My broccoli cheese soup is a delicious blend of tender broccoli, rich cheddar, and creamy perfection, with just the right balance of savoury depth and a comforting cheesy indulgence in every spoonful, oh and I’ve got a secret ingredient to boost the flavour and colour of the soup.
We’re combining simple, fresh ingredients with a few clever tips to create a dish that’s so rich, so velvety, and packed with flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes.
I love this soup, its cheesy but with the taste of comfort food in a bowl.
📋 Ingredients
For this broccoli cheese soup we’ve got:
- Broccoli florets – use fresh broccoli not frozen broccoli for this soup
- Chicken Stock (chicken broth)
- Onion
- Mature Cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar cheese)
- Double cream (heavy cream)
📺 Watch how to make Broccoli Cheese Soup
Some recipes call for butter and flour to make a roux to start but I’m keeping it really simple.
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
- Start off by frying up a finely diced onion in a medium saucepan (pot) then adding in the broccoli, stock and seasoning.
- Give it a stir and push the broccoli down into the liquid, then leave it to simmer for 15 minutes. At this stage you’re going to worry that it’s not going to be enough liquid, however, as long as the broccoli is submerged in the stock it will still cook down and will mean we get a nice thick soup without the need to thicken it later on.
- After 15 minutes the broccoli should’ve softened, now add in the kale, stir and cook for another couple of minutes. Then take the soup off the heat and blend using a handheld immersion blender (stick blender).
- Place the soup back on the heat and add the cheddar cheese and cream, stir until the cheese has just melted and you’re ready to serve.
Pro Tip
Cooking the broccoli and kale in chicken stock adds the savoury depth to this soup. If you wanted to make it complete vegetarian then you can swap out the chicken stock with vegetable stock (vegetable broth).
To boost the flavour, colour and nutritional impact of this soup we’re going to add in some fresh kale. I love kale but the kids often complain about it and this way I know nobody is going to complain about eating it.
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🍽️ How to serve broccoli cheese soup
This broccoli cheese soup is so hearty it works fantastically on its own but, if i was to go all out I’d serve it up with:
I can’t think of a better topping than bacon and fried bread for this creamy, luxurious soup.
A cold Autumn or Winter night with a bowl of this broccoli soup = a warm and happy Nicky.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, once cooled place in an airtight container and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat on the hob (stovetop) or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until hot throughout.
A combination of the broccoli and the kale give this luxurious broccoli cheese soup if lovely vibrant green colour.
I’m only using a relatively small amount of liquid in this recipe so you will get a thick soup however if you do need to thicken then you can stir in a cornflour slurry, which is a mixture of 1 tbsp of cornflour (corn starch) and 2 tbsps of cold water. Add this in right at the end after the cheese has melted if you need to.
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Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
1 tbsp oil
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Add the onion and fry gently for 4-5 minutes until it starts to go translucent.
1 large onion
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Next in goes the broccoli, stock, garlic salt, pepper and salt. Give it a stir and push the broccoli down into the liquid, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. (See note 1)
2 medium heads of broccoli (approx 450g or 1lb), 720 ml (3 cups) hot vegetable or chicken stock, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt
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Add in the kale and cook for one last minute so it just wilts but stays lovely and vibrant green.
100 g (1 1/2 cups) chopped kale
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Once the soup has cooked, take off the heat and carefully blend using a hand blender until it’s a lovely smooth consistency.
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Put back on the heat, add in the cheese and cream and stir until he cheese has melted.
200 g (2 cups) mature cheddar cheese, 60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream
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Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of black pepper, and don’t forget a wedge of fresh bread for dipping.
a swirl of cream or olive oil, a sprinkle of black pepper, a hunk of fresh bread
NOTE 1 – Amount of Liquid.
At this stage you’re going to worry that it’s not going to be enough liquid, however, as long as the broccoli is submerged in the stock it will still cook down and will mean we get a nice thick soup without the need to thicken it later on.
Can you make ahead and freeze this soup?
Yes, once cooled place in an airtight container and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat on the hob (stovetop) or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until hot throughout.
Nutritional Information is per serving.
Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1362mg | Potassium: 981mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5220IU | Vitamin C: 223.5mg | Calcium: 440mg | Iron: 3.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This broccoli cheddar soup post was originally published in October 2016. Updated in January 2025 with new photos, a video, updated recipe and additional information.
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