This creamy one-pot broccoli cheddar soup is ready in just 30 minutes and is so perfectly flavored that it rivals Panera! The perfect accompaniment to a cold winter day!
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Why Make This Recipe?
- It takes just one pot and 30 minutes: This broccoli cheddar soup is perfect for people who hate dishes or are short on time. It cooks together in just one pot and is ready to eat in only half an hour!
- It's comforting: Is there anything better than a warm bowl of soup, especially in the winter or if you're feeling under the weather? This soup is so creamy and thick it will fix all your winter woes!
- It's super easy: The hardest part of this recipe is chopping up a few veggies. Other than that, it basically cooks itself. (Even better if you're not feeling well!)
- Leftovers can be used as lunch or dinner all week: If you're like us, meal prep is everything. I love making a big batch of this soup on Sunday and having it all week for lunch with a side of bread!
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli: You'll need about 3 C of broccoli florets for this soup, or about 1.5 heads of broccoli. Try to cut them into a uniform size so they cook evenly. I like using fresh instead of frozen, but frozen works well also! (Tip: use any leftover broccoli in this Secret Ingredient Roasted Broccoli Rotini!)
- Shredded carrots: You'll also need 1 C of shredded carrots and you can shred them yourself if you want, but I prefer to buy the bagged, pre-shredded carrots to make my life easier.
- White onion: This broccoli cheddar soup calls for ½ of a white onion that has been finely diced.
- Chicken broth: You're going to be using a 14.5 oz can of chicken broth (I like to use Swanson's low sodium broth.) This could be substituted for vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Half and half cream: Be sure to grab a pint of half and half cream, as you will need 2 C (1 pint) for this recipe.
- Finely shredded cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded cheese is always best, but if you're using pre-shredded be sure to buy 8 oz of finely shredded cheddar cheese. This helps the cheese melt in more easily rather than clumping (*see cooking notes below.)
- All-purpose flour: This broccoli cheddar soup calls for just a little bit of all-purpose flour, about ¼ C.
- Additionally, you'll need ¼ C of butter, some salt and pepper and a little nutmeg!
For tips on choosing and storing the produce items used in this recipe, check out my Monthly Seasonal Produce Guides! (These also include multiple recipe ideas from fellow bloggers if you need some ideas for any leftover ingredients! 🙂 )
Step by Step Photos
First, start out by prepping your veggies. Wash and chop about 1.5 medium heads of broccoli into florets so you have about 3 cups worth of florets and set aside. Next, finely dice ½ of a white onion.
- Place a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add in ¼ C of butter and all of the diced onion. Sauté the onion until soft, stirring frequently. Sprinkle in ¼ C of flour, stir and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Next, whisk in 2 C of half and half cream and 1 can (14.5 oz) of chicken broth. Add in the broccoli florets and 1 C of shredded carrots and stir together. Season with some salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and allow the soup to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup is ready when the broccoli is tender and easily stabbed with a fork. (This may require less time if you're using frozen broccoli.)
- Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until desired consistency (this doesn't take much so don't pulverize it!)
- Pour the soup back into your pot and allow to cool slightly. Add in 8 oz of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese and stir until combined. (This will help prevent the cheese from seizing and clumping.) Season with a little extra salt and pepper, if desired, and about ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg. Mix to combined and serve warm with bread (or pork butt stuffed cheddar bay biscuits if you have them! 😛 )
Enjoy! Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, microwave while stirring at 30-second intervals, or on the stovetop over low heat until the desired temperature. 🙂
FAQs and Expert Tips
- Shopping: In addition to the main ingredients listed above, be sure you have some all-purpose flour, butter, salt and pepper, and nutmeg at home!
- Substitutions: I like to use fresh broccoli when possible but you can substitute for frozen broccoli if you're in a hurry. You can also swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you prefer!
- Prep: The prep work for this broccoli cheddar soup is beyond easy. Simply wash and chop your broccoli into florets and dice ½ of a white onion. Everything else is basically measuring and dumping!
- Cooking: The key to the perfect consistency for this soup is temperature and timing. Be sure your heat isn't set too high so the soup doesn't begin to burn. Stir the soup occasionally while cooking and scrape off anything that is sticking to the bottom of your pot (enameled dutch ovens and wooden spoons are ideal for this!)
- Also, using finely shredded cheese added after the soup has cooled slightly will help prevent the cheese from clumping together. Adding when the soup is still hot will cause it to seize up and taste grainy!
