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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love My Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
- My Top Recipe Tips
- Ways To Thicken The Soup
- Recipe Variations
- Storage Instructions
- More Creamy Soup Recipes
- My Tools For This Recipe
- Broccoli Cheese Soup (5 Ingredients!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
I’ve been making this easy broccoli cheese soup recipe since 2016. It was one of the first recipes I developed! And it’s more than just a staple at our house — it’s gone from my kids eating it pureed as toddlers to enjoying it now in school — but has also been one of my most popular soup recipes with readers. You’ll even find it in my first cookbook!
After making it dozens of times, I still keep coming back to this broccoli cheese soup again and again (and again), because it’s just so simple. There’s no long list of ingredients. There are no added thickeners. And did I mention easy? Yes. Yes, I did.
Why You’ll Love My Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- All the right flavors and textures – The thick, creamy, cheesy base. The tender broccoli. Oh my goodness, these are my weakness. It’s just comfort food in a bowl… and it reminds me of the one I love from Panera!
- Thick and creamy without any thickeners – You don’t need to fuss with a roux. The broccoli and cheese are here to thicken! This also makes it naturally low carb and gluten-free. (And this happens to be a keto broccoli cheese soup, too, but is just as delicious if none of that matters to you. I get it.)
- 5 simple, clean ingredients – I’m a big fan of creating recipes that only need a handful of ingredients, and this broccoli cheese soup recipe is just that! These are common staples I always have in my fridge.
- Super fast – I can whip this up in 20 minutes, so it’s a lifesaver for busy weeknights!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for homemade broccoli cheese soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Broccoli – This is the obvious ingredient in all broccoli cheese soup recipes, though I’ve made a cheesy cauliflower soup using similar ingredients as well. I prefer the texture of mainly florets, but broccoli stems or even broccolini work just fine. Use fresh broccoli for the best texture (chop it into bite-size pieces), though frozen works, too. Frozen broccoli is usually pre-blanched, so it might cook a little quicker once it thaws in the soup (go ahead and toss it in frozen!).
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor, but you can use the kind in a jar for convenience. I’m all for shortcuts! I didn’t list oil or butter in the ingredients because everyone has it, but you may want to add some when sauteing the garlic. (Okay, I admit, it’s also because I created this recipe a long time ago and didn’t have the experience I have now with writing recipes — but I’m keeping it the same since this is such an OG Wholesome Yum recipe.)
- Cream – I use heavy whipping cream because it gives the richest taste and makes the thickest broccoli and cheese soup, since it reduces well when you simmer it. But you can also use half and half or even milk — the result will just be a bit thinner, and you’ll have to watch the heat to avoid curdling.
- Broth – I prefer the flavor of my homemade chicken broth when I have it on hand, but you can also use reduced sodium store-bought (I’ve used this one many times) or bone broth (for extra nutrition), chicken stock, or vegetable broth (to keep it vegetarian). Whatever kind you use, I recommend a reduced-sodium broth, because otherwise the soup turns out too salty — and this is coming from a person who loves salt!
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – I prefer sharp cheddar cheese, but technically other cheeses that melt well also work. The recipe works best with pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag, because those are less prone to clumping. No flour, starches, or artificial thickeners are necessary — which I am just so pleased with, in case you can’t tell yet. 😉
To be fair, this makes a very basic broccoli soup recipe. The ingredients and flavors are not complex. This is intentional! I wanted to keep it simple so that it’s very accessible to just about anyone. If you want to change it up, see my tips below on what you can add.
How To Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Saute Garlic
Cook it in a large pot or my favorite Dutch oven, until fragrant. I typically add a little oil or butter here as needed.
Add Broth, Cream, And Broccoli
Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and chopped broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli is tender. This part starts to smell so good!
Make It Thick & Cheesy
Now you have a decision to make! Do you like your broccoli soup super smooth or with chunks of broccoli? You actually have 3 options here to finish it off. I’ve made it all 3 ways, but love the combination version the most!
