I made some Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup for your soul (and your soul, and your soul, and your soul!) Sorry, having an Oprah moment here.
I feel like I can call this Broccoli Cheddar Soup perfect because I know what un-perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup tastes like. My first attempt at making this creamy, cozy soup was when I was 13 years old. I stood at the stove with my perm, big bangs, glasses and stretchy pants (just painting you a picture here,) rubbed my hands together in anticipation and exclaimed, let’s do this!Â
I don’t remember where the recipe came from but IÂ DOÂ remember that it didn’t even call for milk or cream. (The more likely explanation is that my novice-chef-self glossed over that important part of the ingredient list but I digress.) I boiled my broth, added my broccoli, then dumped in a truckload of cheese. What could go wrong?
Uh, everything.
Instead of morphing into a thick and luxurious soup, the cheese turned into a previously unknown substance, wrapping its stringy tentacles around the broccoli crowns before descending to the bottom of the pot aka its final resting place as an inedible, broccoli-studded orange blob. I’ll never forget it.
Two decades and some change later I stepped back up to the proverbial plate and, after a few tries, achieved the perfect batch of Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Redemption is mine!
The key to perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup is timing and temperature – I’ll show you how. Oh and freshly grated cheese, and milk, not cream. That’s right, heavy cream is not necessary for the most cozy, creamy bowl of Broccoli Cheddar Soup you’ve ever made at home. Pinky swear!
Tips for Making Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Use whatever milk you’ve got on hand but know that I achieved thick and creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup perfection with skim milk. Yes, you heard that right. No heavy cream needed.
- You MUST use freshly grated cheddar cheese to get creamy broccoli cheese soup. Pre-grated cheese is coated in anti-caking agents which means it won’t melt as smoothly.
- When it’s time to add the cheese into the soup, sprinkle it in in batches, stirring until each batch is melted before adding the next batch vs dumping it all in at once. This will ensure there are no clumps in the final soup.
- The temperature you cook Broccoli Cheese Soup at is key to making sure it doesn’t end up grainy or curdled. Medium heat is best for dairy-based soups so it doesn’t boil and curdle.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by melting butter in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat then add grated carrot and chopped shallot. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the carrots are tender, 3-5 minutes.
Sprinkle in gluten free flour (or AP flour if you don’t need to eat GF) then whisk to form a paste and cook for 1 minute.
Next, slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once everything is nice and smooth, add milk. Again, use whatever you’ve got on hand – I like skim milk, or 2% milk for a bit of a richer flavor.
Turn the heat up just slightly to bring the broth to a simmer – NOT BOIL – stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, dice fresh broccoli florets into small, bite-sized pieces.
Add the broccoli to the soup then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the broccoli is tender.
Remove the pot from the heat then add freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese in three batches, stirring until completely smooth before adding the next batch. Let each batch slowly melt before adding the next to make sure there’s no clumping whatsoever.
Now, I happen to like bigger hunks of broccoli bobbing in my Broccoli Cheese Soup but if you like yours a little more smooth, take a potato masher to the soup and mash until you get the texture you like. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. I like TONS of fresh cracked black pepper in my Perfect Broccoli Cheese Soup!
Ladle the Broccoli Cheese Soup into bowls then top with a bit more shredded cheddar cheese and dig in. Like I said…perfect! Thick, creamy – total comfort food – enjoy!
Similar Recipes
- Healthy Cheeseburger Soup
- Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
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Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Description
Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup is hearty, cheesy, comfort food! I'll show you the correct timing and temperature to get the PERFECT outcome.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour blend
- 3 cups gluten-free vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups milk (I used skim)
- 3 cups small-chopped fresh broccoli florets
- 8oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
Directions
- Melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat then add carrots and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until carrots are tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour then whisk to combine and cook while whisking for 1 minute. Slowly stream in chicken broth while whisking constantly to avoid lumps then add milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper then turn heat up to medium-high to bring soup to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium-low then simmer - NOT BOIL - for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add broccoli florets to pot then simmer for 20 more minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Remove pot from heat then add cheese in three batches, stirring until completely smooth before adding the next batch. Mash florets slightly with a potato masher to reach desired texture – this is optional. Taste soup then add salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle into bowls then serve with extra shredded cheese on top.
