Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

Onion and garlic. This duo starts the flavor foundation for this popular soup recipe.

Grated carrot. To save time, you can purchase store-bought grated carrots. But, if you can, I recommend grating the carrots fresh for the best flavor. 

Nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Wait, nutmeg in broccoli cheddar soup? Yep. Believe it or not, this is the secret ingredient to get that copycat Panera broccoli cheddar soup taste.

Gluten-free flour. I’ve used all different kinds of gluten-free flour when making this soup. Again, it depends on what I have in my pantry. 

Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, and cornstarch (make sure to read the label for gluten-free) all work great.

Chicken broth. High-quality organic chicken broth will give this soup its best flavor. I like the Wegmans brand, or often I can find Pacific Chicken Broth for a great price at BJ’s Wholesale. You can also use vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian recipe.

Coconut milk. Instead of heavy cream, this soup recipe uses unsweetened coconut milk to get that same creaminess without the fat. You can substitute dairy milk, almond milk, or any milk in this recipe. I tend to use unsweetened coconut milk because that is what I usually have in the fridge. 

Cream cheese. This gives the soup another layer of creamy richness.

Broccoli florets. I use frozen organic broccoli because that’s what I have on hand most often. However, you can use fresh broccoli florets too.

If you’re using fresh broccoli, it’s okay to use some of the broccoli stems because you will puree the soup at the end. You’ll use about 4 cups of broccoli florets.

Grated parmesan cheese. This gives the soup another layer of cheesy flavor.

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese. I highly recommend shredding the cheese fresh, if you can. You’ll get better flavor and texture this way. Not to mention, you don’t have to worry about any additives, preservatives, or gluten.

Cooking Tips

Make the broccoli cheddar soup thicker. This soup recipe already calls for adding gluten-free flour to thicken it up. However, after you blend it, if you want it thicker, you can do a few different things:

1. Add more cornstarch or flour. I recommend making a slurry first by whisking in ½ cup broth with about 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour in a bowl. You want the flour or cornstarch to dissolve. Then whisk it into the soup and let it cook on low for another 10- 15 minutes to thicken.
2. Create a paste with butter and flour to make a roux. You can use 2-3 tablespoons flour to 2-3 tablespoons of butter. You want this to be a thick paste. Then slowly whisk the paste into the soup and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes to thicken.
3. Stir in more broccoli or cheese. I recommend cooking the broccoli before adding it into the soup, or it won’t get tender. You can also use steam in a bag of frozen broccoli that takes about 5-6 minutes to cook. Then cut the broccoli into small pieces and stir into the soup.

Make the soup thinner. If your soup becomes too thick, stir in some additional chicken stock until you get the consistency you want. Start with a small amount, so it doesn’t end up too watery.

Create the texture you want. If you want a chunky soup, use a potato masher to break up the broccoli or lightly blend. If you want the soup smooth, blend until you get the consistency you want.

Cook on medium-low to low heat after adding the cheese. It seems natural to turn the stove-top up to high when trying to melt the cheese. However, this can cause the cheese and dairy to seize, curdle, or clump together. Instead, slowly melt the cheese on low heat.

Use different cheese. I team extra sharp cheddar with this broccoli cheese soup, but swap in your favorite cheese for variety. I’m sure pepper jack, mozzarella, or swiss cheese would be tasty.

Add some heat. Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.

Shop this recipe

• 5 1/2 quart Dutch Oven
• Immersion Blender or High-Speed Blender

How to Make Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• On the stove-top, oven medium heat, In a 6-quart soup pot or large dutch oven, sauté the onions and carrots in olive oil until the onions are translucent and the carrots start to soften about 3-5 minutes. 
• While the vegetables are cooking, make the slurry for the soup and set it aside. To make the slurry whisk together ¼ cup gluten-free flour and 1 cup chicken stock.
• Next, stir the garlic into the onions and carrots, cooking for another 2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and let it cook for another minute. 
• Pour the slurry into the soup pot with vegetables. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until the liquid thickens a little bit, about 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in the rest of the chicken stock, coconut milk, cream cheese, and broccoli. 
• Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and then bring to a low simmer over medium heat and simmer until the broccoli and carrots are soft, and the cream cheese melts about 25 minutes. It’s okay if there are specks of cream cheese during this step; those will disappear after the soup is blended.

• Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until you get the consistency you like. You can also add the soup in batches to a high-speed blender and then pour it into the soup pot to add the cheese. Again, if you like a chunkier soup, use a potato masher to break down the broccoli and carrots. 
• Turn the heat down to low and then stir in the shredded extra sharp cheddar and parmesan. Continue stirring until the cheese melts slowly. 
• Taste for salt and then serve.