Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli cheddar soup is a thick and creamy cheese soup made with sharp cheddar, fresh broccoli, butter, flour, and milk. This easy recipe is ready in about 25 minutes and uses no broth at all.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli cheddar soup, comfort food, creamy, quick, vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 549kcal

Author: Vanjo Merano

Cost: $

Equipment

1 Cooking pan or medium pot A heavy bottomed pan helps prevent scorching
1 Box grater For grating the cheddar from a block
1 Wooden spoon or silicone spatula For constant stirring while building the roux and adding milk

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup onion chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 3/4 cups milk whole milk is best
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated from a block
8 oz broccoli chopped into small pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a cooking pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
2 tablespoons butter
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and fragrant.
1/4 cup onion
Stir in the flour and continue cooking while mixing to form a smooth base. Let it cook for about a minute until the raw flour smell disappears.
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.
2 3/4 cups milk
Add the ground black pepper and stir to combine.
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Add the chopped broccoli and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the florets are tender.
8 oz broccoli
Turn off the heat. Stir in the grated cheddar cheese a handful at a time, mixing well until each addition is fully melted before adding more.
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Transfer the soup to a serving bowl. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

Doubling the recipe – This recipe doubles well. Use a larger pot so the milk has room to simmer without boiling over. Keep the cook times the same.

Heavy bottomed pan – A thicker pan distributes heat more evenly and reduces the chance of the roux or milk scorching on the bottom.

Bread bowl serving – Hollow out a round sourdough loaf and ladle the soup directly into it. Let it sit for a minute so the bread absorbs some of the cheese sauce before eating.

Immersion blender option – For a smoother consistency, blend part of the soup with an immersion blender before adding the cheese. Leave some broccoli pieces whole for texture.

Room temperature milk – Pulling the milk out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before cooking helps it blend into the roux more smoothly and reduces the chance of lumps forming.

Nutrition