- Storage: Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze this soup by allowing it to cool and then storing it in a freezer-safe container or flattened zip-top bags.
- Reheating:
- If refrigerated: Leftover soup can be reheated in the microwave while stirring at 30-second intervals, or on the stovetop over low heat until the desired temperature.
- If frozen: Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat as noted above.
Yes! I prefer to use fresh when possible but frozen broccoli is a great substitute if you're short on time. You can add the frozen broccoli directly to the soup without thawing. However, because frozen broccoli has typically been pre-blanched, it may cook faster than raw broccoli once it thaws. Monitor your soup by checking the broccoli periodically, it is done when the broccoli is easily stabbed with a fork.
Yes! For this particular recipe, I find that blending the ingredients results in a thicker, creamier soup, but it is not mandatory. You can also blend using an immersion blender if you have one, but if not then simply chop the broccoli into your desired serving size before cooking.
Some tips to help avoid your cheese clumping are:
1. Use freshly grated cheese. By avoiding pre-packaged cheese you're also avoiding additives which can cause the cheese to clump.
2. If grating cheese isn't on your timetable and you're using pre-packaged cheese, be sure to choose finely shredded. This will help the cheese melt easier.
3. Be sure to add the cheese after the soup has cooled slightly. Adding it directly to a hot soup can cause it to seize up and become grainy.
4. If you're already past these steps and now have a clumpy mess, simply add the soup back into the blender to help break it up!
Related Recipes
What do you think? Did this recipe make the cut for you or did it crumble? What would you do differently? Leave a comment below! 🙂
PrintRecipe Card
The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: About 6 servings of soup 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Sautéed, Simmered, Blended
- Cuisine: American
Description
This creamy one-pot broccoli cheddar soup is ready in just 30 minutes and is so perfectly flavored that it rivals Panera! The perfect accompaniment to a cold winter day!
Ingredients
- 1.5 heads of broccoli cut into florets (about 3 cups worth)
- ¼ C butter
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- ¼ C flour
- 2 C half and half cream
- 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
- 1 C shredded carrots
- 8 oz finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- First, start out by prepping your veggies. Wash and chop about 1.5 medium heads of broccoli into florets so you have about 3 cups worth of florets and set aside. Next, finely dice ½ of a white onion.
- Place a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add in ¼ C of butter and all of the diced onion. Sauté the onion until soft, stirring frequently.
- Sprinkle in ¼ C of flour, stir and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Next, whisk in 2 C of half and half cream and 1 can (14.5 oz) of chicken broth. Add in the broccoli florets and 1 C of shredded carrots. Season with some salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and allow the soup to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup is ready when the broccoli is tender and easily stabbed with a fork. (This may require less time if you're using frozen broccoli.)
- Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until desired consistency (this doesn't take much so don't pulverize it!)
- Pour the soup back into your pot and allow to cool slightly. Add in 8 oz of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese and stir until combined. (This will help prevent the cheese from seizing and clumping.)
- Finally, season with a little extra salt and pepper, if desired, and about ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg. Mix to combined and serve warm with bread.
- Enjoy! 🙂
Notes
Shopping: In addition to the main ingredients listed above, be sure you have some all-purpose flour, butter, salt and pepper, and nutmeg at home!
Substitutions: I like to use fresh broccoli when possible but you can substitute for frozen broccoli if you're in a hurry. You can also swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you prefer!
Prep: The prep work for this broccoli cheddar soup is beyond easy. Simply wash and chop your broccoli into florets and dice ½ of a white onion. Everything else is basically measuring and dumping!
Cooking: The key to the perfect consistency for this soup is temperature and timing. Be sure your heat isn't set too high so the soup doesn't begin to burn. Stir the soup occasionally while cooking and scrape off anything that is sticking to the bottom of your pot (enameled dutch ovens and wooden spoons are ideal for this!) Also, using finely shredded cheese added after the soup has cooled slightly will help prevent the cheese from clumping together. Adding when the soup is still hot will cause it to seize up and taste grainy!
Storage: Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: You can also freeze this soup by allowing it to cool and then storing it in a freezer-safe container or flattened zip-top bags.
Reheating: If refrigerated: Leftover soup can be reheated in the microwave while stirring at 30-second intervals, or on the stovetop over low heat until the desired temperature. If frozen: Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat as noted above.
Keywords: Panera broccoli cheddar soup, one pot soup, homemade broccoli cheddar soup
**Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
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