How do you make broccoli cheese soup from scratch?

Making any soup from scratch can sound daunting, but making broccoli cheddar soup is actually a pretty simple, straight-forward process! You'll saute veggies in butter, add some flour, and then broth. Simmer until the veggies are tender, then stir in heavy cream and sharp cheddar. How easy is that?

How do you thicken broccoli cheese soup?

The combination of butter and flour in this recipe is what makes it so thick and creamy! Melted butter mixed with flour is called a roux. This is the base that is used to thicken numerous soups and sauces in cooking. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSome recipes require you to remove the sauteed veggies and then create the roux. But after testing the recipe both ways, I found that it made no difference in the end product if I added the roux ingredients right in with the veggies.

Easy Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Name: Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 cup sliced carrot; 1 cup sliced celery; 6 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; pinch cayenne pepper; 1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite size pieces; 6 tablespoons flour; 4 cups vegetable broth; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar; 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper

Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

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5 from 27 reviews

This Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup comes together in 30 minutes with all REAL ingredients (no Velveeta!) which makes it a simple weeknight dinner that your family will love and you'll feel good about feeding them! And I'm not even exaggerating when I say - this broccoli cheddar soup is BETTER than Panera’s!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Soup
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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6 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup sliced carrot
1 cup sliced celery
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground mustard
pinch cayenne pepper
1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
6 tablespoons flour
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper

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Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add onion, carrot, celery, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter, garlic, ground mustard, cayenne, broccoli, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.
Add flour and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
Add vegetable broth along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Bring a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until broccoli and carrots are cooked through and tender.
Remove from heat and stir in cream, shredded cheese, and vinegar until cheese melts.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

large heavy bottom pot

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Notes

Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with cellulose to help the shreds not stick together. This also means that it won't melt as well. I've often found that buying cheese in blocks is cheaper than pre-shredded too!

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 298
Sugar: 4.3 g
Sodium: 505.5 mg
Fat: 22.6 g
Saturated Fat: 13.4 g
Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
Fiber: 2.8 g
Protein: 9.8 g
Cholesterol: 63.7 mg