This broccoli cheese soup is sooo delicious, that everyone will love it including even those who don’t like broccoli. Broccoli cheese soup comes together so easily and tastes delicious.
We recommend using half & half for cooking broccoli cheese soup, it will help to make the soup creamy, but it’s much lighter than heavy cream.
Broccoli cheese soup has a great flavor and is perfect for lunch, or easy weeknight dinner with Amish Broccoli Salad. It goes well with toasted french bread or some salad. You’ll love it and will make it again and again.
How to make Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Step 1. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, season with sea salt and saute for 3-4 minutes or until onion is soft and translucent.
- Step 2. Pour in chicken stock, add ground nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Simmering is bringing a liquid to the state of being just below boiling. If your pot begins to boil, turn the heat down to maintain that gentle bubbling. Throw in broccoli florets and julienned carrots and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until vegetables become tender.
- Step 3. Add shredded cheddar in small amounts at a time. You’ll need to stir the soup constantly to avoid lump forming. Continue until you use all the cheese. Turn the heat to medium-low. Pour in half & half and continue to stir. Keep watching your soup, don’t allow it to boil. You need just to heat the soup through and make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Step 4. Share the soup between bowls and serve with some more shredded cheese on top if you want.
What to serve with broccoli cheese soup?
Broccoli cheese soup is so delicious that you can eat it on its own or with a bread bowl. But if you want a more nutritious meal, you can serve the soup with grilled kielbasa, Chicken Piccata, Cajun Chicken, hot dog, or Reuben bake.
If you want more cheese taste add some cheese puffs. If you want to preserve the lightness of broccoli cheese soup, serve it with some crispy spring salad.
Why did my broccoli cheese soup curdle?
Your broccoli cheese soup may curdle if you add cold half & half to the stock and vegetables.
It’s better to temper the half & half by mixing it with a few tablespoons of hot stock before adding it to the larger mixture. Or at least, let the half & half get to room temperature before adding it in.
Why is my broccoli cheese soup grainy?
This can happen if the cooking temperature is too high. The proteins in the cheese tighten up and squeeze out the fat. You end up with a grainy, curdled consistency.
Unfortunately, you can’t fix, so just keep the soup on a very low heat once you add the dairy. If the soup won’t boil, it will stay silky and creamy.
☞ Why did my broccoli cheese soup separate?
Cheddar cheese contains enzymes and coagulants added to milk and milk fat to make cheddar. This is what separates in broccoli cheese soup.
Try adding the cheese in batches and stir to incorporate don’t whisk, after cheese is added hold at 160 to 165 F.
Baking Tips For Bang Bang Chicken
- If you like your soup to be thicker, add a tablespoon of flour when you saute onion and whisk constantly while it cooks. For gluten-free options, you may add a tablespoon of cornstarch slurry dissolved in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Another option to make broccoli cheese soup thicker is to add a few tablespoons of dried mashed potato flakes.
- You can substitute half & half for milk or heavy cream (for keto option, or if you need to add more calories from fat).
- If you want to add some more protein to the soup, you may add some shredded chicken.
- For more spicy broccoli cheese soup add sriracha or any other hot sauce, or just a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
How long does broccoli cheese soup last in the fridge?
If you have any leftovers, which probably won’t happen, you may keep them in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The soup is even better on the next day, I recommend to reheat it slowly on low and to stir often.
Can you freeze broccoli cheese soup?
Surely, you can freeze broccoli cheese soup, just allow it to cool completely before freezing. If you plan to freeze the soup, I would recommend you not to add the dairy, since it doesn’t generally freeze well. Add the dairy when you’re reheating the soup.
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Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 6 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- ⅓ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 5 cups mild cheddar, shredded
- 3 cups half & half
Instructions
- Melt butter in a pot, add onion, garlic and salt and saute until onion is soft and translucent.
- Add chicken stock and nutmeg to the pot and bring to a simmer. Throw in broccoli florets and julienned carrots and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until tender.
- Add shredded cheddar in small amounts. Stir constantly until you use all the cheese. Pour in half & half and continue to stir on low. Don’t boil, heat just until the soup is heated through and all ingredients are coupled.
- Share between bowls and serve with some more shredded cheese on top if you want.
Notes
- You can easily prepare this broccoli cheese soup recipe in an instant pot. First you need to saute onion, garlic, and salt in butter on saute mode until onion is translucent. Then stir in chicken stock, nutmeg, broccoli, and carrots. Cover and cook on manual, high-pressure mode, for 3 minutes. When time finishes, hit 'cancel' and add cheese in small amounts, stirring constantly. Pour in half & half and continue to stir until all everything is incorporated and the soup is heated through.
- Experiment adding different vegetables to change the soup slightly according to your taste. Optional, you may add cauliflower florets, sliced bell pepper or diced potatoes.
- Also, you can make this recipe vegetarian, just use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- For better results, shred the cheese by yourself, it melts much better than pre-shredded one.
Just made this delicious soup on a rainy Fall day, yum!