Broccoli Cheese Soup
This broccoli cheddar soup recipe is SO satisfying! It's loaded with fresh broccoli, and creamy thanks to a potato and cheddar cheese (no cream, no flour!).
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on June 28, 2024
It’s about time you met this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. It’s rich and indulgent, but not so much that it weighs me down.
My husband declared it the best he’s ever had, and started throwing out one-liners in between spoonfuls:
- “It’s the velvet of the soup world.”
- “All the sin without any of the guilt.”
- “This may be the universe’s best delivery system for broccoli.”
- “It’s like a warm blanket after being outside on a long winter day.”
I tried to make a great broccoli soup six months ago. I gave up after several failed attempts, and recently tried again after discovering Sarah Jampel’s method in Bon Appétit. Thank you for showing me the way, Sarah.
I have high standards for broccoli cheese soup. I wanted soup that met the following qualifications:
- Sufficiently green and full of fresh flavor
- Cheesy!
- Luxuriously smooth but with some texture from tender florets
- Preferably free of flour and heavy cream
I wanted all that, and I didn’t want to feel like I was eating a bowl of queso (don’t get me wrong, sometimes that’s exactly what I want to eat). This recipe checks all the boxes!
Watch How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
Perhaps the coolest feature of this soup is that it makes use of the broccoli stems that we usually toss. Less waste, more nutrients, can’t lose.
In fact, I feel good after I eat this soup, similar to how I feel after enjoying a big kale salad. Cruciferous veggies work miracles, I tell you, and did you know that broccoli contains loads of vitamin C? We could all use some extra right now.
Fresh & Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients
This flavorful soup is made without heavy cream, milk or flour—or even vegetable broth. You’ll just need a few basic ingredients to make it:
- Butter contributes to the irresistible flavor and silky texture. Technically, you could replace it with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, but I like butter better here.
- Onion and garlic form a savory base layer. Since we’re blending them all up later, we don’t need to chop them finely. In fact, you can just smash the garlic with the side of your chef’s knife (be careful), peel off the skin and throw it into the pot. So easy!
- Russet potato, peeled and cooked until tender, lends a luxuriously creamy texture once blended. This is a trick I’ve used in my vegan mac and cheese and vegan queso recipes—it really works.
- Lots of broccoli, of course. The stems contribute body and extra broccoli flavor. We’ll purée half of the broccoli florets, and cook the rest in the pot for texture.
- Water brings it all together. I’ve been experimenting with using water instead of vegetable broth in soups lately, and so far I’ve been impressed. Store-bought vegetable broths can contribute unwanted color, off-putting flavors and excess salt. Water has none of these issues. Plus, it saves you a few bucks.
- Sharp cheddar cheese offers maximal cheddar flavor and a creamy texture. You can start with four ounces (half of a block) and add more to suit your preferences. Hand-grated cheese is best, since pre-shredded cheeses are coated in powders that can cause the cheese to glop together once melted. Buy white cheddar if you can. Yellow cheddar might turn this soup an unfortunate color, but I haven’t tried to be sure.
This soup is vegetarian and gluten free as written. You can even make it dairy free/vegan with substitutions (really!). See the recipe notes for details.
Equipment Notes & Suggestions
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This recipe yields a substantial amount of soup (around 10 cups). If you are serving two people or don’t want a lot of leftovers, you could easily cut the ingredients in half. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- I swear that soups always taste better when they’re cooked in a Dutch oven. I used my 5.5-quart Le Creuset for this recipe. A large, heavy-bottomed soup pot will also work well.
- You’ll need a lid for the pot. In a pinch, you could use a metal baking sheet.
- If you are making the full batch, you’ll need to blend it in batches in your stand blender. I could not blend the full batch at once in my Vitamix. Transfer the blended portion to a heat-proof pitcher or container as you blend the rest, then combine it all in the soup pot.
- Or, you could use an immersion blender. The trouble with immersion blenders is that they never yield soup as creamy as you could accomplish in your stand blender. I wish it weren’t true!
