AI-generated recipe illustration
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Total time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
Broccoli cheddar soup is the bread-bowl legend, homemade in forty minutes and better than the chain that made it famous — because you'll use twice the broccoli and real sharp cheddar you shredded yourself. The soup is a simple velouté (butter, flour, broth, half-and-half) that turns luxurious when the cheese melts in off the boil. Shredding from the block isn't optional here: bagged cheese is dusted with anti-caking starch that makes cheese soups grainy, and this soup lives and dies by its silk.
Ingredients
How to make broccoli cheddar soup
- Melt the butter in a large pot; cook the onion and grated carrot until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic for the last minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir 1–2 minutes to cook off the raw taste.
- Whisk in the broth gradually, then the half-and-half. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the broccoli, dry mustard, and paprika; simmer 12–15 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
- For a creamier texture, blend a third of the soup and stir it back in (optional).
- Off the heat, stir in the cheddar a handful at a time until melted. Season and serve — bread bowl optional but encouraged.
Make it your own
| Ingredient | Swap | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Half-and-half | Whole milk | Lighter; add 1 extra tbsp flour |
| Sharp cheddar | Half cheddar, half gruyère | The fancy-restaurant version |
| Fresh broccoli | Frozen broccoli (1.5 lbs) | Add frozen; simmer the same 12–15 minutes |
| Dry mustard | 1 tsp Dijon | Whisk in with the broth |
Storage & leftovers
Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat gently over low, stirring — cheese soups break if boiled.
Freezing is possible (2 months) but dairy-cheese soups return slightly grainy; whisk hard while reheating slowly and it mostly recovers.
A few helpful answers
Why is my broccoli cheddar soup grainy?
Pre-shredded cheese or too much heat. Shred from the block and add it off the boil, one handful at a time — the residual heat melts it smooth.
How do I make it as thick as the restaurant version?
Blend a third of the pot and stir it back, or simmer 5 extra minutes before the cheese. The grated carrot also quietly thickens as it dissolves.
Can I make it in the crockpot?
Yes: everything except cheese and half-and-half on LOW 4 hours, then stir both in for the last 30 minutes on LOW.
What do I serve it in — seriously, bread bowls?
A hollowed round sourdough loaf, 10 minutes in a hot oven first so it doesn't sog immediately. Or regular bowls with big croutons; the soup doesn't judge.
440 calories · 20g protein · 22g carbohydrates · 31g fat · 920mg sodium