Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy, cheesy, and incredibly delicious, made with sharp cheddar, tender broccoli, and a few seasonings that take it to the next level!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Here’s my homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup—a warm, flavorful bowl that’s perfect for cold days.
It’s inspired by Panera’s classic, but honestly, I think it’s even better!
It’s easy to make, comforting, and tastes amazing in a crusty bread bowl—or with some no-knead bread for dipping!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Broccoli Cheddar Soup:
- Butter: Adds rich flavor; unsalted keeps salt in check.
- Olive Oil: Keeps butter from browning when cooking the onion.
- Yellow Onion: Dice finely so it cooks evenly.
- Garlic: Fresh or jarred—use whatever you have.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds smoky flavor; regular works too.
- Ground Mustard: Makes the cheese taste bolder.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds a touch of heat; skip if you prefer.
- Flour: Thickens the soup; whisk well to avoid lumps.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium helps prevent the soup from getting too salty.
- Half-and-Half: Adds creaminess without being too heavy.
- Broccoli: Dice small so it cooks fast and evenly.
- Carrots: Shred so they blend with other flavors.
- Cheese: Grate fresh for best results; pre-shredded may turn greasy and doesn’t melt as well.
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Cook Onion: Cook onion in butter and oil until tender.
- Add Garlic & Spices: Stir in garlic, spices, and seasoning; cook until fragrant.
- Make Roux: Melt more butter, add flour, and cook until thick.
- Add Liquids: Whisk in broth, then half-and-half; simmer with bay leaf.
- Add Veggies: Stir in broccoli and carrots; simmer until tender.
- Add Cheese: Turn off heat; stir in cheese until melted.
- Serve: Serve bowls or bread bowls and enjoy!
Serve Broccoli Cheddar Soup with:
- Crusty Bread: Perfect for dipping and soaking up the soup.
- Side Salad: A light green garden salad or Caesar salad for balance.
- Fruit: Serve with any fruit that’s in season, or try my favorite winter fruit salad!
- Baked Potatoes: A filling side that pairs well with the flavors.
- Grilled Cheese: The best sandwich for dipping in soup!
Variations
Change Things Up!
- Add Bacon: Add crispy bacon bits on top or stir into the soup for extra flavor.
- Add Potatoes: Try this delicious Broccoli Potato Soup.
- Chicken Broccoli Cheddar: Stir in cooked, shredded chicken for added protein.
- Lighten It Up: Substitute half-and-half with whole milk for a lighter version.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Tips
- To Thicken Further: Blend part of the soup, or simmer longer to reduce liquid.
- Cheese: Use an extra-sharp cheddar cheese for richer flavor.
- Onions: Cook until fully soft to avoid crunch in the final soup.
Storage
Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly on low to avoid separation. Add a splash of half-and-half or broth if it needs thinning.
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
- Tortilla Soup ready in 20 minutes!
- Cheeseburger Soup with a cheesy base and ground beef
- Crockpot Chili awarded winner of lots of chili cook-offs!
- Zuppa Toscana Soup made in the slow cooker
- Butternut Squash Soup a restaurant’s famous recipe!
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
This creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is easy, all in one-pot! Bursting with flavor and made in no time, the secret to its deliciousness is all in the spices!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 onion
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika I like smoked
- 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 32 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 cups half-and-half see note 1
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 6 cups chopped broccoli to bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 12 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese 3-1/4 cups
- Hearty buttered bread optional, or serve in bread bowls
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden (3–5 minutes). Add garlic, paprika, mustard, cayenne, and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon). Cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and melt. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Once combined, slowly add half-and-half, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, add bay leaf, and simmer for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally or until nicely thickened.
- While the soup simmers, chop broccoli and shred cheese. Add broccoli and carrots to the soup.
- Let the soup cook on low for 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender to your liking, stirring occasionally. Blend some of the soup for a smoother texture if desired, or leave it chunky. (I don't blend it!)
- Turn off the heat. Stir in cheese gradually, a handful at a time, until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. (I'll add 1/2 up to 1 teaspoon here!)