Safety note: Never fill a stand blender past the maximum fill line, or you could end up with a giant mess (and a hot one, if you’re making soup). You need to know how your blender works. My lid’s design allows for steam to escape, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll want to remove the center piece so the contents don’t build pressure as they blend. Cover the hole with a tea towel, but don’t place your hand over it because the steam is hot.
What to Serve with Broccoli Soup
This soup is a light meal on its own, or would make a proper meal with a sandwich or crisp salad. Here are a few options that are deliberately not very cheesy, for the sake of balance.
- Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill or French Carrot Salad
- Green Goddess Hummus Sandwich or Hummus Quesadillas
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw or Simple Seedy Slaw
Craving more creamy soups?
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Lightened-Up Tomato Soup
Please let me know how your soup turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
This broccoli cheddar soup recipe is so satisfying! It’s loaded with fresh broccoli, and creamy thanks to a potato and cheddar cheese (no cream, no flour!). Recipe yields about 10 cups (quite a bit) and is easily halved.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (reduce or omit if sensitive to spice)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds broccoli with stalks (3 large or 4 medium)
- 1 large (about 12 ounces) russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch chunks
- 6 cups water
- 4 to 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese, depending on your mood
- Thinly sliced chives or green onions, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and about 10 twists of black pepper.
- Stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are just starting to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice off and discard the rough bottom ends of broccoli stalks. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the tough outer skin on the stalks, then discard those bits. Slice the stalks off and cut them into pieces about 1 to 2-inches big. Set aside.
- Working with the broccoli tops now, cut as closely to the base of the florets as you can. Slice any remaining stalks into chunks to match to the rest. Reserve the broccoli florets—we’ll use them in a bit.
- Add the chunks of broccoli stalk and potato to the pot and stir. Pour in 6 cups water and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Simmer until the broccoli stalks and potatoes are tender throughout and easily split apart when pierced with a fork, about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the reserved florets into small pieces (I chop them all in one direction, then turn the cutting board and chop again).
- Once the potato and stalks are tender, add half of the florets to pot, stir, cover, and cook until they’re bright green, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Working in a couple of batches (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line or it could explode!), carefully transfer several cups of the mixture—both the liquid and solids—to your stand blender. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer the mixture to a heat-proof vessel temporarily as you blend the rest. Alternatively, use an immersion blender (it just won’t be as lusciously creamy). Return the purée to the pot.
- Return the pot to medium heat and add the remaining florets. Cover the pot and cook until they’re bright green and easily pierced through by a fork, another 4 to 7 minutes. Add almost all 4 ounces of the grated cheddar cheese (reserve a small handful for garnish) and stir until smooth. Carefully taste (it’s hot) and stir in more cheese if you’d like more indulgent flavor/creamy texture, more salt for more overall flavor, and/or more black pepper for kick.
- Divide the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of cheese, plus some thinly sliced chives and/or red pepper flakes, if desired. Leftover soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (though the color darkens a bit with time). I haven’t tried freezing this soup but suspect it will work fine—please let us know in the comments if you do.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit’s broccoli cheddar soup by Sarah Jampel.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the butter with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. When blending the soup, add ½ cup raw cashews (soaked for 4 hours if not using a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, then rinsed and drained), 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and a scant ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard. Omit the cheese.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this broccoli soup after a trip to the farmer’s market in Ottawa, Canada last weekend. I came home with two huge broccoli. I searched online for the most appealing broccoli soup recipe and cookieandkate’s was the one I decided to go with. The soup was soooo yummy that I made it again today, a week later. My family loves the soup. It’s now a ‘keeper’ recipe. Thank you cookieandkate!!!
Yum! Every recipe of Kate’s I’ve made has been amazing. I did make some tweaks to this one … I used 4 cups of veggie stock and 2 cups of water. I spiced it up with extra red pepper flakes. And, I’ll admit I used 8 ounces of cheese and an extra 3 tablespoons of butter after the purée. :) The result is fantastic.
Thank you for sharing what you did, Robyn! I appreciate your review.
Amazing broccoli and cheddar soup recipe! I also like that it’s a bit healthier compared to the traditional broccoli and cheddar soup recipes.
Thank you, Lauren!
Can frozen broccoli be used as well?
