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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This from-scratch broccoli cheddar soup builds a velvety base around tender, recognizable broccoli pieces and a smooth sharp-cheddar finish.

Creamy broccoli cheddar soup with tender broccoli pieces in a bowl beside crusty bread.

A small roux gives this soup body without masking the broccoli, while a short simmer keeps the florets tender rather than faded. Blending only part of the pot creates a creamy texture that still feels like a bowl of broccoli soup.

Start with a gentle roux

The onion and carrot soften first so their sweetness can support the cheese. Cooking the flour briefly in butter removes its raw taste and gives the stock and milk a stable, velvety structure.

Keep the broccoli visible

Small florets and finely cut peeled stems cook at nearly the same pace. Stop the simmer when the stems yield to a fork, then pulse rather than fully puréeing so every bowl retains tender pieces.

Broccoli florets simmer in a pale creamy base in a heavy soup pot. — Tender broccoli florets simmer in the creamy base before part of the soup is blended.

Add cheese off heat

Sharp cheddar tastes best when it is freshly grated and stirred in gradually after the burner is off. This gentle finish lets each handful melt into the soup instead of tightening into grainy curds or releasing oil.

Adjust the spoonful

Soup thickens as it cools, so judge the texture while it is warm. A little milk loosens a too-thick pot, while a brief low-heat warm-up concentrates a thinner one without boiling the cheddar.

A spoonful of glossy cheddar soup shows creamy base and tender broccoli pieces. — A glossy spoonful shows the smooth cheddar base and tender pieces of broccoli.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

6 servings

45 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•
• 3 cups broccoli florets with peeled, chopped stems
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus black pepper to taste

Method

Prepare the vegetables
Finely dice the onion and carrot, mince the garlic cloves, and cut the broccoli into small florets while peeling and chopping the tender stems. Use chicken stock by default; use vegetable stock for a meat-free soup.
Look for: The broccoli pieces are spoon-sized, with stems chopped smaller than the florets.
Soften the aromatics
Melt the butter in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then cook the onion and carrot with the salt for 6 minutes until softened but not browned.
Look for: The onion is translucent and the carrot has softened without taking on color.
Make the roux
Stir in the minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds, sprinkle in the flour, and cook the roux for 2 minutes while stirring until it smells lightly nutty and coats the vegetables.
Look for: No dry flour remains and the paste smells toasted rather than raw.
Build the base
Whisk in the stock gradually, scraping the pot smooth after each addition, then add the milk and bring the base just to a gentle simmer.
Look for: The liquid is smooth and steaming, with small bubbles only at the edge.
Cook the broccoli
Add the broccoli florets and chopped stems, reduce to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes until the stems are tender and the florets remain bright with distinct pieces.
Look for: A stem piece yields easily to a fork while recognizable broccoli pieces remain in the soup.
Blend part of the soup
Use an immersion blender to blend briefly in several pulses, leaving about half the broccoli in tender pieces so the soup becomes velvety without turning completely smooth.
Look for: The base looks creamy while plenty of broccoli florets are still visible.
Melt in the cheddar
Keep the pot off the heat and add the freshly grated sharp cheddar by handfuls, stirring each addition until melted before adding the next so the cheese stays smooth.
Look for: The cheddar disappears into a glossy soup with no grainy specks or oily separation.
Adjust and serve
Season with black pepper, loosen the soup with a splash more milk if it is too thick, or warm gently over low heat if it needs to thicken, then serve with crusty bread.
Look for: The soup coats a spoon softly and flows back into the pot without clumping.