamier texture. I have been an avid reader/follower of your recipes since 2016 and don’t rate them nearly as much as I make them! Thank you for your healthy and delicious recipes…reading your blog is one of my favorite pastimes :)
★★★★★