Hi! I don’t if it would work the same as you may not have enough stalks to use to get this just right and the cooking of the raw really is important for timing and flavor.
I have made this twice now; both times using frozen broccoli as it was on hand. It is definitely tedious and cold on the fingers chopping the stalks and florets but it still works! The flavour does lack a bit, maybe because of the frozen veggies, but nothing that extra cheddar didn’t fix! (Think 12 ounces instead of 8!) I freeze the finished product into individual servings as well, and it doesn’t separate for me, and keeps a nice flavour. I will keep making this until my frozen broccoli supply is gone; then for sure will try with fresh!
Really tasty soup and freezes well! This soup will be a new go-to because I often have many of the items on hand. I love that this is a healthy version of broccoli cheddar soup. I froze some of this soup and while the liquid initially separated (and didn’t taste great), I was easily able to re-blend the soup and it was perfect! I’m a long time follower and first time poster for C+K – thanks Kate!
You’re welcome, Stacy! Glad to hear you loved it. Thank you for sharing what you did with the frozen soup. Great tip!
This sounds so tasty and I can’t wait to make it. I do have one question, what blender are you using? I have to buy a new one and the ratings are all over the place, so I thought I would get your opinion. Thank you!
Hi Michelle! I love my Vitamix. I have used it for years and loved it.
Thank you for the quick response Kate. I made this soup on Friday and it was the BEST! I am so happy I came across your recipe, I plan on making the spicy black bean on Tuesday :-)
Made this today. First time try. Tastey -going to have for dinner.I liked the recipe because it did not have milk in it.
I just made this soup and it was delicious. I put a few more potatoes in it but I loved the fact that it was different than most broccoli cheese soup recipes without a roux for a change…and no milk. I also put in some Better Than Bouillon that I use in all my soups. It was the perfect soup for a cold 35 degree weather day. Thank you, Kate!
You’re welcome, Sue! I’m happy you loved it.
I love this recipe… so much lighter & fresher tasting than most broccoli cheese soups but still warms my belly and fills me up! I only had a little under a pound of broccoli but had a head of cauliflower that needed to be used so I added that… It worked well and great taste. Thanks for such a yummy and versatile recipe!
Wonderful to hear, Lindy! Thank you for taking the time to review.
I just made the soup and it was delicious! Great recipe.
I’m glad you loved it, April!
Thank u so much for your recipe …loved it and especially my husband loved it who is very picky when it comes to soup. But my soup was not as vibrant looking as yours. But the taste was amazing.
Served soup for Sunday lunch – my guests loved it!! Some of them have dietary restrictions and this soup was a hit! I’ll make this again and freeze just for my family and will probably subsitute some vegetable stock for water to give it a fuller consistency. Love the red pepper kick. Thanks Kate!
Great to hear, Helene! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Made this and it’s knocked my previous favourite soup off its pedestal. Only addition, added a vegetable stock cube.
Very tasty soup – surprisingly luscious and very satisfying!
Thank you for your review, Emily!
Finally, a delightful broccoli cheddar soup without hiding underneath the comfort of milk, cream or broth. After stumbling with all the hit and miss recipes found on the internet, this is the one. Thanks for sharing, Kate.
Can I integrate cream or sour cream somehow into this? What would you recco?
Hi! You could add it to individual bowls, but it tends to separate out.
I made this today and it was really good. I couldn’t resist using equal parts homemade broth & water and, I have to say, next time I will try it with just water so that broccoli flavor really shines through. I forgot to add the cheese & surprisingly did not miss it. Looking forward to trying it with the water & cheddar. Delicious—Thanks for the recipe!
Hi C+K community! I made the soup tonight. So delicious! I subbed a can of navy beans for the potato for extra protein and starch/carbs. Turned out great! Thanks for another super recipe, Kate!
I’m delighted you loved it, Emily! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Thanks Kate!
I made this soup tonight for my family with a huge head of broccoli that was on its last hours. I added 1/2 can of white beans for iron and omitted the salt for the baby (and removed his portion before adding the cheese). I also made it in the instant pot (4 mins HP + QR with 2 cups of water; 1 min HP + QR with 1/2 an extra cup of water; then puree and then on sauté function). It was delicious!