- Pieces – Leave all the broccoli florets whole. To do this, add the shredded cheddar cheese gradually, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until melted. This will help thicken the broccoli cheese soup. (See tips below to avoid clumping.)
- Pureed – Pureeing is an excellent way to get a thicker soup, because the broccoli thickens it. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, or use an immersion blender (I have this one).
- Combination (recommended) – Puree the soup, but reserve 1/3 as florets. Thank you to a reader for suggesting this — it’s the best of both worlds and the only way I make it now! To do this, remove about 1/3 of the florets using a slotted spoon, blend using an immersion blender, then return the florets to the pot. (You can also adjust how much of the broccoli you want to puree — the more broccoli you puree, the thicker your broccoli soup will be.)
My Top Recipe Tips
Stay with me here! I promise this is an easy broccoli cheese soup recipe. But because I’ve gathered a lot of feedback from readers over the years and made it so many times, I’ve compiled this list of tips to avoid clumping and get the proper thickness:
- Keep the heat low when adding the cheese. This is super important! If it’s too hot, the cheese can seize and clump.
- Cut the broccoli florets small. First of all, smaller florets = faster simmer time. Second, the cheese tends to stick to larger pieces more. And finally, it’s easier to eat with smaller pieces!
- Use pre-shredded cheese OR add a de-clumping agent. This recipe for broccoli cheese soup works best with pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag. If you shred a block of cheese yourself, or if your shredded cheese already seems clumpy to begin with, toss it with a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder (my go-to cornstarch substitute), before adding to the soup.
- Add cheese a little at a time and stir constantly. If you dump it in at once, it will clump more. Don’t forget to stir, stir, stir!
Ways To Thicken The Soup
The cheese thickens this broccoli cheese soup well enough for me, but I know that some people like a really, really thick broccoli cheddar soup. Here are some options I tested for you:
- Add more cheese – The more cheese you add, the thicker your broccoli and cheese soup will be! This is the easiest option, but keep in mind it still won’t be as thick as using an actual thickener.
- Add cream cheese – Melt in some cream cheese (in small chunks) to help it thicken.
- Puree it – Blending the soup partially is my preferred method. See above!
- Use a thickener – Arrowroot powder or cornstarch are the best options if you want to go this route. Tossing the shredded cheese in one of these before adding to the soup will help it melt better and thicken better. If you need a low carb option, whisk 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum with some water (or broth from the soup), then whisk the mixture into the soup at the end.
- Simmer it – You’ll notice this broccoli and cheese soup recipe contains heavy cream, which reduces when you simmer it enough. (This is also the way I thicken Alfredo sauce!) So, sometimes all the soup needs is to simmer for longer.
Recipe Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic process, it’s so easy to customize this easy broccoli cheese soup recipe. Try adding:
- Your favorite spices – My fave is Italian seasoning! Some fresh cracked black pepper is also delicious.
- Other veggies – Saute onions (yellow onion works well) together with the garlic, or add cauliflower, carrots, or bell peppers later on (see tips below). Like my healthy vegetable soup, you can add just about any veggie you like. One of my personal favorites to add is sun-dried tomatoes.
- Proteins – Make it a complete meal with some shredded chicken or ground sausage. Cooked bacon is also a popular option!
Tips For Making Additions:
- Go easy on anything that has added salt, like bacon. This broccoli cheese soup is already salty to begin with, due to the cheese and broth.
- Add any other ingredients after the cheese melts first. Otherwise, the cheese might stick to the add-ins and have issues melting.
- If your other add-ins need to cook, temporarily remove them with a slotted spoon once they are cooked, melt in the cheese, and then return them to the pot.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Broccoli cheese soup stores well. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I love making this ahead for the week, because it tastes just as good for days! I often enjoy it for lunch with a Caprese salad, or a Big Mac salad when I want something more hearty.
- Reheat: Warm up the soup on the stove top over low heat, or in the microwave on medium to low power. Sometimes it separates a bit after a while, but usually comes back together after you reheat while stirring frequently. If that doesn’t help, you can also puree it in a blender to bring it back together.
