This Broccoli Cheese Soup Is Comfort by the Spoonful (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions FAQs

Broccoli cheese soup is my life. There's something about it that triggers a happy, peaceful memory. I just don't remember the memory. So I guess, technically, it isn't really a memory at all.

I think a memory, by definition, is something that someone actually has to remember.

Never mind.

Broccoli cheese soup is my life. I should have stopped there to begin with. Enjoy this soup recipe in a bread bowl if you want, or just serve it alongside big hunks of ciabatta bread for dunking. It'd also be divine with some homemade croutons scattered over top! Bread is also my life. Okay, back to the soup...here's how I make it!

What is the best cheese to melt in soup?

I like to use mild or sharpcheddar,but you can use monterey jack, pepper jack, or a mix of several. If you really want to make it luscious, you could even stir in some goat cheese or gruyere. The decision is yours! Whatever you use, shred it yourself, if you can. It melts better that way.

Can you use frozen broccoli in broccoli cheese soup?

Sure can! Soups are a great way to use up a freezer stash of broccoli florets. And there's no need to defrost the broccoli first, just drop it in frozen as you would with fresh in step 1.

Is this broccoli cheese soup chunky or smooth?

That's up to you. For a chunkier soup, keep it as is. For a slightly smoother soup, break some of the broccoli up using a potato mashed.For a supersmooth soup, puree it in a blender or with an immersion blender. Choose your adventure!

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Yields:
10 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
40 mins

Ingredients

Directions

    1. Step1In a large pot, melt thebutter over medium heat, then add the onion. Cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in themilk and half-and-half. Add thenutmeg, then add thebroccoli, a dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper.
    2. Step2Cover and reduce theheat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender,20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and allow to melt.
    3. Step3Taste seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree it in a blender, return it to the heat and allow to heat up. Splash in chicken broth if needed for thinning.)Enjoy!

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The Cast of Characters: Butter, chopped onion, flour, milk, half-and-half, broccoli, nutmeg (I have fresh, but any nutmeg is fine), cheese, and salt and pepper if you need it.

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Melt the butter in a pot and saute the onions until they’re beginning to turn translucent, about 3 minutes or so.

(You’ll notice I am not providing you a photo of the onions sauteing in the butter. This is because I am an airhead.)

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Sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the onions. Let it cook for a minute or so…

(You’ll notice I am not providing you a photo of the flour being stirred into the onions. This is because my brain was not present on the day I cooked this soup. Just follow my written instructions and forget I ever existed visually. But only for a moment.)

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Okay, I’m back visually. Pour in the milk, stirring as you add it.

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Pour in the half-and-half too, because you’re naughty.

Add in the nutmeg (makes the soup extra delicious!)…

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Then toss in the broccoli and add in a little salt (just go a little easy on the salt because the cheese has plenty)…

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And plenty of pepper. Yum.

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Then just cover the pot and simmer the soup on low for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is nice and tender. This’ll give the soup time to develop some nice broccoli flavor, and it’ll give you time to grate up the cheese.

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Next, throw in the cheese. This is mild cheddar cheese, but you can use sharp cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, even a little goat cheese or gruyère to make things really luscious. You pick the cheese!

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Now it’s time to make another decision. What consistency would you like your broccoli cheese soup to have? You could leave it like it is now. You could mash it with a potato masher to break it up a little bit.

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Or you could totally puree it, either with an immersion blender OR with a blender in one or two batches, depending on how large your blender is.

I happen to like it pureed, so that’s the path I’m choosing in life.

*Note: You can also choose to puree it before adding the cheese, but I don’t find that it really matters much when you add it. Still tastes delicious either way.

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Whizzzzzzzzzzzz! Just look at the goodness in that blender.

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Pour it back into the pot when it’s blended, just to make sure it’s nice and hot. Splash in a little milk or chicken broth if it needs just a little thinning. The soup shouldn’t be perfectly smooth, though—nice and textured is good.

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Don’t have a fancy, crusty bread bowl? Just use a Kaiser roll. Your kids won’t care one bit!

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Just lop off the top and pull out the innards, leaving a little rim for support. I didn’t do this for the photo, but if you pop the rolls in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes, it’ll crust them up and make them hold the soup a little better.

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Cute little bread bowl knockoff. I certainly wouldn’t pass muster at an elegant dinner party… but we don’t have elegant dinner parties ’round this joint.

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So, so good. Yum!

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And of course, regular bowls work too.

