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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
Lynn
0Excellent Soup! So easy to make! My family loved it and they aren’t even on Keto! This will definitely go on the “Favorite” rotation!
Thanks Maya!
Ryan
0Awesome flavor and I added some diced leftover bacon !!!
Karen Wood
0Love your recipes!! Ingredients are easily accessible, flavors are spot on and you provide great tips!! Thank you!!
Jaimie
0I made it last night – it was PERFECT!! I didn’t have any clumping of the cheese or anything! Thank you!!!
Nancy
0I just made this soup and It’s delicious. I added small amount of bone broth to blender along with the broccoli stems and half of the heads along with the cheese and pureed this. Then added this to soup mix and NO CLUMPS of cheese . Thanks for all of the tips.
LadyG
0I find your recipes so easy and very tasty! Really like trying them!
Patricia
0Can this be made in my instantpot
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Patricia, I haven’t tried that, but I’m sure you can. You’d follow the recipe similar to the slow cooker instructions, which are a free email subscriber exclusive – the form to sign up is above.
Estelle
0This is a tip for those who have trouble with the cheese clumping. Add a couple of teaspoons of sodium citrate (NaCHO, sour salt) to the cream and broth before adding the cheese. Sodium citrate is an emulsifier and will stop the cheese from clumping. It works especially well for making a sauce/soup with a hard, aged cheese. This is what makes Velvetta processed cheese such a good melting cheese. Sodium citrate is available online for culinary purposes.
Katherine
0I LOVE how few ingredients there are in this!! Broccoli cheese soup is one of my go-to ways to get the kids to eat their veggies 😉
Lisa
0I just made this for dinner and omg this is awesome stuff! Even my dad who is not on Keto loved it!
Paleoglutenfreeguy
0OMG, this is a big bowl of comfort! So great!
ChihYu
0I love soup! Thank you for this recipe that makes comfort food low-carb!
Jean
0Taking me back to my childhood. So comforting and delicious!
Toriana
0Can you use frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh, and if so should I simply let the broccoli florets thaw out overnight or cook it by way of boiling beforehand? Or would It be okay to cook it ( in its frozen state) in the pot with the other ingredients? Thanks in advance for your reply!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Toriana, Yes, you can make this broccoli cheese soup with frozen broccoli. You don’t have to thaw them, just add them to the soup frozen. They will thaw and warm as it cooks.
Sandra Bodnar
0I used frozen and it worked out just fine. I didn’t thaw it out first either.
Meri Kieffer
0I have made this recipe twice wanting each time for it to turn out perfect but BOTH times my cheese has clumped terribly. I actually threw it away the first time because I know of nothing to do to eliminate the clumps of cheese. In trying it a second time I was certain that if I took extra time and even watched the video that it would turn out, but IT DID NOT. I don’t know what else I can do to make sure it doesn’t clump. I await your quick reply as I do follow you and so many of your recipes sound tempting and delicious. I make a lot of soups as it’s a preferred dinner item for my husband. He has trouble chewing meats so I almost always have home made soup on hand. Thank you.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Meri, I am so sorry to hear you had issues with clumping. Try these tips and see if that helps:
1.Make sure the temperature is not too hot. This is super important! The heat should be very low when adding the cheese. If it’s too hot, the cheese can seize and clump.
2. The broccoli florets should be small. The cheese tends to stick to larger pieces more.
3. Use pre-shredded cheese OR add a de-clumping agent. The recipe 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 arrowroot powder or cornstarch first, before adding to the soup.
3. Add only a little cheese at a time. If you dump all the cheese in at once, it will clump more.
4. Stir, stir, stir! Keep stirring as you add the cheese.
6. Backup plan #1: Puree it! If all else fails, just throw the soup in a blender (or use an immersion blender).
7. Backup plan #2: Remove the broccoli first! Thank you to a reader for suggesting this. If you’d like, you can scoop out the broccoli florets before adding the cheese and set them aside. A large slotted spoon works best for this. Melt in the cheese, then add the broccoli back in afterward.
Cherie Hobday
0How many serves per recipe
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cherie, The number of servings is on the recipe card above.
Elizabeth Courville
0Very easy to make and oh, so delicious. I used my immersion blender after the broccoli was cooked so I had a creamy texture.
Patricia L Stevenson
0I have made it several times now. It is a family favorite for sure!
Donna M
0I just made this today! Easy and delicious. The only alteration I made was that I roasted the broccoli in the oven with a dusting of olive oil for about 15-20 mins at 390— I like the caramelized flavor. Thanks so much for your recipes– by far my favorite site to go to for recipes!
Kay Ross
0Woknderful Soup and so easy. No problems with this recipe. I will make it often.
JOANN
0Added more cheese for a thicker soup – tastes great!
Darla
0This soup was amazing and so easy to make. I used Velveeta shreds instead of cheddar because it melts better. My family said “that’s a keeper!”
Gwen Mays
0So simple and delicious!! I added in a half cup of shredded pepper jack cheese at the end. It was the best Broccoli Cheddar soup I’ve ever had. Also added in shredded carrots and chopped onion with the garlic.
Jessica
0This was such a delicious soup! I followed the basic recipe with success. I hope I’m not being redundant or have overlooked the answer anywhere. Could you share the best way of freezing and thawing this soup?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jessica, I added this to the post above. Thanks for asking!
Toni
0Best soup I’ve ever made (& tasted) I blitzed it with a stick blender so thick & smooth. Gorgeous XX
Ronni
0I made this soup and my cheese stuck to my broccoli and made it very chewy :(. I followed all the instructions but I don’t know What did I do wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ronni, I have a ton of tips on this in the post above.