- Freeze: I often have individual portions of this soup stashed in my freezer for lunch. Simply let it cool to room temperature, then freeze flat in freezer bags or in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
More Creamy Soup Recipes
Love creamy soups as much as I do? Here are some of my other go-to types:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Dutch Oven – This is my fave because it maintains even heat and looks pretty going straight to the dinner table. You can also use a large pot.
- Immersion Blender – For pureeing the soup, if you choose to do that.
- Soup Bowls – Shown in my video below.
Broccoli Cheese Soup (5 Ingredients!)
This easy broccoli cheese soup recipe is rich, creamy, and so simple. You need just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to make it!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, saute garlic for one minute, until fragrant. (You can add a little oil as needed.)
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Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and chopped broccoli. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Option 1 (original recipe):
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Add the shredded cheddar cheese gradually, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until melted. (Add 1/2 cup (64 g), simmer and stir until it melts fully, then repeat 1/2 cup (64 g) at a time until all the cheese is used up.) Make sure to keep it at a very low simmer and avoid high heat, to prevent seizing. Remove from heat immediately once all the cheese melts.
Option 2 (recommended):
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Use a slotted spoon to remove about 1/3 of the broccoli pieces and set aside. (This step is optional, if you want some pieces in your soup at the end. If you want all of the soup pureed, you can leave them in.)
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Use an immersion blender to puree the remaining broccoli.
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Reduce heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until melted. Puree again to make it smooth.
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Remove from heat. Add the reserved broccoli florets back to the soup.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
IMPORTANT: See my tips in the post above for best results when melting the cheese!
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
875 Comments
Esther Leng
0I am interested in making this recipe, but I only have a regular blender. Would it still be doable?
Thank you for sharing!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Esther, Yes, that will work.
Elaine McLean
0My husband and I really liked this soup. Made it in an iron pot and took it off the heat completely to add the cheese. I imagined the soup would be thick with gluggy cheese in it, but no – quite the opposite. Not gluggy at all, the cheese melted in beautifully. Will definitely make again.
SJ
0Just finished eating this delicious soup. Of course I made it first!!
I added about 30g of Parmesan cheese with a good quality old cheddar. I also added paprika, dry mustard and a bit of cayenne pepper. I used milk with heavy cream. The more broccoli the better.
A fantastic recipe.
Oh, to the person who used pre shredded cheese, it doesn’t melt!!
Angie
0This was delicious! So easy to make!
patty
0Just made this brocolli and cheddar soup, it is delicious and perfect for this cool rainy day!!
Ruthie
0This is absolutely delicious! My husband and I both loved it!
Vanessa Rauguth
0I made this exactly as written with the option 2 instructions and this was so creamy smooth and delicious. The cheese would have been a bit grainy if I didn’t blend it again. Thank you for a fabulous recipe.
J
0I’ve been on a keto diet for a week now and was looking for recipes to jazz things up a bit. This seemed promising and easy. Unfortunately it turned out disappointing.
The recipe doesn’t say immersion blender is required but I think that should be specified. It’s a tool that may not be readily available in everybody’s kitchen and we can’t recover our ruined meal now without it. We used Sargento pre-shredded off-the-block sharp cheddar. The cheese never blended into the broth. I can’t imagine how it ever would have without using the blender. First time I’ve come across this on a recipe. Did we use the wrong cheese or something?? Unfortunately I can’t recommend it at this point. Will look for others.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, The recipe and instructions include immersion blender multiple times. If you don’t have one you could also use a traditional blender.
Lawrence
0I suspect one could use cauliflower instead of broccoli. Have you tried that yet?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lawrence, Here is a recipe for cauliflower cheese soup.
Nickey
0Loved this! It made this today and it was excellent.
Linda Sprouse
0Hi Maya! My family and friends just loved your broccoli and cheese soup! I highly recommend it! The immersion blender was such a help.
Miranda
0I was surprised at how much flavor this had for only using 5 ingredients and no seasonings! I had some leftover broccoli in the fridge that I had already steamed – I used it instead of cooking raw broccoli in the broth. I just used a meat masher to chop it up and put it into the broth/cream and brought it to a boil then reduced heat and added cheese. It was super fast and very tasty! I will make again.
