Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is the ultimate comfort food. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and is a great recipe to satisfy the entire family, including picky eaters! I love to serve it with some crusty bread on the side for dipping.
For more Delicious and Easy Soup Recipes, be sure to check out my Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup, Green Chile Stew, and Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
This easy and delicious broccoli cheddar soup is perfect for a quick dinner, especially right now during the height of one of my favorite seasons: soup season!
With the cooler temperatures we’ve been having, and even a little snowfall here in Texas, I’ve been making a lot of soup.
This easy broccoli cheddar soup is one I make again and again, and is a favorite with my kids. It’s really quick to whip up and is one of my go-to recipes in a pinch because it’s made with simple ingredients (ones that you probably already have on hand,) takes less than 30 minutes to make on the stove top, and is packed with rich, cheesy goodness.
I love to pair it with some freshly baked Dutch Oven Bread if I have a bit of extra time, or simply some frozen garlic bread or french bread. I also recommend making a double batch of soup so that you have enough for leftovers. We never have any left when I make a single batch; my kids lick their bowls clean!
Ingredients for Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Olive oil – is used for cooking the onions and garlic.
- Onion – one medium chopped yellow onion gives a lot of flavor to the soup.
- Garlic – you will need 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, which adds delicious depth of flavor.
- Chicken broth – I recommend using low sodium chicken broth. You could also use vegetable broth instead.
- Cream – heavy cream will add a lot of rich, creamy flavor to your soup. You could also use half and half for a lighter version.
- Broccoli – I like to use fresh broccoli florets, but you could also use frozen broccoli.
- Spices – a combination of salt, black pepper, and paprika are used to season the soup.
- Cheese – my favorite cheese to use in this broccoli cheese soup recipe is sharp cheddar cheese. For that delicious creamy texture, I recommend shredding your own cheese from a block, as opposed to using the bags of pre-shredded cheese.
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cheddar Broccoli Soup – Step by Step
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about one additional minute.
Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, and broccoli florets. Season the soup with the salt, black pepper, and paprika. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
Use a slotted spoon to remove about half of the broccoli from the pot. Set aside. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup with the remaining broccoli florets. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until melted.
Return the reserved broccoli florets to the pot. Serve your broccoli cheddar soup hot with additional shredded cheddar cheese over the soup, if desired.
Tips and Notes
- Slow Cooker instructions: For crockpot broccoli cheddar soup, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil on the stove top as directed. Transfer to your slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients, except for the cheese. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or high heat for 2-3 hours. Add the cheese about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, stirring well.
- My favorite kind of cheese to use in this Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is sharp cheddar cheese, though it also tastes delicious with mild cheddar cheese. I also recommend shredding your cheese from a large block as it will melt into the soup much better.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. This broccoli cheddar soup is also gluten-free and keto as written, making it a great low carb soup option.
- For a lighter version, use half and half or whole milk in place of the heavy cream.
- Use an immersion blender for a smoother soup. As you’ll see in the recipe instructions, I like to puree about half of the broccoli in the soup for a super creamy and smooth soup, while still leaving a few chunks of broccoli for texture. If you prefer a strictly creamy broccoli soup without any small pieces of broccoli, feel free to puree the whole pot of soup to your liking. You can also use a potato masher or transfer your soup to a blender to puree it if you don’t have an immersion blender.
- Store any leftover broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
More Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about one additional minute.
- Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, and broccoli florets. Season the soup with the salt, black pepper, and paprika. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove about half of the broccoli from the pot. Set aside. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup with the remaining broccoli florets. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until melted.
- Return the reserved broccoli florets to the pot. Serve your broccoli cheddar soup hot with additional shredded cheddar cheese over the soup, if desired.
Notes
- Slow Cooker instructions: For crockpot broccoli cheddar soup, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil on the stove top as directed. Transfer to your slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients, except for the cheese. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or high heat for 2-3 hours. Add the cheese about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, stirring well.
- My favorite kind of cheese to use in this Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is sharp cheddar cheese, though it also tastes delicious with mild cheddar cheese. I also recommend shredding your cheese from a large block as it will melt into the soup much better.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. This broccoli cheddar soup is also gluten-free and keto as written, making it a great low carb soup option.
- For a lighter version, use half and half or whole milk in place of the heavy cream.
- Use an immersion blender for a smoother soup. As you’ll see in the recipe instructions, I like to puree about half of the broccoli in the soup for a super creamy and smooth soup, while still leaving a few chunks of broccoli for texture. If you prefer a strictly creamy broccoli soup without any small pieces of broccoli, feel free to puree the whole pot of soup to your liking. You can also use a potato masher or transfer your soup to a blender to puree it if you don’t have an immersion blender.
- Store any leftover broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
This was SO easy in the slow cooker! Came out perfectly and loved the flavors too!
A good go to for a cold day but I like it all the time!!!