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A bowl of hearty, cheesy broccoli soup is good year round. This classic is easy to make in a relatively short amount of time. Broccoli, fresh or frozen is a winner when paired with cheese. The hubby is a happy camper when I put a bowl down in front of him. Hopefully you will like it too.

Please see the recipe card below for exact amounts and directions.

Ingredient Round Up

  • Fresh or frozen broccoli can be used in this recipe. I always have a couple of bags of frozen broccoli in the freezer for this purpose.
  • Carrots are a nice touch and they add some additional color to the soup.
  • Onions and garlic add to the flavor profile. I prefer fresh garlic but in a pinch I use garlic powder.
  • I use unsalted chicken stock but vegetable stock can easily be substituted.
  • To thicken the soup and give it a creamy texture, I use a potato – a tip I learned from my neighbor. In the early days, I used a medium potato. Truth be told, we don’t eat a lot of potatoes so a fair number ended up in the trash. I now use dehydrated potato flakes instead.
  • A combination of Velveeta shreds and grated non-fat cheddar gives the soup a balanced cheesy flavor and creaminess.
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Sodium Alert: This recipe is high in sodium due to the brand of ingredients used. For those who need to watch their sodium intake, the bulk of sodium is from the cheese. Some Targets carry Good & Gather reduced fat cheddar cheese that is low in sodium.  Brennan Market sells cheese that is low sodium and reduced fat. Check the ‘Low Sodium/No Salt’ product list under Resources in the top menu bar for additional alternatives.

Making the Soup

  • Cut the onion and carrots into chunks and chop finely in a food processor.

  • Saute the chopped onion and carrots in some olive oil in a 4 qt pot until the onion is transparent.
  • Add minced or finely chopped garlic to the pan and lightly saute. I use a garlic press for this.

  • Add the chicken broth to the pot and stir.

  • Microwave the broccoli until almost done. Transfer to a food processor and chop and add to the soup and simmer until the carrots and broccoli are tender. My hubby likes finely chopped broccoli. You can coarsely chop the broccoli or leave some small florets intact depending on your tastes.

  • Add in the potato flakes or a pureed cook potato.
  • Stir in the cheese and stir until melted. As a finishing touch stir in a small amount of skim or low fat milk or similar product. The sodium level of this soup is on the high side. Add additional salt to taste at the very end.

  • Serve and enjoy. The soup refrigerates well.

Serving Ideas

  • A cup of broccoli cheese soup is a nice way to start off a meal.
  • You can garnish it with some extra cheese, cubed ham or Canadian bacon and serve it for lunch.
  • Pair a bowl full of soup with a sandwich and you have a nice dinner.

WW – 2 pt

Broccoli Cheese Soup

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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 207kcal

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Chef knife
  • garlic press
  • Wooden spoon
  • 4 qt sauce pot
  • food processor

Ingredients  

  • 2 heads broccoli, I use forets with about 1" of stem on each
  • 2 carrots on the smaller side
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 32 oz Swanson unsalted chicken broth
  • 3 shakes of black ground pepper
  • ½ c dehydrated potato flakes
  • ½ c Velveeta shreds
  • ¾ c Kraft non-fat shredded cheddar
  • ⅓ c 1% low fat milk
  • salt to taste at the end (see note)

Instructions

  • Cut onion and carrots into chunks.
  • Finely chop the onion and carrot in a food processor. Due to the different texture of the carrot and onion, I run them through the food processor separately to better control the cut size.
  • Microwave the broccoli florets until almost fork tender.
  • Place the olive oil in the pot and heat. Then add the chopped onion and carrot and saute until the onion is transparent.
  • Add the garlic and saute being careful not to burn it. As soon as the garlic becomes softened, add the chicken broth to the pot.
  • Stir in the chopped broccoli followed by the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasons.
  • Simmer until the broccoli and carrots are tender, about 15 - 20 min.
  • Stir in the potato flakes. This will thicken and add creaminess to the soup.
  • Add in the cheese and stir until it is melted.
  • Stir in the milk or product of your choice and return to the heat if necessary.
  • Soup is ready to serve. Leftovers refrigerate well.

Notes

I use Hungry Jack or Idahoan potato flakes. If you choose to go this route, make sure the potato flakes are not seasoned.
You can use a medium russet potato instead. Peel and chop it. Cook and puree and then add to the soup.
Season with salt to taste at the very end. The soup is already high in salt as it is. Some may be good with the soup as it while others may need a bit more salt to suit their taste.
If the soup is too thick, you can thin it with a bit more broth or milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1c | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.8g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 936mg | Calcium: 367mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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