Notes
- I do not recommend freezing > thawing dairy-based soups such as this one as they have the tendency to break and/or curdle when reheated.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Kristine 06.03.2016
This soup is amazing! So easy it’s become a staple in our house
Stacie 03.14.2016
Delicious recipe! My family ate it up, even my 4 year old loved it! Will definitely be making this one again. Thanks for sharing!
Vickie 02.24.2016
Thank you for this recipe, it got raves from the whole family. We’ll definitely have this over and over!
Graeme Williamson 02.24.2016
Thank you for the awesome recipe. This was the most delicious soup that I have ever had. Wishing now that I had made a double batch.
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[…] Complicated full version:Â https://iowagirleats.com/2014/09/22/perfect-broccoli-cheese-soup/ […]
Mell Ribeiro 09.21.2015
Wondering if this recipe can be made for large party by simply multiplying everything and cooking in a large restaurant size pot. Have you every made a large batch? It sounds so good and I’ve been asked to bring Broccoli Cheese Soup this weekend. Also, will it be okay to use my immersion blender to make it smooth. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Kristin 09.23.2015
Hi Mel! I think you could double the recipe and everything would still turn out great. An immersion blender would work great too!
Jess 08.06.2015
I’ve made this soup several times and it is delicious! I like to chop the broccoli pretty small and I add about 4 carrots chopped small. I do also add garlic and onion powder bc I just cant help it. I add it to EVERYTHING! lol I would like to tell people the key to reheating this soup is to do it very slow. Like 15-20 sec in the microwave then stir and keep on until its hot. It takes longer but it keeps it from separating. I havent tried reheating on the stove but if you do keep it on low and dont rush it! This is the most delicious broccoli and cheese soup and really easy to make!
Kristin 08.06.2015
I’m so glad you love the soup, Jess, and great tip about reheating! I will definitely try that!
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Paul 02.18.2015
I just made this and you are genius! This is about as perfect as it gets. Perfect for winter. The only thing I added was a cooked potato mashed as a thickener.
I’m glad I found your blog. Looking forward to more of your recipes.
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Karen 01.07.2015
Made this tonight–delicious, super simple, and a huge hit with everyone at the table (hard to do!). Thanks for sharing!!
Sarah D. 01.02.2015
I have now made this soup several times. I LOVE IT! It is perfect for so many reasons: real, natural ingredients; quick cooking time; no crockpot. I love my crockpot, but often when I want a soup, I want it REIGHT NOW. You are, by far, my favorite food blogger. I love your recipes and your vibe, and I look forward to reading the blog every singe day. Love, Love, Love!!!
Brit 12.28.2014
Could you use frozen broccoli instead of fresh? How would you suggest doing that….steam the broccoli first or add it in frozen? Thanks.
Kristin 01.03.2015
Hey Brit! I wouldn’t recommend using frozen broccoli in here (I personally don’t like the texture.) If that’s all you can get your hands on though, I’d thaw and drain very well first!
Medda 12.18.2014
Regarding your “use what you have” suggestion for milk, I had heavy cream and low-fat buttermilk. I combined the two and boy, does it taste delicious! Similarly, I substituted yellow onion for the shallot. I look forward to my second attempt with the shallot. It will really make a distinct difference, I think. Thanks for the great recipe!
Elizabeth 11.05.2014
Thank you for this recipe! I made this yesterday and it turned out amazing!
Lauren 11.04.2014
Made this last night and it was delicious!! Thank you for sharing! Any idea the nutritional information on it??
Kristin 11.04.2014
So glad to hear, Lauren! I don’t calculate nutritional information for my recipes, but recommend Livestrong’s Recipe Calculator Tool if you want that info. It’s great and easy to use: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/create/
Jess 10.28.2014
I forgot to say this was very very easy!!!
Jess 10.28.2014
Made this last night and it was delicious! I added garlic powder and onion powder and about a cup more cheese but everything else I kept the same. Hubby loved it too and he isn’t big on broccoli and cheese soup. I added sirachia sauce to my bowl bc I love it! Now when reheating if u can do it on low on the stove. If the microwave is your only option heat in 15 second intervals then stir each time to avoid it separating. I heated a bowl for one minute and it all separated. This was so good and a must try!