This super creamy Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar Soup has been on my personal chef client menus for the past 10 years. Not only is it a favorite during the fall and winter months, but it's a frequent year round request.
This creamy Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar Soup is cozy, delicious and super easy to make. It's a 30 minute comfort food recipe loaded with broccoli that will be a favorite for lunch or dinner.
This cozy soup has loads of fresh broccoli ~ 8 cups!! And what would broccoli and cheese soup be without cheese? A generous amount of freshly shredded cheddar cheese makes this soup cheesy good!
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Ingredients for broccoli cheese soup
- salted butter
- onion
- garlic
- reduced sodium vegetable stock
- russet potato
- fresh broccoli
- cheddar cheese
- half and half
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
Scroll down to the recipe for full quantities of the ingredients
Substitutions and additions
- Fresh broccoli is my first choice for the soup. Frozen chopped broccoli is an acceptable alternative.
- I always have half and half on hand. I can't drink my morning coffee without it!. It's my go to for adding to recipes. But if you prefer light or heavy cream, by all means add it instead to the broccoli and cheese soup.
How to make vegetarian broccoli cheddar soup
Like many soup recipes, making a batch of my broccoli and cheese soup starts with sautéing onions and garlic.
Vegetable stock, fresh broccoli, and a diced potato are the next additions and cook for about 15 minutes.
After a whirl with an immersion blender (this is my favorite kitchen tool for making creamy soups like this Tomato Bisque Soup with Basil), stir in freshly shredded cheese and some half and half for extra creaminess.
In about 30 minutes, you will have 2 quarts of one of the best creamy and cheesy broccoli soups.
Amy's tips for vegetarian broccoli soup
- To streamline the prep and cooking time, do 2 tasks at once. While the onion is sautéing, chop the broccoli and dice the potato. While the soup is simmering, shred the cheese.
- Chop the broccoli in about 1 inch pieces. It will cook quickly and be easy to puree with an immersion blender.
- Place the pot of soup in the sink when you puree it. That way any splatters will be easy to clean up.
- A blender is a good substitute for pureeing the soup.
- A always recommend shredding your own cheese. The pre shredded cheese contains preservatives like potato starch which keeps the cheese from clumping. The starch also prevents the cheese from melting together and is grainy. Freshly shredded cheese will melt more smoothly, and the soup will be ultra creamy.
more soup recipes
- Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Creamy Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
- New England Clam Chowder
- Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
- Easy and Delicious Pasta e Fagioli
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 5 cups reduced sodium vegetable stock
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 8 cups chopped fresh broccoli
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the butter and onion. Sauté the onion for about 5 to 6 minutes. It should be softened and translucent but, not browned.
- Add the garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute.
- Add the vegetable stock, potato, and broccoli. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. The diced potato pieces should be soft and the broccoli should be cooked.
- Remove the pot from the stove top place in the sink. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
- Add 2 ½ cups of the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted.
- Stir in the half and half, kosher salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve in mugs or bowls with additional shredded cheese on top.
Notes
- Chop the broccoli in about 1 inch pieces. It will cook quickly and be easy to puree with an immersion blender.
- Place the pot of soup in the sink when you puree it. That way any splatters will be easy to clean up.
- A blender is a good substitute for pureeing the soup.
- A always recommend shredding your own cheese. The pre shredded cheese available in stores contains preservatives like potato starch which keeps the cheese from clumping. The starch also prevents the cheese from melting together and is grainy when melted. Freshly shredded cheese will melt more smoothly and the soup will be more creamy.
- I always have half and half on hand (I can't drink my morning coffee without it!) so it is my go to for adding to recipes. But if you prefer light or heavy cream, by all means add it to the broccoli and cheese soup.
Nutrition