Mikayla
0This was so good! Me and my family loved it. 10/10 would recommend you make this only if you like broccoli though.
Kimberly Szalay-Mowery
0My absolute favorite soup! I top it off with everything bagel seasoning and im in heaven.
Beatrice
0Made this since I had leftover fresh broccoli. Very easy. I had most of recipe on hand except the proper cheese and heavy cream. Made a cup of heavy cream with whole milk and butter and used a Mexican blend of finely shredded cheese. Other than that it is good. Thank you for this!
Kristen
0This was delicious as is. I didn’t add any spices or anything. I puréed it all because that’s how my kids like it and I made it together with canned biscuits with some added seasonings to the top of the biscuits to dip in(for everyone else who isn’t on Keto of course) and this was literally delicious!
Scott
0This is a decent recipe. It doesn’t make very much and it’s not terribly filling, so if you’re making it for an entree, you may want to double it – I ate three bowls for dinner. It would be great as an accompaniment to a meal, tho. I added an extra cup or so of cheese and about a tablespoon and a half of Worcestershire. I think the Worcestershire probably added a bit of umami. Used pre-shredded cheese and had no issues with clumping. Went the immersion blender route and it worked well.
Kerry
0Made this as written (with frozen broccoli), blending about 1/2 and adding it back in. Added a dash of salt & pepper, but no other spices. Stirred in the grated cheese as directed and it melted beautifully. I added about 1.5 cups of cooked ground bison for some protein. My husband kept saying “Mmmm. This is sooo good!”. He even wanted seconds! Definitely adding this to our regular rotation (that is full of Maya’s other recipes!). 🙂
Mary
0Can you cook in crock pot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mary, That should work for you!
Annie
0Easy to follow. Simple and delicious!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mary, Yes, that would work for this recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mary, Yes, that should work for you.
Maria
0Yum! Immersion blender seemed essential. I ended up using a whole 2lb bag of broccoli florets without changing the volumes of liquid or cheese and it worked great. I threw in 1/2 tsp of adobo for extra flavor.
Jeanne
0Can I use frozen broccoli florets?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jeanne, Yes, that would work.
Mary
0I tried your broccoli and cheese soup and it was delicious. I am confused about something. The Big Mans World has a very similar soup. If anything it should have more calories yet the potion size is 1.5 cups with calories at 195?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mary, Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. If you have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Karen
0Took your advice on variations and made this with mozzarella cheese, Italian seasonings, & a dash of red pepper flakes. Easy and it came out perfect!
Debbie
0Loved this soup and it was so easy to make! Will make it again soon, hubby loved it as well.
Julie Carter
0Omg very simple and very delicious. Thank you for sharing great low carb recipes. I will recommend and look forward to more of your delicious recipes in the future.
Jennifer
0I had an issue with the cheese. I put it om the lowest setting and did 1/2 cup at a time. It is still separate from the broth and settles to the bottom. What could I have done to prevent this? The family was very excited for this, but it fell flat.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jennifer, Sorry this recipe didn’t meet your expectations. Did you use the immersion blender to combine the broth and cheese after adding the cheese?
Nora
0Great recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Rae Ann Johnson
0Made this soup and it was a great flavor but not thick. One serving wasn’t enough.
Theresa
0I’ve had bariatric surgery I’m 1 year out and still struggle finding good low carb dishes that are easy to make since I am also very busy with being a pediatric nurse ..a fiance and pets to tend too and I missed broccoli cheddar soup so much thought I would never enjoy it again this was so easy to make and tasted so good. I added few extra seasonings along with the Italian season salt less and little bit of gouda cheese of course was soo good thank you so much.
Susan
0Everyone in my family liked this and I liked that it was so easy. The only issue I had was that it did not get quite as thick as I would’ve liked even pureed a bit of the broccoli and added extra cheese.
Kimberly Szalay-Mowery
0I added 1/4 tsp of xanthum gum and it thickened up nice.
