Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is rich, creamy, healthy and oh so comforting. Soup is one of my favorite things in the cooler months and my kiddos and I can make a meal out of this one. It’s one of our favorites! It is such a yummy, easy way to get veggies in your kids too!

This is one of my favorites to make a double batch of and then freeze the leftovers for a quick grab last minute meal if needed! Freezer meals are the best! 

Why you’ll love this Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

Simple –From a mom of four, simple is my jam. I love to cook, but I like easy recipes.

Clean Ingredients – One of my favorite things with cooking from scratch is the ingredients, you get to control what goes in. This one is so easy, just real ingredients, no shelf stable processed cheese and made with ingredients that are easy to grab, most of which you probably already have on hand. 

Freezer Stock – Did I mention it freezes great? Being able to freeze meals is one of the best ways to have homemade meals when I don’t feel like cooking, it happens… or just when we are busy and I need real quick, fast. These are some of my favorite reusable freezer containers. 

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What ingredients are needed to make this Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

Butter/Lard – Use the real stuff. Good fats are so good for you.

Onion – Flavor

Garlic – More flavor and amazing for the immune system.

Carrots – This adds a little sweetness and it is an easy way to get more veggies in.

Stock – It has so much more flavor than just water.

Whole Milk – This makes the soup nice and creamy.

Broccoli – You can definitely use fresh broccoli, but I usually always have frozen broccoli stocked so that is what I tend to grab for this. Either way works perfect.

Salt

Pepper

Cumin – This will ramp up your flavor.

Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese – What is Broccoli Cheddar Soup without the cheddar?

Cream Cheese – This just adds a little nice tang and extra creaminess.

Tools you may need for your recipe:

Soup pot/Dutch Oven – This is one of my favorites!

Sharp Knife

Wooden Spoon

Immersion Blender OR Regular Blender – If you are looking for a regular blender, I loved my Ninja. Immersion blenders are so nice though when you need them. I love my KitchenAid blender.

 

How to make Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

Prep your ingredients:

Dice your onion, carrots and mince your garlic. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it will all get blended up in the end but having it cut small will help it cook quicker. If you are using fresh broccoli, have it washed and chopped, if you are using frozen, just make sure you know where the bag is.

Let’s cook:

Melt your butter or lard in your Dutch Oven or soup pot. Sauté your onions and carrots until softened, then add in your garlic. Just sauté the garlic for a second so it doesn’t burn.

Add in your stock and water and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, add in your broccoli, salt, pepper and cumin. Reduce to medium heat and cook until the broccoli is tender.

Let’s make it creamy:

Add in your milk and room temperature cream cheese. Let this cook for about 5 minutes over LOW heat to merry and mingle. Then it is time to bust out the blender.

Blend:

Using an immersion blender you can do this part right over the stove. Just plug it in and blend your soup until it is nice and smooth.

Using a regular blender you will want to let your soup cool for a bit before blending it. You may have to blend it in batches but make SURE that it isn’t too hot or it can explode and scald you from the pressure built up. I like to take off the small cap and cover with a towel, start low and slow to incorporate air and allow the steam to escape. Then just pour back into the pot.

You can blend to your liking. If you like more texture, blend less, if you want it nice and smooth, blend it up.

Cheese please:

Once it is blended to your liking, turn OFF the stove and add in your shredded cheddar. You want the stove off so the cheese doesn’t burn on the bottom. Don’t ask me how I know about this, just trust me. It will melt, so add it in, stir it up and cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then come back and stir again to get it all cheesy and happy.

Enjoy!

I love serving it with my Beer Bread or Homemade Baguettes. If you haven’t tried crackle nuts, you should, they add a nice crunch!

FAQs:

How do I keep the cheese from clumping? 

Add it in slowly, mixing as you go, this will help it melt throughout the soup.

How do you thicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

This soup is a pretty thick texture already but if you like it thicker, you can either add more cheese or you can sprinkle a little flour in when you are cooking your onions and carrots to make a roux.

Why do you avoid cooking the soup after adding in the dairy?

It may end up curdling if you add it in and cook it at too high heat. This is why you want to shut the heat off before adding in all the cheese.

Is it better to cook the soup covered or uncovered?

I will cover the soup to bring the liquids to a boil quicker but then I cook it with the lid off, allowing moisture to evaporate which will help it to thicken.

How to serve Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

Our favorite way to eat this soup is with a baguette to soak up the soup. It’s perfect for cleaning the bowl to get every last drop!

Our crusty Beer Bread is buttery and crunchy and another great option to pair with this soup.

How to store this Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

This soup reheats amazing for leftovers. You can store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or you can freeze it as well leaving headspace in your container to allow it to expand when frozen. When reheating, you may need to add a little broth or water to thin it out if needed. Reheat over LOW heat since the cheese is already in there.

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @naturallychaoticlifestyle!

Thanks for stopping by, see you next time!