Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- PREP 15min
- COOK 35min
- TOTAL 50min
This broccoli cheddar soup is packed with broccoli and is extra cheesy. It is made without flour and butter and gets its thick, creamy base from a potato! When shopping for this soup, look for broccoli sold with long stalks. We chop the stalks up and cook them with the potato. After a quick blend, the stalks and potato turn into a delicious, creamy soup.
You Will Need
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
2 pounds broccoli with stalks
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, omit if sensitive to spice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 medium-to-large potato, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth, veggie broth, or water
1/2 cup cream, optional
2 cups (226g) grated sharp cheddar cheese, 8 ounces
Thinly sliced chives, for serving, optional
Fish sauce, optional
Directions
Slice the florets from the stalks. Set the broccoli stalks aside and cut the florets into small bite-size pieces (watch our video for reference). Throw the florets into a bowl and set them aside for later.
Grab the broccoli stalks, cut about 1 inch from the bottom of each stalk, and discard it. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough outer layer of the stalks, and then slice the stalks into 1/2-inch pieces.
Melt the butter in a large pot like a Dutch oven over medium heat. When it has melted, toss in the onion and garlic cloves. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the onions are soft and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped broccoli stalks, potato, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, Dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for two minutes, then add the bay leaf and four cups of broth or water.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook, at a low simmer, until the broccoli and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in half of the broccoli florets to the soup, cover with a lid, and cook until they turn bright green and are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Adding the florets in this step ensures that our soup stays green.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender. You can also use a blender, but be careful to blend the soup in batches, do not fill more than halfway, and hold the lid down firmly as you blend. Hot liquids can cause steam to build up in the blender, and the top can pop off.
Place the pot back onto the burner and heat over medium heat. Stir in the remaining broccoli florets, cover the pot again, and cook until they turn bright green and are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and cheese. When the cheese melts into the soup, taste it, and then adjust with additional salt and pepper. For a pop of flavor, add a few dashes of fish sauce. Serve with chives scattered on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store leftover broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is an option, but it risks the soup separating. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently. If the soup does separate, a quick blend can restore its smoothness.
- No stalks: If you cannot find broccoli with the stalks/stem still attached, use 2 pounds of broccoli florets.
- Make the soup more green: For an even more vibrant green color, just before you plan to blend the soup, add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves and allow them to wilt into the soup slightly (30 to 45 seconds).
- Fish sauce: This is optional but adds a lovely flavor to sauces and soups like this broccoli cheddar soup. Two to three dashes season the soup nicely. Think of fish sauce as salt on steroids. It doesn’t make the soup taste fishy but makes the flavor pop.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.