Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

By Alison Roman

Published Jan. 27, 2023

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(5,589)
Comments
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A staple of any fast-casual restaurant, broccoli-cheddar soup has somewhat of a cult following on the internet. Thicker than cream of broccoli, this roux-thickened soup can be puréed completely smooth or left chunky and rustic. Either way, be sure to use the sharpest Cheddar available (white or orange work here). It’ll provide richness in addition to a necessary acidity.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 6tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2pounds broccoli, florets with stems peeled and trimmed to 3 inches
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour
  • 3cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2cups half-and-half
  • 8ounces very sharp Cheddar, grated, plus more for the top
  • ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

449 calories; 34 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 1000 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add broccoli, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is bright green and slightly tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a large cooking spoon, transfer broccoli mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same pot over medium heat (don’t worry about any remaining broccoli bits). Add flour and whisk constantly, cooking until the mixture has turned a pale golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Gradually whisk in chicken broth until no lumps remain (it’ll thicken considerably at first), followed by half-and-half. Bring to a simmer and stir in cheese, nutmeg and all but 1 cup of the reserved broccoli mixture.

  5. Step 5

    Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has thickened and reduced by about ¼ and the broccoli is completely tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Using a hand blender, purée the soup to desired consistency. (Some like to leave bits of broccoli in there. It is up to you how smooth or chunky the soup is.) Alternatively, transfer to a blender and purée to desired consistency.

  7. Step 7

    Season soup with salt and pepper, and divide among bowls. Top with remaining 1 cup broccoli, more Cheddar (if you like), and lots of freshly ground pepper.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,589 user ratings
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Comments

Jacqueline

I made this twice, once with with whole milk since that is what I had on hand and cabot hunters x cheddar (again, what I had on hand) and otherwise complied with the recipe and it was just ok. Second time, I made it with half and half and bought premium cave-aged english cheddar (15 months) per the recipe, and added a carrot and half a russet potato after reading comments. It was superb. Really the best. Blended as soon was broccoli was tender, in 15 minutes rather than 25.

TriciaPDX

I always chop a carrot into my broccoli soup because the colors look kind of sad otherwise. And the mildly sweet and stealthy carrot flavor really sets off the broccoli while keeping the cream from overpowering the soup. Don't forget the nutmeg.

betty

also! I added a potato and pureed to ensure it had plenty of body despite having no half and half. omg it's so good I cannot stop eating it.

LT

I’ve made this before and enjoyed it—this evening I used a local smoked cheddar and it was AMAZING! By far my favorite substitution so far.

Tara

This was divine. I changed it up just a little bit. Per the other comments, I used two chopped carrots and one peeled and chopped russet potato instead of the flour to thicken the soup. I added some TJ smoked paprika instead of nutmeg, as I’m not a nutmeg fan. I used an Aldi‘s aged cheddar and added 1/4 cup Hungarian white wine to bring out the sharpness of the cheddar. I used an immersion blender and did leave some of the chunks of broccoli. I would make again and again this was one of the best recipes I’ve cooked so far. I also made a loaf of the homemade No Knead bread with homemade basil butter to dunk into the soup. I did cook all day; this is not something for a weeknight lol. We then ate this beautiful supper outside on a cool evening and it was just perfect.

Paula Sanford

I followed the recipe (mostly) and it was the first time I’ve made broccoli cheddar soup. I had to cook the broccoli a little longer than described in the recipe. For any recipe, I always quadruple the amount of garlic. Also, I used a yellow bell pepper (to make it yellower) and I added one shredded carrot for sweetness and color. Other modifications were a tsp of garlic base from Better than Bouillon, and 1.5 ounces of smoked cheddar in addition to the 8 ounces of cheddar. For the leftover broccoli stumps, I diced them and added them to the broccoli mix so they could be blended with the immersion blender

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