- Enjoy immediately in bread bowls or with hearty buttered bread on the side for dipping.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Half-and-half is a blend of milk and cream, usually found near the milk section in grocery stores.
Vegetarian Option: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Storage: Keep leftover soup in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly on low to avoid separation. Add a splash of half-and-half or broth if it needs thinning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 766mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 8850IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 585mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this today and it came out fantastic! I omitted the cayane pepper (didn’t have it) and used whole milk since I didn’t have enough half and half. Really creamy, cheesy, and delicious!
Yay! So happy this was a hit 🙂 Thanks for the comment Beth!
Didn’t turn out well. Directions aren’t very clear.
So sorry to hear that. How could I make the directions more clear? I’d love to fix any issues I can with the recipe!
I just made this and it’s all wasted. It curdled
Oh shoot I’m so sorry to hear that. Sounds like your heat was too high or it was boiled too long; here are some ways to avoid it next time (if you decide to try again!) https://food52.com/blog/14876-kitchen-rescue-how-to-fix-a-broken-or-curdled-sauce
Mine curdled as well. But using a blender usually solves the curdling part. The taste of this soup is one of the best!
Could I use Milk instead of half and half?
If you do, I’d use whole milk. It will be a lot thinner and less creamy
If you don’t have ground mustard can you use Regular mustard???
I wouldn’t recommend regular mustard for this soup!
I made this for supper tonight as I continue to experiment with different meals for supper, and myself, my husband and 3 of my kids (even my pickiest!) LOVED this soup and devoured it right up! I’ll be making this again for sure – thanks so much for this delicious recipe!! Note: I did the recipe exactly like you have it and didn’t blend it and it tasted perfect!
Ahh I’m soo happy to hear this!! Thank soo much for your comment! So glad you guys enjoyed! 🙂
Delicious soup! Thank you so much for the recipe!
I live in the mountains in Japan so this soup is not available anywhere. This soup was so delicious and just what I was looking for. My family came in from work/school and the cheese had barely melted before they started eating and they loved it. Thank you for this recipe. Will definitely be making it again and again.
Ah I’m so glad you were able to make this! Thanks!:)
you are exactly who I want to be when I grow up XD
Oh, and I added bits of chicken!
This is delicious! I need to double the recipe sometime! I used heavy whipping cream, left out the carrots, and roasted the frozen broccoli with olive oil sprayed on top for 25 min. on 400 degrees before adding it to the soup (because I didn’t have fresh broccoli). I paired it with toasted sourdough bread with Kerrygold butter on top…ahhhmazing…thank you for sharing this recipe with everyone!
Ooh my gosh that sounds amazing!!! Thanks Crystal! 🙂
Aaaahhhhmazing! My whole family loved this soup. I doubled the recipe and didn’t have quite enough cheese, but it worked fine. I also used 2% milk in place of the half and half (I’m dieting). The spice combination is divine, thank you for this recipe. Definately going in my recipe box!
Yay!! SO thrilled to hear that! 🙂 Thanks so much Elizabeth <3
Am I missing something here? Why would you use 2% milk because you’re dieting, when the recipe calls for ‘fat free half and half’ ?? Makes no sense.
Made this soup tonight and it was delicious. Very tasty! I had a question and another was my mishap. I wanted to ask you how much flour you add as it was not in the recipe, or I missed it? The other issue I had is there was some curdling in the soup along the way. The taste was still very good but I was not sure if it was shocking the soup with the cold half and half might have caused it or I did, unfortunately, let it get to a boil. What might you think caused it to happen as I do want to make it again, without the curdles ;-). Thanks for a delicious soup.
I know it’s a year later, but I wanted to share a little. Something I learned years ago from another recipe, aside from making sure the milk products are mixed well, is that adding cheese should always happen off of heat. Get things well ready, then start slowly sprinkling in the cheese after taking it off the burner. If you use gas, this isn’t a problem, but with element burners, mostly electric, you get residual heat that adds to curdling.
how many cups in 1 serving? Approximately, thx