Soups & stews / Chowders & creamy soups
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Blend half, leave half in tender pieces, and stir the cheddar in off the heat a handful at a time. It's the soup that gets the broccoli eaten without a single speech from you.
The short version
Soften onion and carrot in butter, stir in flour, whisk in broth, simmer broccoli florets and stems 12 minutes, then blend about half. Add half-and-half, take the pot off the heat and stir in freshly grated cheddar a handful at a time. About 50 minutes.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Blend only half the soup. Blended broccoli makes the creamy base, and the unblended half stays in soft, green pieces. You get body and something to chew.
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Add grated carrot. A grated carrot dissolves into the soup and adds the sweetness and warm color that make it look and taste like the version you remember.
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Grate the cheese yourself and add it off the heat. Bagged cheese carries a coating that keeps it from melting smoothly, and boiling makes any cheese split. Block cheese, stirred in a handful at a time off the heat, melts into a smooth soup.
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Add Dijon and a pinch of nutmeg. A teaspoon of mustard and a little nutmeg sharpen the cheese and deepen the cream without tasting like either one.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Unsalted butter4 tablespoons
- Yellow onion1 large
- Carrots2 medium
- All-purpose flour¼ cup
- Broccoli1½ pounds
- Half-and-half1 cup
- Dijon mustard1 teaspoon
- Sharp cheddar8 ounces
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Cook the onion and carrot
Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add the flour
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until it smells like pie crust and no dry flour shows.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Whisk in the broth
Pour in the broth slowly, whisking as you go, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. The soup will thicken slightly.
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Simmer the broccoli
Add the broccoli, turn the heat to a steady simmer, partly cover and cook until the stems are very tender, about 12 minutes. Stir once or twice.
Small pieces cook fast and blend easily. Cut the stems into slices no thicker than a coin.
About 12 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Blend half the soup
Turn off the heat. Blend with an immersion blender, pulsing, until about half the soup is smooth and the rest is in small pieces. In a regular blender, blend 3 or 4 cups with the lid vented, and stir it back in.
Never fill a blender more than halfway with hot soup.
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Add the half-and-half
Return the pot to low heat if you moved it. Stir in the half-and-half, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Warm through for 2 or 3 minutes until steaming, with only a few bubbles at the edge.
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Melt in the cheese
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the cheddar a handful at a time, letting each handful melt fully before adding the next. Taste and add salt, pepper or a bit more mustard. Serve right away.
Don't let the soup boil after the cheese goes in. It turns grainy.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Use a good sharp cheddar. Mild cheddar tastes like nothing once it melts into a soup.
- Want it thicker? Simmer for 5 more minutes before adding the half-and-half. Want it thinner? Add broth a splash at a time.
- Serve in a bread bowl, or with crusty bread or crackers. A pinch of cayenne in the bowl adds heat.
- Frozen broccoli works in a pinch. Use 1½ pounds and cook for about 8 minutes.
- Storage. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, and don't let it boil. It doesn't freeze well because the cheese separates.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why is my broccoli cheese soup grainy?
The cheese went in while the soup was too hot, or it was pre-shredded. Take the pot off the heat, grate your own block cheddar and stir it in a handful at a time. Grainy soup that's already made can sometimes be saved with a quick whisk or a stir with an immersion blender.
How do I thicken broccoli cheddar soup?
Simmer it uncovered a few minutes, or blend more of the soup. The roux of butter and flour already does most of the work, and the cheese thickens it a bit more.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make it through the blending step and refrigerate. Reheat gently, then add the half-and-half and cheese just before serving.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Use 1½ pounds of frozen florets, no need to thaw. Simmer about 8 minutes, until tender.
Can I use pre-shredded cheddar?
You can, but it melts less smoothly. If you do, add it more slowly and keep the heat low.
What cheese goes with broccoli soup besides cheddar?
Gruyère or Gouda melt well. Use half cheddar and half of either one for a nuttier soup.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 28, 2026.