Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is truly the best Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe.  It’s rich and creamy and loaded with broccoli.   Sometimes, I even take it a step further and add ham for added protein.

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

When it’s cold and blustery outside there is nothing like a big bowl of soup to warm your soul.  This low carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one of my favorite recipes during the colder months.  It reminds me of the Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe with it’s rich flavor and it’s loaded with good-for-you broccoli.

{If you love soups, be sure to check out all my quick easy soup recipes.}

It’s a balmy 9 degrees outside right now in northeastern Pennsylvania.   This  easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is always on my meal plan when the forecast calls for snow – along with my Italian Wedding Soup and my Cheeseburger Soup.  Sometimes, I even boost it up a bit by adding cooked ham.  It’s one of my son’s favorite meals.

My family loves broccoli.  Whether it’s steamed, raw, roasted or baked, we just can’t get enough of the green stuff.  Some of our favorite broccoli recipes are Gnocchi and Broccoli in Parmesan Cream Sauce, Chicken and Broccoli Tortellini Casserole and Sicilian Roasted Broccoli (a spin off of my cauliflower recipe).  And, this soup recipe will now be added to the top of the list!

We absolutely love this soup!  It’s definitely the best Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe I’ve made.   It was extremely hearty and filling and chocked full of lots of broccoli.  Serve it with some crusty bread or in a bread bowl and you have a perfect meal.

Tips for Making Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• Use a heavy bottomed pot – this one is my favorite.
• Chop the broccoli into small, uniform pieces so it cooks through faster.
• You don’t have to trim too much of the stems off – the soup is pureed.
• To easily puree the broccoli, I use an immersion blender.  This one is my favorite.
• I usually pull some of the cooked broccoli out of the pot before I puree it so that I have some bigger pieces left in the soup.

Flavor Ideas for Low Carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• I love to add cooked ham to this soup. Simply cut it into bite sized pieces.
• You could also add cooked chicken to the soup.  Add it after you puree the base.
• This soup would also be great if you swapped half of the broccoli for cauliflower.

Looking for More Easy Soup Recipes?

• Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Philly Cheesesteak Soup

{If you love soups, be sure to check out all my quick easy soup recipes.}

Items You Need to Make the Best Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

• Heavy Bottomed Pot
• Immersion Blender
• Cheese Grater

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5 from 1 vote

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

This is the best Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe I've ever tried.  It's rich, flavorful and creamy.  I love that it can be made in less than 30 minutes with only a few simple ingredients. 

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli, cheese, soup

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 607kcal

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Ingredients

• 1 whole onion - diced
• 2 carrots - peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 heads broccoli - cut into florets
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 3 cups cheddar cheese - grated
• 1 teaspoon House Seasoning Blend
• 1 1/2 cups cooked ham - diced (optional)
• Vegetable broth - (optional)

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) over medium heat.
• Add onions and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened.
• Sprinkle flour over top and cook for one minute.
• Pour in milk and half and half; Add nutmeg, broccoli, salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
• Use an immersion blender or standard blender to puree the soup to your liking.
• Stir in ham and cheese, allowing cheese to melt.
• If soup is too thick, add chicken broth to thin it to your liking.

• Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust! 
• When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.  
• I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
• I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat.  This one is my favorite.  
• When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
• The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate.  Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.