This Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe uses simple ingredients but has so much flavor and creaminess. It only takes 20 minutes to make!

Some soups require hours and hours of simmering time to develop depth of flavor, but this isn’t one of those soups. 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup - in Green bowl on Placemat 

You can get it done in 20-25 minutes and serve it with crusty bread for a light dinner.

The ingredients are actually simple enough that sometimes I’ll make it on a whim because I have the ingredients on hand. The 8 ingredients you need are butter, onion, flour, broccoli, cheddar cheese, chicken stock, milk and cream.

I think soup may be the most under appreciated category of food, and there is something really wonderful and comforting about hot soup when it’s chilly outside. And this broccoli cheddar soup is one of the best when it comes to classic soups. 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe - Served in Green Bowl on Placemat

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

To get started, chop up a bunch of fresh broccoli:

Fresh broccoli florets chopped on wooden board

You want the pieces to be smaller than your usual florets for something like roasted or Charred Broccoli.

Also, don’t throw out the stem! You can chop it up into bite-sized pieces and throw those in too.

Next chop a small yellow onion, and saute it in butter for five minutes, until soft:

Sauteed onions in soup pot

Add flour and stir it in until a blond paste forms:

Sauteed Onions and Garlic in Soup Pot

Add chicken stock, cream, and milk, and bring to a boil. Then, add the broccoli:

Homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Broccoli Florets Added On Top in Pot

Let the broccoli cook for about 10 minutes, and in the meantime, grate some cheddar cheese:

Grated Cheddar Cheese on Wooden Board

Once the broccoli is tender, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese:

Sprinkling Grated Cheddar Cheese On Top of Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Recipe in Red Pot

It’s important to remove the pot from the heat because overheated cheese can separate. The soup should be hot enough to melt the cheese with residual heat.

Make any final seasoning adjustments, and ladle the soup into bowls:

Cheddar Broccoli Soup from Scratch - In Green Bowl on Placemat

This Asiago Black Pepper Bread is absolutely wonderful with this soup. Enjoy!

More Favorite Broccoli Recipes:

Cheddar Broccoli Soup from Scratch In Green Bowl on Placemat

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy and delicious, with bits of fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar cheese.
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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 softball sized yellow onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 5 cups chopped broccoli (both the florets and stalks)
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese*
  • salt
  • black pepper

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, season with 1/4 tsp salt, and cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
  • Stir in the flour until it combines into a blond paste, and cook for two minutes.
  • Turn the heat to high and add the chicken stock, milk, and heavy cream. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  • Add the broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the cheddar. Taste and make any necessary seasoning adjustments with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

*You can double the cheese if you want a more pronounced cheddar flavor

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 101mg, Sodium: 348mg, Potassium: 469mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1521IU, Vitamin C: 68mg, Calcium: 250mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Post updated in October 2019. Originally published October 2014.