Broccoli Cheddar Soup

5 from 1 vote

This thick and creamy broccoli cheddar soup comes together in just an hour for a comforting and cozy dinner you’ll be making on repeat this fall and winter.

Servings servings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Equipment

Cheese grater
Dutch oven 4.5 quart or larger

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter
½ medium yellow onion diced
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup all purpose flour
1½ cups milk 2%
2½ cups vegetable broth
1 head broccoli chopped
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
12 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
1 to 2 pinches salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Then, add the onions and garlic, and sweat them out for a few minutes until they’re slightly softened and no longer giving off moisture, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Next, sprinkle in the flour and then constantly stir the mixture in a figure 8 motion until the roux puffs up, about 3 to 4 minutes. Try to move quickly so that the roux does not burn or clump.
Add the milk a little at a time (roughly a quarter to a half cup at a time), stirring constantly to incorporate the roux. Then, do the same with the vegetable broth. Make sure to allow each addition of liquid to fully heat up (it should be steaming lightly) before adding more liquid. This whole process will take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the broccoli, paprika, and ground turmeric. Increase the heat to bring the pot to a simmer, then lower the heat as needed to keep it at a simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
Be careful not to let the pot boil, as you only want to reduce the soup by about a quarter or so.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheese in batches until it’s melted.
Adjust salt to taste and serve hot, preferably with a side of freshly baked bread.

Notes

Cheese: Don’t use shredded cheese from a bag! This kind of cheese is typically coated in a powdery substance to prevent the shreds from sticking together. This means the cheese won’t melt as easily into your soup, and may leave it with a grainy texture. For the best results, use block cheddar and shred it yourself with a box grater like this one.

Tips for making a roux based soup: If you've never made a roux before, we recommend you read the full blog post above for advice and tips! Here are two major pointers to help you out:

When cooking the roux, stirring it in a figure 8 motion helps the fat and flour molecules incorporate evenly. Make sure that you wait until it puffs up before adding the liquid - you need to give it enough time to cook the raw flavor of the flour out of the roux.
It’s important to keep the roux moving until all of the liquid has been incorporated. This will ensure you end up with a smooth and silky soup, instead of a broken roux which can cause clumps.

Storing and reheating leftovers: Store leftover broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The longer it sits, the soup may separate slightly in the container, so give it a good stir before portioning it out to reheat.

To reheat, either:

Microwave the soup for about 2 to 3 minutes per serving, stirring once or twice
Warm the soup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Author: Nicole Langdon

Calories: 621kcal

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli, butter, cheddar cheese, fall, flour, garlic, milk, paprika, salt, turmeric, vegetable broth, yellow onion

Nutrition