Paula
0Super easy to make and so delicious!
kim
0I made this Broccoli Cheese soup last night and it came out green. Looked more like Pea Soup. Could that be because I used frozen broccoli?
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Kim, Yes, frozen broccoli is probably the reason that happened.
Lisa
0Enjoyed this recipe very much will make it again
Angie
0I have made this recipe at least 5 times and made some changes each time, but it always turns out GREAT!
Lynda
0I make soups for a restaurant I work in and this Broccoli cheese soup is in the regular rotation. People constantly rave about the taste and can’t believe it when I tell them it is keto.
David Radlett
0Mrs R and I both love this really wholesome and tasty soup. I appreciate the fact that, as the cook in this household (loosely defined) due to Sue’s disability, it is really eassy to follow the instructions for a good result. Thanks for sharing.
Denice
0Very easy and quick to make, is delicious! I will be making this again.
Suzi N
0Just made this and it’s fantastic! I added half an onion when sauting the garlic and also added some ground mustard and smoked Paprika. I also did option 2 and used my immersion blender on all the broccoli. Perfect!
Lannette
0This was really easy to make and it tastes great!
Susan Childers
0I made this for myself today. I didn’t have enough sharp cheddar, and had to supplement it with some mozzarella. Because of that, I added a little nutritional yeast that I had on hand to hopefully give it a sharper flavor. I don’t know if that helped or not, but the soup was AWESOME!! First really cold day of Autumn, and I welcomed it in with a yummy bowl of creamy broccoli cheddar soup! I’m diabetic, and this was a GREAT meal for my blood sugar! Once again, a great recipe from Maya!
Shanea Wilson
0Made this for supper today, I added chopped onion and a tablespoon of butter with the garlic on the first step, (I minced fresh garlic for the first time and it was so good) and then I fried a little bacon and crumbled on top of the bowls as I served it with a little extra shredded cheddar, it was absolutely delicious. AND I had enough leftover for lunch tomorrow, total win-win!!!!
Marissa
0Can this be made with a non dairy milk?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Marissa, Yes, you could, but it won’t be as thick as heavy cream.
Melissa
0Great soup – I whipped it up in about 20 mins and everyone loved it!
Erin
0Yum! You’d never guess this is low-carb. So good!
Denise
0This came out even better than expected and was so quick and easy to make. It may be one of my favorites now 😁
Eunice
0Thanks for the recipe!! I love the taste of smooth and creamy. There’s one thing I will eliminate the next time I make it, is the second step of pureeing because the soup was the perfect thickness after adding the broccoli. For the most part the soup is great!
SC
0How long will it keep?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, In the fridge for about 5 days.
AN
0I am new to Keto & I just made this! It is really delicious! This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!!!
Laurie
0I made this and followed option 2 (removing about 1/3 broccoli florets and then blended soup using an immersion blender). It was absolutely perfect! The flavor is to die for! The only caveat is that it did not make as many servings as the recipe stated. I then made a double batch of it the next day, literally doubling all ingredients but the flavor wasn’t as robust or something seemed off, AND it was not as thick as the first batch; added a bit of cream cheese and simmered longer and this did help, but it took a while to figure out how to make it better. It turned out good, but in future I won’t double it in the same pot. Love it otherwise!
nascar4433
0Did you end up making it twice to achieve the quality you wanted? I’m making creamy broccoli cheddar soup tmrw in preparation for multiple dental extractions where I won’t be able to chew for quite a while, but I wanted to make a larger batch. Would appreciate knowing if anyone has successfully doubled the recipe or if I need to allot time to make 2 batches. It sounds really good! Thanks.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, You can change the serving size on the recipe card to double the ingredients if you want to make a double batch.
Nena
0I made this recipe and everyone loved it. I also made it and added cauliflower it was also very good.
Frederica
0This soup was good! Enjoyed the flavor of the broccoli and cheese.
Kari
0OMG………….totally easy and a huge hit with the family. I did add garlic powder, onion powder and a bit of nutmeg. Making this again soon.