Did u blend the beans? Or just left them in it whole?
I blended them in so my kids wouldn’t pick them out ;)
The broccoli soup came out perfectly! Thank you for the recipe. Creamy and flavorful ☺️My grandkids loved it!
We love this soup. It tastes delicious even without the cheese. However, to taste the cheese, we needed to add more than 4 ounces (we added closer to 3 cups, shredded).
Hi Kate,
This may be a silly question, but I have tons of new diet restrictions and am still learning. I cannot have white potatoes, but I can have white sweet potatoes. Will they work in this recipe, and are they a 1:1 replacement?
Thank you!
BTW: I have made both your Healthy Pumpkin Muffins and your Maple-Sweetened banana muffins and they were awesome! So good to know I don’t have to give up everything yummy.
Hi, I’m not sure as the starch content is what helps make this creamy. I would be interested to hear if you try it. Sorry to not be more help!
A fantastic and healthier version of traditional broccoli cheddar soup. Spicy and fresh with a smooth and creamy consistency. You don’t miss the cream or the stock and it’s very filling. A keeper! Thank you!
Deeeelicious. It was a first time for me to use your site/recipe. Your recipe was simple and straight forward to follow and I had most of the ingredients from the local veg market here in Daytona Beach. I did make a few modifications – six cups of homemade chicken stock, 4 large carrots (sliced thin), 1 sweet potato, ~5 oz of cottage cheese + 4 oz of cheddar and extra red pepper – yes it changed the color/sweetness but it was fabulous topped with Trader Joe’s Gorgonzola crackers. I could hardly stop eating. Many thanks for the foundation…I’ll be sure to follow in the future.
Welcome! I’m glad you were able to make it and enjoy it with your modifications. I appreciate your review.
What an awesome recipe! Everyone at home loved it beginning from a 70 year old mother to my children. Hubby impressed as well. Thank you.
That’s great to hear! Thank you, Anuradha.
This was a smooth, luxurious soup. I didn’t miss the cream. I made as written using 8oz Tillamook extra sharp white cheddar cheese (Costco block). 4oz wasn’t quite enough. I finished it with a small handful of combined sharp yellow cheddar and colby jack. Delicious! Thank you, Kate! Another winner.
I am not the cook in my house… my husband always has better recipes, but THIS was a winner. So much so that he said he likes it more than his own broccoli and cheddar soup.
The Vitamix is the difference maker, so velvety & smooth…and the addition of extra florets at the end, is the special little “cherry on top”
Thanks Kate – you made me look good in the kitchen! :)
That’s great to hear you loved this one, Danielle! I’m delighted you felt successful with it to. Thanks for your review!
Hi Kate! I’m a big fan of all your recipes and this one’s fantastic. I made it for dinner yesterday and my husband loved it too. I added a squeeze of lemon juice in my bowl and it tasted sooo good. Thank you!
First time I have rated an on line recipe, but just had to say that my husband and I loved this soup. It was creamy, tasty, easy to prep and gluten free is a plus for me. Made it just as printed and will do the same again. I used a sharp white cheddar for the cheese. Thought maybe it could be “brightened” up just a bit with a squeeze of lemon at the end. Next time.
Great way to use the giant bunch of broccoli that came in our organic produce delivery this time.Thanks so much for the great recipe.
Anne Bengelink.
Could you use red potatoes instead of russet?
I suppose you could, but I can’t guarantee you will get the same result. Let me know if you try it, Dana!
I just finished making this soup. It was delicious. I picked the recipe because it didn’t have flour, milk or heavy cream. I followed the recipe except I added an extra potato and used frozen broccoli because it was what I had on hand. Will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks.
Finally got around to making this soup and boy do I wish I would have made it sooner! So delicious, filling but not heavy, and great in flavor. Made a couple last minute swaps to get rid of items in the fridge (bit of red onion instead of white, 2 cups veggie stock with remaining water) and used 7 ounces total of cheese. Definitely will be making this again!
I’m glad you finally made it and loved it! Thank you for sharing, Jess.
This looks fantastic and my husband and daughter love soup. Might you be able to recommend a replacement for the potatoes to lower the carbs? (I need lower carb options).
