This Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe features 100% real cheddar cheese! It’s packed with broccoli, carrots, onions, and celery for a rich, flavorful soup that is hearty and thick with every bite. Inspired by bread bowl style soups, this ultimate comfort meal will be a frequent family favorite.

Soup is an essential staple for busy households like ours. Easy to feed a crowd and often forgiving, it’s common to find a pot simmering on my stovetop because soups are always perfect for meal prepping quick lunches. My family members each have our own favorite, with Italian Sausage Kale and Chicken Meatball Soup being perennial top picks.
This Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe brings back fond memories of McCallister’s Deli in college. Their bread bowl soups were the ultimate comfort food for homesick, stressed-out college kids. The broccoli cheddar was such a standout, I was inspired to recreate the flavor for my own family.
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe an instant family favorite. The creamy, cheesy texture is a hit for children and children at heart. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love cheese! My own affinity for French Onion Soup is at least partially linked to the melted cheese topping.
But wait, there’s more! This soup is chock full of nutritious vegetables. Broccoli, carrots, and celery are cleverly disguised under layers of rich flavor. Garlic, butter, and a pinch of nutmeg add unexpected depth. This soup is everything best about an easy dinner that hits the comfort food craving!
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Broccoli: I originally wrote this to include the stems because I actually do like them. However, not many do, so I changed it to florets. I recommend fresh broccoli, but you can substitute frozen in a pinch.
Vegetables: One thing about my soups is that they are often as hearty as a stew. This recipe also has carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes. You could skip any one of them and add more of the rest. I cut all of them in a diced fashion.
Cheddar Cheese: Only all-natural, real sharp cheddar cheese here! No Velveeta or other melting cheeses necessary. I highly recommend buying 1lb block and shredding it yourself. Pre-shredded has binders in it that won’t let the base become as creamy.
Milk: I use 2% generally but any milk is fine.
Chicken Broth: I use low sodium so I can control the salt level, but you can use whatever you prefer.
Garlic: I often use pre-minced garlic or about 2 cloves minced.
Flour/Butter: I use all-purpose flour to make a flour roux with the butter for richness and as a thickener.
Nutmeg: This gives a slightly nutty, warm taste. It’s really optional though if you don’t have it on hand. Paprika can also be used to add color and depth.
***Recipe Tip: You can dice the carrots or buy a bag of shredded carrots and save a ton of time on peeling and dicing.
How to Make Cheddar Broccoli Soup
The full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but this is a visual reference if you need it for how the soup comes together.
- Cook the Veggies. Add onions, carrots, celery to a large pot and cook over medium heat until tender. (photo 1)
- Soften the potatoes. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until potatoes are just tender. (photo 2)
- Thicken the base. In a separate small bowl, blend flour and water together. Add to soup and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Add milk and broccoli florets. and cook until broccoli is cooked through. Don’t overcook – mushy broccoli is terrible. (photo 3-before cooking)
- Melt the cheese. Stir in cheese and allow to melt. The soup needs to be very hot and I usually put it in a handful at a time to melt. Serve hot and enjoy!
***Recipe Tip: The broccoli can be as large or as small as you like. It won’t change the cook time very much. If you would like to puree the soup, I would use a food processor or immersion blender and pulse until the soup is the preferred consistency.
Tips for Making a Great Soup
- If you want to speed up cooking the broccoli, you can steam it in the microwave and toss it in fully cooked.
- To prevent a grainy soup, add the cheese one handful at a time, mixing well between handfuls, and make sure the soup is hot when melting.
- For best results, shred your own cheddar cheese off the block. Not only is it cheaper, it melts SO much better because pre-shredded contains cellulose to keep it from clumping.
- I like to garnish this soup with a sprinkle of black pepper and a little cheddar cheese.
Serving and Storage
What to serve with Broccoli Cheese Soup? I always like a crusty bread with soup to compliment the flavors, but it works wonderfully with a Cesar Salad, Greek Salad, Paninis, Ham Sliders, and Cobb Salad.
Leftovers: Store in a well-sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator. Lasts 3-4 days.
Make Ahead: This vegetable soup recipe is wonderful for meal prep or leftovers. All the vegetables, except the potatoes, can be prep ahead of time and the cooking takes less than 30 minutes.
Looking for More Hearty Soup Recipes? Check These out:
Frequently asked Questions
Yes! However, the dairy can’t be added until last to prevent curdling. I also prefer to add the broccoli florets at the end so they don’t overcook and become mushy. I have the slow cooker and instant pot directions the recipe card below.
Yes, but you will want to make this soup without adding the dairy or cheese, since dairy doesn’t generally freeze well. Just wait and add the dairy when you’re reheating the soup.
Extra soup will last in the refrigerator about 3 days.
This soup recipe is quite thick and smooth as is. It will take up to 10 minutes to thicken and it will thicken even more as it cools. However, you can whisk a bit of cornstarch into cold water or broth until the cornstarch is dissolved. Then stir the slurry into the soup.
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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ½ Cup Onion diced
- 1 Cup Carrots diced (about 2 carrots)
- ½ Cup Celery diced
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 ½ Cups Potatoes Diced, about 2 medium
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 2 tablespoon Water
- ¾ Cup Milk
- 2 Large Heads of Broccoli Florets only
- 3 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded – use a block, not pre-shredded.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, celery and cook over medium heat until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add garlic to pan and cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth and diced potatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until potatoes are tender.
- In a separate small bowl, blend flour and water together. Add to soup and simmer until slightly thickened. Add milk and broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is al dente or just cooked but not mushy.
- While soup is piping hot, stir in cheese one cup at a time. Stir until melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- In a slow cooker add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, potatoes and broccoli stems (not florets). Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.
- In a separate small bowl, mix flour and water together.
- In a soup pot, add the soup and flour mixture along with the milk and broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is cooked through.
- Stir in cheese an allow to melt.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, potatoes and broccoli stems to pot.
- Secure lid and move valve to the sealing position. Set on Manual/Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, mix flour and water together.
- In a soup pot, add the soup and flour mixture along with the milk and broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is cooked through.
- Stir in cheese and keep stirring until melted.
Xclusiveone says
I will absolutely make this again and again! This recipe was a winner in my household, including my super picky husband.
So delicious!!!
Rachel says
So glad that you and your family enjoyed it! It’s always nice to hear good feedback on our family favorites!
Alpha Carinaa says
Thanks for this recipe! It looks yummy and my family will surely love this. And, the instructions on how to cook this delicious soup is easy to follow. Can’t wait to cook this for my loved ones.
Rachel says
Thank you so much! I love this soup so much and it is definitely a family favorite.
Mom says
looks YUMMY!
Rebecca says
So excited because I found this recipe on my pinterest today and I’m going to make it this week!!!! <3!!!
Rachel says
Let me know how it turns out!
Rebecca says
It turn(s) out great! It’s one of my favorite recipes ever
Jess says
This sounds so delicious!! I’ve pinned it!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
Danielle says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Rebeccafaith says
I’m hungry now :[! I pinned this for future use..omg THIS LOOKS AMAZING
meranda@Fairytalesandfitness says
Thank you for linking up with us for Tasty Tuesday! I normally do not like the consistency of creamy broccoli soup but I think I would enjoy it more with the added vegetables! Thanks!
Pam@over50feeling40 says
Sounds so good!! Thanks for sharing on the Thursday Blog Hop!