Making a creamy, homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup is easy to do using simple ingredients! Learn how to make the BEST healthy soup without heavy cream and have a delicious dinner on the table in just 35 minutes!
I have never been so excited to share a soup recipe with you all before! Is it because this soup is super cheesy and delicious? Nope, though it is those things! The real reason is because I can actually eat this delicious soup again! It has been a few years since I have made it because it has been years since I could eat my beloved broccoli.
For those of you who know me IRL or have been following my blog (and reading it!), you likely know that I developed IBS and a whole list of food sensitivities to many of my favourite foods- including many of my favourite veggies. Kid me would have been thrilled at the thought of having the excuse to not eat my veggies. But adult me absolutely loves veggies of all kinds (except brussel sprouts- only when they are covered in bacon and other delicious ingredients will I ever dare to put one near my lips).
After a few years of trying to avoid the foods that caused my inflammation (and other symptoms I will spare you the details of), I decided to start testing myself by eating just a teeny bit of some of my old favourites like broccoli. And guess what? Those teeny amounts didn’t affect me. So then I tried a bit more and then a bit more with success. And here I am today, sharing the recipe for a soup I have waited years to make again!
Enough about my small victory, let’s get to this recipe because it is good. So good!
Making a lighter, healthier Broccoli Cheddar Soup
While there is a good amount of cheese in this soup, and some butter and flour too, I dare say that this soup is a healthy version of a favourite. So how is this soup a healthier version than most?
- Firstly, it’s loaded with veggies! This soup is loaded with broccoli (obviously), but I also sneak in some shredded carrot too for extra nutrients (and onion too).
- Secondly, this soup is made without heavy cream. While this soup is creamy, there is no heavy cream in here. Instead I use milk in my soup. The end result is still wonderfully thick and creamy (if you like a thinner soup, you can add more milk to thin it out). Between the roux (flour is sprinkled onto the onions in step 2 of the recipe which helps to thicken the broth) and the cheese which melts and instantly thickens the soup, there is no need for actual cream! Save the calories and use milk instead!
Want an even thicker soup without adding cream?
Puree some of the soup. You can use an immersion blender, regular blender, or even a food processor to blend some of the soup. I personally don’t like pureeing it all as I like to see some broccoli pieces but that’s up to you. Just be sure to let the soup cool a bit if using a traditional blender as blenders and hot liquids could lead to hot soup flying all over your kitchen (and you-yikes)!
Tips for making the best soup
This broccoli cheddar soup is so easy to do and the recipes
- Chop your broccoli into small pieces. Not only does this make it easier to eat the soup, but smaller pieces will also cook quicker!
- Add the milk towards the end of the cooking process. I add the milk after the broccoli is tender and the soup is almost finished. This will prevent it form curdling.
- Add the cheese at the end and remove it from heat. This is done for the same reason that I add the milk at the end. Adding the cheese too early could result in curdling and give your soup a grainy texture. Who wants that?
- Use your favourite cheddar cheese. I don’t know about you, but for me, the best part of this soup is the cheesy flavour! If you love cheddar and want a good cheesy flavour, choose a medium or sharp cheese. The beauty of this is you can choose mild, medium, or sharp cheddar to suit your taste so go with what you like!
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do!
-Cathy
You may also like:
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Shrimp & Corn Chowder
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 3 cups broccoli florets chopped into small pieces (about 2 heads of broccoli)
- 1 carrot shredded
- 2 cups milk
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded + more for serving, if desired
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir, cooking for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, broccoli florets, and carrots simmering until the broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add the cheese and keep mixing until the cheese melts.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with extra shredded cheese, if desired.
Oooh can you make an adaptation of your broccoli cheese soup for the vita mix?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a vitamix. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it went!