Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Thick, cheesy broccoli cheddar soup made without flour. Cream cheese and sharp cheddar give it body, and it comes together in one pot in 30 minutes.
- Prep10 min
- Cook22 min
- Total32 min
- Servings6
- Net carbs*7.2 g
- LevelEasy
This is the cozy, cheese-heavy soup people order at bakery cafes, rebuilt without the flour roux. Cream cheese and plenty of sharp cheddar make it thick and glossy, while small broccoli florets stay tender with a little bite. A pinch of paprika adds warmth. It is a great cold-day lunch and reheats beautifully through the week.
Always add the cheddar off the heat, a handful at a time. Cheese that hits a boiling pot tightens up and turns grainy or stringy. Letting the soup cool for a minute, then stirring in each handful until it melts, gives you a smooth, silky texture every time. Shred your own cheese, too, because bagged shreds carry anti-caking starch.
Ingredients
Makes About 7 cups (generous 1 cup per serving). Tap an item to check it off.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Box grater
- Wooden spoon
- Immersion blender (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli, lower the heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the florets are tender but still bright green.
- Stir in the cream cheese until it melts completely, then add the heavy cream, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat for 2 minutes without boiling.
- For a thicker soup, blend about one third of it right in the pot with an immersion blender, leaving most of the florets whole.
- Take the pot off the heat and let it rest 1 minute. Stir in the cheddar a handful at a time, waiting for each to melt before adding more.
- Taste for salt and serve topped with a pinch of cheddar.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 407
- Total carbs
- 9.2 g
- Fiber
- 1.9 g
- Net carbs
- 7.2 g
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 36.1 g
*These are estimates, calculated from the ingredient weights above and USDA FoodData Central data, divided by 6 servings. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber. Values vary with brands, quantities, ingredient swaps and how you portion the dish. How we estimate nutrition.
Kitchen tips
- Peel the thick broccoli stems and dice them small. They taste sweet and add body without extra carbs over the florets.
- A teaspoon of Dijon mustard stirred in with the cream sharpens the cheese flavor without tasting like mustard.
Substitutions
- Chicken broth → vegetable broth Makes the soup vegetarian. Most vegetable broths add 1 to 2 g net carbs per serving.
- Broccoli → cauliflower florets Same weight. Milder flavor and about 1 g fewer net carbs per serving.
- Half the cheddar → Monterey Jack Meltier and milder; slightly lower in carbs.
Swaps change the nutrition estimate shown above.
Storage and reheating
- Fridge
- Airtight container, up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it chills.
- Freezer
- Freezes for up to 2 months, but the texture can turn a little grainy. Whisk well while reheating to bring it back together.
- Reheat
- Warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often and adding a splash of broth if it is too thick. Microwave single bowls 2 minutes, stirring halfway.
Questions cooks ask
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Use a 12-oz bag and cut the simmer to 5 minutes, since it is already blanched.
