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Broccoli cheddar soup served ready to eat.

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Broccoli cheddar soup

Yield
4 servings

A thick, cheesy soup that comes down to one skill: getting cheese to melt into hot soup smoothly instead of turning grainy or stringy. Along the way you build a roux-thickened base, the same method behind many cream soups and cheese sauces, so what you learn here carries over.

Ingredients
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Ingredients

Servings
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Batches and reset

4 servings · US measures · 1 batch

Batching

Cook one batch in each 5- to 6-quart pot; for a larger yield, use a second pot. Blend hot soup in half-full loads whatever the yield. Cooking times and cues do not multiply with ingredient quantities.

Original recipe: 4 servings.

The optional lemon juice, black pepper and any extra salt or half-and-half are excluded from the base nutrition scenario. Low-sodium chicken broth and fine salt are the selected ingredients, so this edition is not vegetarian. Nutrition is incomplete because the edible broccoli mass after trimming is not established.

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Before you start

  • Read through the recipe before heating the pot. Gather the pot, grater, whisk, spoon, blender, towel, thermometer and the measured ingredients.

Directions

Measured soup ingredients surround grated cheddar and chopped vegetables on a light counter.
1

Read and gather

For the whole recipe

Read through the recipe and gather the equipment. Use the ingredient lines to prepare and measure everything. Grate the cheddar first and leave it on the counter so it loses its chill, and set the measured broth and half-and-half next to the stove, because the liquids go in quickly. Everything is prepared and measured before the pot goes on the heat.

Translucent onion and grated carrot soften in melted butter inside a steel pot.
2

Melt the butter and soften the vegetables

For each pot of soup

Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat until it foams. Add the onion, carrot and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and see-through, about 8 minutes. If anything starts to brown, lower the heat.

Minced garlic flecks mingle with softened onion and carrot beside a wooden spoon.
3

Stir in the garlic

For each pot of soup

Stir in the garlic over medium heat until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds.

A wooden spoon leaves a track through vegetables coated in moist pale roux.
4

Sprinkle in the flour for the roux

For each pot of soup

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly over medium heat. Keep stirring until the flour disappears into the butter and the mixture looks pasty, not dry, and smells lightly toasty, not raw, about 2 minutes. This flour and butter paste is the roux that thickens the soup.

Creamy soup coats a lifted spoon while small bubbles gather along the pot edge.
5

Whisk in the liquids and simmer

For each pot of soup

Whisk in about 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth a little at a time, letting each addition turn smooth before adding more. Whisk in about 2 cups half-and-half, 1 tsp dry mustard powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, with small bubbles only at the edges, and stir the bottom often so the dairy does not scorch. Simmer until the base coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

A knife enters a tender broccoli stem above the gently simmering creamy soup.
6

Add the broccoli and simmer

For each pot of soup

Add about 1 1/4 lb broccoli, florets and chopped stem together. Simmer gently over medium-low heat with the lid partly on, stirring the bottom every few minutes, until a paring knife slides easily into the thickest floret stem and the florets are still bright green, about 8 to 10 minutes.

An immersion blender sits submerged in partially blended soup with many whole broccoli florets.
7

Blend part of the soup

For each pot of soup

Blend part of the soup with the burner off. Pulse an immersion blender a few times, keeping the head under the surface, until about a third of the soup is smooth and plenty of florets stay whole. With a countertop blender instead, blend about a third of the soup with the jar no more than half full, the center cap removed and a folded towel over the opening, then stir it back into the pot. About a third of the soup is smooth, with plenty of whole florets.

A small handful of grated cheddar joins smooth broccoli soup in an unheated pot.
8

Stir in the cheddar off the heat

For each pot of soup

Stir in the about 8 oz sharp cheddar once nothing in the pot is bubbling, a handful at a time, letting each handful melt completely before adding the next. If the cheese stops melting, set the pot over the lowest heat for a moment, stirring, then take it off again. The soup is smooth and glossy, with no strings of cheese.

A tasting spoon holds a tender broccoli floret coated in smooth cheddar soup.
9

Taste and adjust

For each pot of soup

Taste a spoonful with a floret. Aim for cheesy, sharp and savory, with fresh broccoli and a faint warmth. If it tastes flat, add fine salt to taste. If it tastes heavy or dull, stir in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, if using. If it is thicker than you like, stir in half-and-half to taste. Season with black pepper to taste. The soup tastes cheesy, sharp and balanced.

Four white bowls hold creamy broccoli cheddar soup finished with scattered black pepper.
10

Ladle and serve

For the whole recipe

Ladle the soup into warm bowls to make 4 servings, and top each bowl with black pepper to taste. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours (one hour above 90°F). To reheat, warm them over low heat, stirring often and never letting the soup boil, until an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 165°F (74°C). The soup is portioned and served.

About this recipe

Research preview: these details come from our sourced research and haven't been reviewed by our chef yet.

Why it works

A butter-and-flour roux thickens the broth and half-and-half evenly. The finely chopped stem simmers with the florets and is tender by the time they are. The cheese goes in off the heat, a handful at a time, so it melts smoothly instead of turning grainy, and a partial blend gives a creamy body that still has whole florets.

Associated with

American home and restaurant cooking

A popular American cafe and home soup. We found no reliable source for when or where it first appeared, so we do not tell an origin story.

Taste

  • Sweet
  • Sour
  • Salty
  • Bitter
  • Savory
  • Heat

Sharp cheddar and a little dry mustard give a savory, tangy cheese flavor., Fresh broccoli and a grated carrot for sweetness, with faint warmth from cayenne and nutmeg. · thick, creamy body, partly blended, with tender bite-size florets · hot

Skill level

Easy

Everyday stovetop steps with clear cues. The one skill to watch is melting the cheese off the heat so it stays smooth.