Marissa
0Hi Maya
I just came across your recipe here is South Africa & I am making it tonight already went out to buy all the ingredients. I am adding crispy bacon on top ( not to much because of the saltiness of it as you have mentioned )
However in SA we don’t get broth, its called stock that comes in a little tub and you then mix it with water and add it in. So I took the vegetable one to mix in 🙂
I am so excited to try this!
Peyton
0I’m trying this tonight! Can not wait!
I couldn’t find the measurements for the ingredients though. Could you tell me where to find them?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Peyton, The measurements are on the recipe card above. If you have an Apple device, make sure Safari reading mode is turned off, which seems to break the ingredients list.
LuluVegan731
0Hi, I can’t have dairy right now but this soup looks so so yummy. Can I substitute the heavy cream for coconut cream and use vegan cheese?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I haven’t tried that, but it might work. Let me know how it goes for you if you do that.
James Roberts
0I made this today and paid attention to all of the comments. I cooked everything then removed the broccoli and blended half of it. I added the cheese at low temp, a little at a time and it melted easily. I used finely shredded cheese from the bag. Added back the broccoli and it was as thick as I hoped it would be. I used low sodium broth and it did not seem salty. Could use some herbs and spices to make the flavor pop, but I don’t know which ones. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Jeanette Fletcher
0This was very good just by the recipe. I then added turmeric and onion powder and even better. No extra salt needed.
Ann
0Made this tonight. AMAZING!
I thickened with coconut flour and I used 8 cups of shredded cheese and added bacon bits when serving.
Love love love!
JoAnn
0Easy and good!
Chrissy
0I made this recipe exactly but it only yielded 5 and a half cups. Did I do something wrong? Tastes great but just didn’t make as much as I thought it would
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Chrissy, I’m not sure what happened here. Perhaps the measurements for broccoli or cheese were lower than the recipe called for?
Beverly. Thompson
0Can I do this in slow cooker?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beverly, Yes, the slow cooker version is a free subscriber exclusive in the members area – you can use the form at the top of the post to sign up.
Jelka
0Hi Maya,
The recipe is so easy to follow and to make my own. I just added some sriracha sauce to spice it up a bit. I took your suggestion and used the bone broth that I happen to have cooking on the back burner. However, I found the bone broth to be too powerful and the soup took on too much of a broth flavour. I could fix that for myself easily with more sriracha but that did work for my husband who doesn’t like hot spice foods. 🙁 I would add some water to the broth to water it down next time.
Thank you for the easy recipe. 🙂
Jill
0Not sure how this recipe has so many 5 stars. I was concerned when I noticed the recipe has cheese added last but assumed with so many stars the cheese would blend well. I even read the tips in the text but adding the cheese last was a complete nightmare. Cheese stuck to the spoon and all over the bottom of the pan. What a mess to clean!
Denise Duquette
0This recipe calls for heavy cream! Is it the same as whipping cream? What percentage of fat is heavy cream? Will 18% of cream acceptable?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, Yes, that’s the same thing. Typically heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) is 36%, but since this is soup and you are not whipping it, it’s not a big deal if you get one that is a lower percentage.
Jim
0I really liked the flavor but when I saw the finished product I immediately doubled the amount of broccoli. Just not enough for me. I see reading the reviews the idea of adding bacon and probably will next time. Overall, though, thank you for a simple, tasty recipe. Thumbs up!
Charla M.
0I typically make the recipe as written the first time but I decided to add some diced onion and jalapeño I had on hand, I added them with the garlic. This soup was fantastic! I also added a bit more cheese (1/2 cup) and will probably add a bit more next time. Thanks so much!!
Christiane
0Delicious, perfect for this cold day in Canada!
Victoria Wojciechowski
0I just made this simple broccoli soup and it is delicious! I blended the soup to make it smoother and then added some cooked turkey. Our 17 year old who doesn’t like broccoli loved it! This will become a regular in our house. Thanks for another great recipe!
Marjie
0Quick, easy and delicious! I sautéed the garlic in butter, added a few drops of Tabasco and some salt & fresh ground pepper!
Rosa
0I made it for the first yesterday for work and everyone loved it! It was easy, quick and delicious! I will be making it again!
Karen
0Made this yesterday. Thin so did the suggested blending to thicken. This soup needs some love as it has a bland taste – I set it aside after half of a bowl.
Asulvi
0This recipe is delicious, but I had such a hard time with the cheese. I followed the steps above to make sure the cheese melted correctly, used pre-shredded cheese, etc. Tried to purée it in my blender, and just ended up with a HUGE ball of cheese stuck around the blades. I threw the cheese ball away and kept the soup. Still delicious. Hopefully it’ll work out for me better next time!
Rebretta
0Love it! Mine turned out great. I did take the broccoli out before adding the cheese just in case. It went perfectly! It said 8 servings but mine made 6 cups exactly. I used fresh bagged broccoli florets so maybe the water content was low. I froze the soup in individual servings and will have some crunchy bacon on standby!
Alex
0I don’t know if anyone else had issues with the soup being thin and watery. I put in flour and I tried corn starch. It was only after it sat in the fridge for a couple of days did it thicken up but even that was slightly. It was good but watery.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Alex, There are tips in the post above for ways to thicken the soup.
Pam salter
0I used rice broccoli instead. Yummy and easy
Maureen
0LOVE IT !! We don’t like large chunks of broccoli blended it. Thank you!!