Hi Roxanne, sorry to disappoint but the potatoes add a lot in this soup and would require a different recipe.
My family enjoyed this recipe. My 6 year old helped me make it. A few tweaks, we used shoestring carrots and cooked them in the butter and boiled it on the water mix after. I actually used a cup of milk with the water. We also used a bit of Tony’s for our spice! I enjoyed the potato added and since I was rushed on time, I steamed the broccoli in my rice cooker while prepping everything else. We made 1/2 a batch and blended the potatoes/some broccoli in a ninja. So tasty! Thanks much.
I love to hear that, Des! Thank you for your review.
I’ve made a lot of different broccoli soups, but this one is the best. I think the thing that sets this one apart is the unique method – the taste is so fresh and color so bright by reserve half of the tops until the end! Thanks for this!
I’m glad you think this one is the best! I appreciate your review, Carla.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made this today (omitted the red pepper flakes-trying to avoid spicy for now) and my family love it! It will be on my recipe list from now on and I will be browsing for more yummy goodness on your site.
I’m happy to hear that, Jean! Thank you for your review.
I’ve been looking for a broccoli cheddar soup and this is it! Hearty and light at the same time. Definitely will make it again & will be recommending to my friends & family! Thanks for another great recipe!
I made this soup exactly as in the recipe and it was delicious! Thanks for another winner!
Wonderful to hear, Karen! Thank you for your review.
This is a perfect post-holiday, snuggle up with a book all day meal. I used Better Than Bullion Mushroom added to the water. Just delightful!
Could this be made in a slow cooker? If so how long and would it be Chuck everything in at the start and leave it?
Hi Fee, I wouldn’t suggest this one in the crockpot. The steps really help bring out the flavors.
Followed the recipe, made 5 portions and it tastes awesome!
That’s great! Thank you for your review.
I like the recipe a lot. It’s the only one si found that didn’t call for 3 tbsp of flour. It was easy to follow and very tasty. I added pieces of left over Christmas Turkey, and some diced carrots, but I left out the potatoes. It was delicious! The only thing I didn’t like, is tha I kept feeling the hard part of the broccoli stuck, even though I used a peeler. Maybe I didn’t blend it enough?
Yet another amazing recipe Kate! I used 3cups veggie broth and 3cups water. It tasted amazing even without the cheese, but I did add 4oz. Whole family loved it. Thank you!
Excellent! I made this soup as written and we all loved it. It’s a keeper for sure!
This is a great recipe. I ended up tweaking it by using chicken stock instead of water, and some heavy cream. I also used parsley instead of scallions. As a topper, I think bacon bits would add a nice twist but didn’t use it.
I found this originally on the BonApp website and made a lot of the modifications you recommended here. Turns out delicious! To answer your question in the post, I only found a yellow sharp cheddar and used 5oz. The night-of, it was a green soup. Next day, an unfortunate color indeed. But even better, as the flavors mingled some more overnight.
Thank you, Gina! Just as I suspected. :) Glad you enjoyed this version.
Omg….I just died and went to broccoli heaven. This was the best broccoli soup ever! My husband and daughter loved it equally!! Thank you for this recipe. God bless.
Thank you for your review! Take care.
Hi Kate, I made a man size feed of your Soup and it was awesome and without the cheese ( lactose intolerance ) Your video was brilliant because I’m not to flash with measurement. Thank you
Thanks so much for letting me know, Todd!
Loved this recipe! Made this tonight and it turned out so good! It is creamy, delicious, and so satisfying. It is everything you want/crave in a Broccoli Cheddar soup and with a list of ingredients you can feel good about. Will definitely be making this again!
Thanks C+K!
Thank you, Janet! I’m happy you loved it.
I love this healthy soup recipe! So creamy and delicious! Only thing I added was some kale leaves, only because i needed to use them up. Everything blended beautifully in Vita-mix! Definitely will be making again! Thanks for all your great recipes!
Thank you for your review, Judy! I’m glad you were able to add something you liked with it.
I have been making broccoli soup for a long time. But this recipe is DELICIOUS. Using the vitamix makes a big different. Thank you very much for this recipe. We will use this recipe from now on.
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it.