So many great broccoli-cheese soups out there, my friends, and I don’t think I’ve ever met one I didn’t like. So take this and run with it—make it all yours by switching up the cheese, even adding a dash or two of Worcestershire, Tabasco, or whatever you can think of.

But most importantly: enjoy. Broccoli-cheese soup deserves to be savored.

This Broccoli Cheese Soup Is Comfort by the Spoonful (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken broccoli cheese soup? ›

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

Why isn't my cheese melting in my broccoli soup? ›

If you are using pre-shredded cheese it has been coated with an anti-clumping agent, which may mean it melts more slowly or needs more heat. If you are adding cold cheese to the soup, adding too much at once will lower the temperature of the soup.

Why does my broccoli cheddar soup taste gritty? ›

Your soup may become grainy if the cheese or dairy curdles. With a recipe like the one that follow you shouldn't have trouble because the cheese is added as a finishing component, off heat. But to avoid “breaking” the dairy while reheating (or with other dairy-rich soups), take it low and slow.

What is in Panera broccoli cheddar soup? ›

Milk, Chicken Stock (Chicken Base [Chicken Meat Including Chicken Juices, Salt, Chicken Fat, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Natural Flavor, Potato Flour, Carrot Powder, Turmeric]), Water, Broccoli, Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese (Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Whey, Whey Protein ...

Why is my cheese clumping in broccoli cheddar soup? ›

MDP: The key is to add cheese at the very end, with just residual heat -- either after turning off the heat or at the very end. It's a similar technique as with pasta, how you have the burner very low or turned off. If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly.

How do you make soup creamier and thicker? ›

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Other Thickener: Starches thicken soup and give it body. Whisk a few tablespoons of starch into a little of the broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This prevents the starch from clumping and helps it dissolve into the soup evenly.

What is the best cheese to use in soup? ›

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

How do you make broccoli cheddar soup less salty? ›

Add a small amount of fresh herbs to the soup and stir until well combined. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup. Add a small amount of acid to the soup and stir until well combined.

Why is my broccoli cheddar soup bland? ›

If your Broccoli Soup tastes bland, there are several potential reasons. Here are some common culprits and suggestions to enhance the flavour: Insufficient seasoning. Solution: Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper accordingly.

Why didn't my broccoli cheddar soup thicken? ›

Add more cheese – The more cheese you add, the thicker your broccoli and cheese soup will be!

How to fix bitter broccoli soup? ›

Tips to Remove a Bitter Taste

Mix in a little bit of sugar to hide the bitterness. Add a pinch of salt to a bitter dish. Sprinkle in a pinch of baking soda. Add acidic flavors to the dish, like lemon juice or vinegar.

How to keep broccoli cheese soup from separating? ›

Sometimes an acidic ingredient, like wine, can prevent the soup from curdling. Slowly add the cream or milk and continually stir after adding. This will help prevent it from curdling. Use shredded cheese and always reduce the heat to about low to medium before adding.

Can you freeze Panera's broccoli and cheese soup? ›

For soups sold in our bakery-cafes, freezing and then reheating is safe. Both the FDA and USDA recommend that consumers can store soups and stews in an airtight, clean container for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. We do not recommend storing our soups in the refrigerator.

What to eat with cheddar broccoli soup? ›

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Serving Suggestions
  • Sautéed Green Beans.
  • Green Bean Salad.
  • Sautéed Brussels Sprouts.
  • Oven Roasted Potatoes.
  • Simple Green Salad.
  • Sautéed Kale.

Who makes Panera soups? ›

Blount Fine Foods, formerly Blount Seafood, is a prepared foods and soup manufacturer that produces wholesale frozen and fresh soups under the Blount brand as well as Panera Bread and Legal Sea Foods. Blount Fine Foods is headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts with a production facility in Warren, Rhode Island.

Why is my broccoli and cheese watery? ›

Old-school broccoli and cheese casserole is not bad. But with an update, it can be great. Watery vegetables can expel moisture while cooking, leaving your casserole soupy and unappetizing; but luckily, the fix is easier than you might think: simply swap your fresh for frozen.

How do you thicken broccoli sauce? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together. Our Test Kitchen recommends shaking the cornstarch and water in a Mason jar for easy mixing. Once combined, pour the mixture into your sauce.

How do you fix cheese clumping in soup? ›

You can try low heat and thinning with more cream. A small amount of lemon juice may help too. No guarantees though. In the future make sure your heat is relatively low and add one handful of cheese at a time, stirring well and completely melting/incorporating it all in before adding the next handful.

Why is my broccoli cheddar soup so thick? ›

Butter and flour – They create a roux that thickens the soup.

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