In my house only one soup reigns supreme and that’s this one pot broccoli cheddar soup.
It started with my creation of a copy cat version of Panera broccoli cheddar soup that has evolved over time. I originally posted a (very) similar soup ages ago, but over the last 5 years I’ve changed it a bit, simplified and amplified to fit my life a little better. For example my broccoli cheddar soup now feeds 6 (1 cup) servings and is made in one glorious pot. No more steaming broccoli and all that extra pan business… consider this one pot broccoli cheddar soup your bff for those busy weeknights.
It still has the same fresh broccoli, creamy decadence and sharp cheddar cheese flavor. It’s just so much better.
To make This One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup You Will Need:
- unsalted butter
- yellow onion (about 1 small)
- diced carrot (about 1 large)
- broccoli florets (weight is based on trimmed florets only)
- kosher salt
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- low sodium chicken broth
- half & half or whole milk
- freshly grated nutmeg
- ground black pepper
- cheddar cheese, grated (not bagged, pre-shredded)
This soup is not hard by any stretch of the word, but one way to speed things along is to prep the veggies and measure everything out before starting. Getting all your ingredients prepped and ready to go will save you a ton of time.
As far as the broccoli goes, I have come to find that 10 to 11 ounces broccoli florets (once trimmed off the stem and cut into small pieces) is the perfect amount for this soup. Roughly that’s 2 good size heads of broccoli.
Heat a large 6-quart dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add 6 tablespoons butter and sauté the 3/4 cup both diced carrots and onions. Also add 10 to 11 ounces broccoli florets together. I toss the vegetables around in the butter and sprinkle in a pinch of kosher salt. Then I cover and let them cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes.
Once the vegetables are tender, add in the 1/3 cup of flour and stir, cooking for about 2 minutes.
Then I add in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 2 cups half and half (whole milk works too!). Once it comes to a small bubble, I reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, with the lid askew for about 20 to 25 minutes or until thickened.
This has bee my trick to breaking up the broccoli since day uno. I just pull out the potato masher and go. to. work. This will also help thicken up the soup. Then I taste test (best part ever!) and season with salt, black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.
The nutmeg adds this distinct yet subtle flavor. It’s not like you’ll really notice it… but it does give this soup that somethin-somethin.
Lastly I add in about 4 to 6 ounces of freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, saving any extra for serving. You want good quality, grate from the block, cheese. The bagged, pre-shredded stuff is coated in a non-caking or sticking powder (ack!) which will keep the cheese from melting into the soup like it should. Trust me.
That’s it! One pot broccoli cheddar soup for the win!
I ladle it into bowls, top with a tablespoon or so of the remaining cheddar cheese and I always, ALWAYS serve our broccoli cheddar soup with toasted hot ham and cheese sandwiches and oyster crackers for Pat.
Broccoli and cheddar soup is a classic, my daughter Haileigh’s favorite and now can me made in one pot. SO EASY YOU GUYS! I hop you try it. (:
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Enjoy! And if you give this One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
In my house only one soup reigns supreme at that's this one pot broccoli cheddar soup. Fresh broccoli, creamy luscious broth with sharp cheddar cheese. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 629Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 682mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 18gSugar: 15gProtein: 29g
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This soup looks delicious. Where do I find the recipe?
So sorry Sheree! I forgot to add in the recipe (I blame Monday!!) but it’s there now. Enjoy! <3
Your broccoli cheese soup is the best! I make it all the time. And even better now that I can make it all in one pot! Love it.
Thank you, Allison! Happy Halloween! <3
I learned something already today….about the coating on pre shredded cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It looks lovely and I will be trying it very soon. Enjoy your day.
Hi Lin! Using freshly shredded cheese will change your life! I hope you love the soup! <3
My husband and I made this last night. So delicious! Not knowing what our three and two year olds would think of soup, I gave them each a small amount. Our two year old son DEVOURED it! After he ate his half of a hot ham and cheese sandwich, I gave him a little more soup that he also finished. We have some work to do with our “threenager”. She has some strong opinions in her little life. Great soup and great idea with the sandwiches. Leftovers were on point today. Love your recipes!
Hi Denise! I’m so glad to hear it! Threenager.. hilarious! I love it! I have a daughter just like yours, she’s gotten better over the years (she’s 12 now) but it’s been a battle. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your note! Made my day!<3
Hi
The soup was good but runny. Mine didn’t thicken at all. Any advice.
Hi Nina! It’s hard to say without being in the kitchen with you, but my guess would be that the soup needed longer to thicken up. I literally just made this again last night without issues so that would be my only guess. I hope this helps!
Made this and loved it. My only error was in using an immersion blender. I blended too long and did not leave enough “chunk” in the soup. My kids and my mom loved it!
Thanks!
I’ve totally done that! I’m so glad you liked it!!
This is good. Its a simple recipe and now my go to broccoli soup recipe. I did nothing to tweak it. Its good the way it is.
I made this tonight and tweaked it a little. I added celery and used 1 cup whole milk and one cup heavy cream just because I had it on hand. I also layered the seasoning each step. Sauteed onions seasoned with salt and pepper, added carrots and celery with salt and pepper, then the broccoli with a pinch more seasoning including nutmeg. I followed recipe exactly and I had to add more thickener because it was too thin. I cooked for over half an hour waiting for it to thicken but alas did not. The soup came out amazing and would definitely make this again.
Love that you tweaked it! Hmmm it should’ve thickened. So strange. Glad you still enjoyed it though!