This creamy soup is bursting with flavor and couldn’t be easier to make. And the bread bowl?! Chef’s kiss.
Talk about delicious! I know you’re going to love this Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
This soup is so nostalgic to me.
I first made it in 2022 when I was pregnant with my 2nd.
I had a few friends and their toddlers over for a pre-bedtime/dinner playdate. The most chaotic of chaos. It was glorious.
The kids had pizza or mac and cheese. I honestly don’t remember, but that sounds about right.
The adults had this soup. I had just finalized the recipe earlier that day.
I’d love to write “omg the toddlers tried it too and they loved it!!!” but let’s be real. We all know toddlers.
My then-2-year-old did not try it. One of the other 2 year olds did and loved it! But I won’t lie to you about mine.
The adults, on the other hand, were obsessed. We’ve all made it multiple times ever since that playdate.
I make this soup again and again each year and each time, I’m amazed at how delicious it is.
Truly the most ideal meal for fall.
And who knows! Now that my 2nd is a toddler, maybe he’ll try it! I’ll offer it this week and keep you posted 🙂
If you’re familiar with it, this totally reminds me of the famous soup from Panera. I dk about you, but I used to live for their bread bowls.
Getting little bites of warm sourdough bread as you eat your soup? Perfection. And then eating the bowl that’s become soft and full of soup flavor? Even better.
So, while I listed the bread bowl as optional, please know that I highly recommend it. If you’re not opting for a bread bowl, make sure to have some crusty bread to dip in this soup. It’s a must!
For your ingredients, this soup is full of nutrient-dense veggies. Chop your broccoli and onion really finely. Grate the carrots.
And, because it has a good amount of cheese, it actually contains filling protein too. How’s that for a complete meal?!
Make a big batch of this soup and store it in your fridge or freezer. You’ll be SO happy to have it on chilly fall days.
Chop the veggies
Finely chop the broccoli. Peel and grate the carrots. Dice the onion.
Make the roux
In a large stockpot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5-10 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
Add the flour to the pot and stir constantly to create a thick roux for about 1-2 minutes.
Add other ingredients
Add in vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, salt, and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally.
While the soup is simmering, grate the cheddar cheese. Note: spraying non-stick spray on a grater can make grating cheese easier.
Add the half & half and cheddar cheese to the pot. Turn the heat to medium and stir to combine, until the cheese is fully melted and combined.
Scoop out bread bowl
To serve in a bread bowl, cut the tops off loaves of sourdough. Using your hands, scoop out the insides (reserve the top and inside to dip!). Pour the soup into the bread bowls and serve. If not using bread bowls, serve with crusty bread to dip.
Pour soup into bowl
Pour the soup into the bread bowls and serve. If not using bread bowls, serve with crusty bread to dip.
Notes
- Broccoli and carrots: Make sure to cut the broccoli really small. Instead of grating the carrots, you can also julienne them with a knife. Or, chop them really finely with a knife or using a food processor.
- Cheddar cheese: While I love a good kitchen hack, I really recommend using a whole block of cheese vs. pre-shredded cheese here – it’ll melt much better! Try spraying some non-stick spray on your grater to help grate the cheese. You can also try grating in a food processor if you don’t feel like doing it by hand.
- Half & half: I don’t recommend swapping the half and half for an alternative. It’s really what makes the soup so nice and creamy. I haven’t tested the recipe with any dairy free options.
- Cooking tips: Make sure to keep stirring after adding the half & half and cheddar cheese to that the cheese fully melts and is incorporated. The cheese may take a good few minutes to melt fully. If the soup starts to clump at all while cooking, a quick stir will easily fix it.
- Storage: Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The longer this soup sits, the more it thickens (which you may or may not want!). To reheat, put it in the microwave or add it to a pan on the oven. You can slowly whisk in more vegetable broth to make it thinner if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of broccoli finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- 2 medium or 1 large carrot grated (about 2/3 cup)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups half & half
- 10 oz. cheddar cheese grated (about 3 cups)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Small loaves of sourdough bread for serving or dipping
Instructions
- Finely chop the broccoli. Peel and grate the carrots. Dice the onion.
- In a large stockpot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5-10 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
- Add the flour to the pot and stir constantly to create a thick roux for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, salt, and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally.
- While the soup is simmering, grate the cheddar cheese. Note: spraying non-stick spray on a grater can make grating cheese easier.
- Add the half & half and cheddar cheese to the pot. Turn the heat to medium and stir to combine, until the cheese is fully melted and combined.
- To serve in a bread bowl, cut the tops off loaves of sourdough. Using your hands, scoop out the insides (reserve the top and inside to dip!). Pour the soup into the bread bowls and serve. If not using bread bowls, serve with crusty bread to dip.
