Description
This creamy broccoli soup recipe combines fresh broccoli with aromatic vegetables, rich cream, and sharp cheddar cheese for a restaurant-quality soup that’s surprisingly easy to make. Smooth, silky, and completely satisfying, this homemade broccoli soup is the ultimate comfort food that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4–5 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1.5 pounds fresh or one 10-ounce frozen bag)
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional garnish: crispy bacon bits, fresh croutons, or chives
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables. Dice the yellow onion into small pieces (about ¼-inch). Mince the garlic finely. Cut broccoli florets into roughly 1-inch pieces, ensuring uniform sizing for even cooking. Having all ingredients prepped and ready makes the cooking process smooth and prevents overcooking any component.
- Make the roux base. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once melted and foaming, add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent. The onion should be tender and starting to turn golden at the edges. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant – don’t let garlic burn or it becomes bitter.
- Create the thickening roux. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and garlic, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes. This cooks the raw flour flavor out and creates a paste-like roux. You’ll notice the mixture will become slightly thicker and smell nutty as the flour toasts lightly. This step is crucial for preventing lumpy soup.
- Add broth slowly. Pour the broth in gradually, stirring constantly with a whisk to combine smoothly with the roux. Start with about a cup, stirring until smooth, then gradually add the remaining broth. Whisking prevents lumps from forming and creates a smooth, silky base for your soup. The mixture should be completely smooth before moving to the next step.
- Add broccoli and simmer. Add all the broccoli florets to the pot and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes until broccoli is very tender. You should be able to easily pierce the thickest part of a floret with a fork. The broccoli will begin breaking down naturally, creating a thicker, creamier soup.
- Blend to desired consistency. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot to your desired consistency. Some people prefer a completely smooth, velvety soup, while others like a chunky version with some broccoli pieces remaining. Blend for about 1-2 minutes for smooth soup or just 30 seconds for a chunkier texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the hot soup in batches to a regular blender and puree, then return to the pot.
- Stir in cream and cheese. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, mixing well. Add the freshly grated cheddar cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly after each addition to ensure it melts completely and smoothly. The residual heat should melt the cheese perfectly without needing additional heat. If cheese doesn’t melt completely, increase heat very slightly but avoid boiling, which can make cheese grainy.
- Season to perfection. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed. Remember that the broth was low-sodium and the cheese added some salt, but you’ll likely want to add at least ½ teaspoon of salt and several cracks of fresh black pepper. Season gradually and taste between additions to avoid over-seasoning.
- Serve immediately. Ladle the creamy broccoli soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with optional toppings like crispy bacon bits, fresh croutons, grated cheddar cheese, fresh chives, or a drizzle of cream. The soup should be steaming hot and absolutely silky smooth.
Notes
- Immersion blender is key – It makes creating the silky texture incredibly easy and keeps everything in one pot
- Don’t overheat after adding cream – High heat can cause cream to separate or develop an unpleasant grainy texture
- Frozen broccoli works perfectly – Don’t thaw it; add it straight from the bag to the pot for best texture
- Make it creamier – Add an extra ½ cup cream or use half cream and half broth for ultra-luxurious texture
- Cheese matters – Freshly grated cheese melts smoothly while pre-shredded cheese can become grainy due to anti-caking agents
- Batch cooking – This recipe doubles easily and freezes beautifully for meal prep
- Gluten-free option – Replace all-purpose flour with cornstarch slurry (mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water) whisked in after boiling for gluten-free soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1¼ cups (one of six servings)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 65mg