Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printer View)

A rich, creamy blend of broccoli and sharp cheddar cheese with sweet carrots, ready in under an hour.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
02 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 2 cups whole milk
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Base & Liquid

09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon paprika
14 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

# Method:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes to create a smooth roux.
02 - Gradually whisk vegetable broth into the roux, ensuring no lumps form. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - Add broccoli florets and shredded carrots to the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are tender throughout.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in whole milk and heavy cream, heating gently without bringing to a boil to prevent curdling.
05 - Add grated cheddar cheese one handful at a time, stirring continuously until each addition melts completely and the soup achieves a smooth, creamy consistency.
06 - Season the soup with salt, black pepper, paprika, and nutmeg to taste. Use an immersion blender to partially puree if a smoother texture is desired, leaving some vegetable chunks intact. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who loves you spent hours making it, but honestly takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
  • Sharp cheddar melts into the cream so smoothly that every spoonful feels luxurious without being pretentious.
  • The recipe is forgiving enough that you can adjust it based on how creamy or chunky you want things to be.
02 -
  • Pre-shredded cheese has cellulose coating that makes it clumpy when melted into hot liquid, so always grate your own block cheese for this recipe.
  • Letting the soup bubble hard at a boil after adding cream can break the dairy and separate the fat, so keeping the heat low during the final stages is essential.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy, whisking in a little cold milk off heat can sometimes save it, though prevention through gentle heat is better.
03 -
  • Make this soup up to two days ahead and reheat it gently on the stovetop, which actually lets the flavors marry together even better than fresh.
  • If you want it lighter, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or replace some of the whole milk with low-fat milk without sacrificing much creaminess.
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