You'll practice: Make a roux and whisk in liquid gradually, Simmer the florets until a knife slides in, Partly blend hot soup safely, Melt cheese off the heat, a handful at a time

Allergens

Contains: milk, wheat.

Check the broth label; formulations vary. Bottled lemon juice can contain sulfites; check the label.

Diets

Vegetarian: Doesn't fit as written Pescatarian: Doesn't fit as written Vegan: Doesn't fit as written Dairy: See the allergen lines Egg: See the allergen lines Gluten: See the allergen lines

Occasions

  • Lenten abstinence days (Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent) · fits the abstinence rule

    This edition uses chicken broth, which the abstinence rule does not forbid (USCCB), and cheese is permitted. Vegetable broth 1:1 is a supported swap.

    Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday (Easter minus 46 days), Good Friday (Easter minus 2 days) and every Friday of Lent.

    Next: February 10, 2027 (expected)

    Next: February 12, 2027 (expected)

    Next: February 19, 2027 (expected)

    Next: February 26, 2027 (expected)

    Next: March 5, 2027 (expected)

    Next: March 12, 2027 (expected)

    Next: March 19, 2027 (expected)

    Next: March 26, 2027 (expected)

Course: soup-course, main-dish · Technique: sweat, simmer, blend · Time: 30-to-60-minutes, make-ahead

Serving and keeping

Best served: Right after the cheese melts and the final taste In warm bowls, topped with black pepper

Make ahead: Reheat over low heat, stirring, and keep it from boiling so the cheese does not turn grainy.

Storage: Refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90 °F / 32 °C), in shallow containers. Freeze for longer keeping, about 2 to 3 months for best quality; dairy soups can separate after thawing.

Leftovers: The soup thickens as it cools; stir in a splash of broth or half-and-half while reheating.

Food safety

  • Flour is raw until cooked: cook the roux fully, and keep raw flour away from ready-to-eat foods.
  • Blend hot soup in a countertop blender no more than half full, with the center cap out and a folded towel over the opening; an immersion blender stays under the surface.
  • Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat to 165 °F (74 °C).

We make no statement about cross-contact in your kitchen or in packaged ingredients. Check the broth, cheese and butter labels.

Nutrition notes

The broccoli brings fiber and vitamin C; the cheddar and half-and-half bring calcium and protein, along with most of the saturated fat.

Most of the sodium comes from the cheddar. Low-sodium broth, and tasting before adding more salt, keep it in check.

We don't show nutrition claims (like “good source of”) until our legal review is done.

Swap notes

  • low-sodium chicken broth · vegetarian

    Works with changes

    Use: low-sodium vegetable broth, same amount

    What changes: Vegetable broth is sweeter and milder.; Also choose a cheddar made without animal rennet.

    Not a swap: Full-salt broth; with salty cheese it can oversalt the pot.

  • sharp cheddar · vegetarian

    Works with changes

    Use: sharp cheddar labelled vegetarian (microbial or vegetable rennet), same weight

    What changes: No change to taste or texture is expected.

    Not a swap: Very aged, crumbly cheddar or Parmesan as the main cheese; they tend to go grainy or oily in a soup.

  • sharp cheddar · halal.general

    Works with changes

    Use: halal-certified or microbial-rennet sharp cheddar, same weight

    What changes: No change to taste or texture is expected.; Use vegetable broth or a halal-certified chicken broth.

    Not a swap: A cheddar labelled only "enzymes", whose source is unknown.

  • sharp cheddar · vegan

    Not recommended

    Not a swap: Cheddar, half-and-half and butter are the soup; no tested stand-in without dairy is recorded.

  • all-purpose flour · passover.ashkenazi

    Works with changes

    Use: a potato-starch slurry in place of the flour roux

    What changes: Skip the roux and thicken with the slurry at the end.; Leave out the dry mustard, which Ashkenazi custom treats as kitniyot, and add a second pinch of cayenne; the cheese flavor is rounder and softer.; Cheese, dairy, broth and other packaged items still need kosher-for-Passover supervision.

    Not a swap: Cornstarch, which Ashkenazi custom treats as kitniyot.

  • half-and-half · no half-and-half on hand

    Works with changes

    Use: equal parts whole milk and heavy cream, same total volume

    What changes: Close to the original body and richness.

    Not a swap: Skim or low-fat milk; they are thin and more likely to separate once the cheese goes in.

  • low-sodium chicken broth

    Works with changes

    Use: water plus a pinch more salt, or keep the low-sodium broth and taste before salting

    What changes: Water puts the cheese and broccoli more to the front.; Start with less salt and taste before adding more; the cheddar carries most of the sodium.

    Not a swap: Full-salt broth; with salty cheese it can oversalt the pot.

  • broccoli · fresh broccoli unavailable

    Works with changes

    Use: the same weight of frozen broccoli florets

    What changes: Add frozen florets straight from the freezer when the broccoli goes in, and check them sooner.; Expect softer florets.

    Not a swap: Broccoli rabe; its bitterness takes over the cheese.

These notes don't change the amounts, allergens or nutrition shown for this recipe.

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Recipe url
https://isthebestrecipe.com/soups/broccoli-cheddar-soup
Name
Broccoli cheddar soup
Servings
4
Recipe yield
4 servings
Recipe ingredient
4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 whole medium yellow onion finely chopped, 1 whole medium carrot peeled and coarsely grated, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 2 cloves garlic minced, about 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, about 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, about 2 cups half-and-half, 1 tsp dry mustard powder, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp nutmeg freshly grated, about 1 1/4 lb broccoli from one large head, cut into small bite-size florets, the stem peeled and finely chopped, about 8 oz sharp cheddar grated from the block, to taste black pepper freshly ground
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Broccoli cheddar soup