Lightened Up Cheese and Broccoli Soup
The BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup, made without any heavy cream, has readers raving: “It’s better than Panera!” “A new family favorite!” and “It was so easy to make and so amazing!!!” As someone who’s tested countless soup recipes, I’ve crafted this version to deliver an unparalleled creamy, cheesy, and flavorful experience that will have you declaring, “EVERYONE loved this soup!”
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups milk (any kind), divided
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (crushed cube, powder, or base)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH ground mustard, paprika, pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 oz. cream cheese, softened (may use 1/3 less fat)
- 1-2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt the butter in the olive oil in a Dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the onions are soft.
- Add Ingredients: Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the chicken broth and 2 cups of milk. Add the chicken bouillon, spices, and broccoli.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring constantly. Once it begins to thicken, simmer for one additional minute, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the broccoli is tender to your liking.
- Puree: Remove half of the soup (more or less to your liking) and the cream cheese to a blender. Puree until smooth, letting smoke escape, or it will explode (I leave the blender cap open and cover it with a paper towel). Pour the pureed soup back into the pot.
- Add Cheese: Stir in the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until mostly melted. Add 1 cup of milk, more or less, to reach your desired consistency and warm through.
Video
Notes
Don't miss the "how to make" recipe video at the top of the post!
Tips and Tricks for Broccoli Cheese Soup
- CONSISTENCY. You can customize the consistency. You can use smaller or larger florets depending on your personal preference and you can puree as little or as much as the soup as you would like depending on if you prefer more of a smooth texture or more whole pieces of broccoli.
- FRESHLY GRATED CHEESE. It is important that you use high quality freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese for your Broccoli CHEESE Soup. Freshly grated cheese not only tastes much better and boasts a stronger flavor but melts much easier than the pre-shredded bagged variety.
- GOAT CHEESE. If you want to get a little decadent for guests or because you just have amazing taste, then trying substituting the cream cheese with garlic and herb goat cheese (from a log). I did this the last time I Broccoli and Cheese Soup and it was heavenly!
- AD-INS. This Broccoli Cheese Soup is a fabulous base for all sorts of add-ins such as ham, potatoes, corn, rice, etc. In other words, use it to clean out your pantry and enjoy one of the best soups of your life - because everything is better with cheese!
- CAN I FREEZE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP? No, I don't recommend freezing this soup because the texture will get grainy due to the dairy.