Broccoli Cheddar soup

Melt the butter in a large pot or heat-proof casserole dish over a medium heat. Once melted add the chopped onion, salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook for around 5 minutes, until the onions are softened.

Stir in the chopped garlic cloves, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the flour, whisking in continuously until the flour turns golden. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk constantly to combine and remove all lumps.

Add the vegetable broth, broccoli florets, chopped carrot and Dijon mustard to the pot. Continue to stir, turn to a low heat and leave to simmer for around 15 minutes.

Once the broccoli is tender, add the grated cheese gradually and continue to stir into the soup until the cheese is fully melted and combined. The soup should have a creamy texture once the cheese is all incorporated.

Serve straight away with a side of fresh bread or sprinkling of croutons.

Tips & tricks

Broccoli cheese soup is a reasonably straightforward dish, but we do have a few tips and tricks. The main technique you’ll need to master is to ensure you whisk continuously when adding the flour and milk, to stop the flour burning on the pan. Gradually adding the milk helps to thicken the soup and stop lumps from forming if you add it to the broccoli Cheddar soup ingredients gradually. As with most recipes, we think fresh is best. You can buy pre-grated cheese of course, but if you can grate the cheese freshly into the soup this helps to give it the best texture. It’s worth also keeping the heat on low when adding the cheese so it has time to properly melt and combine with the other ingredients. For any leftover broccoli florets you may have to hand, discover our other top broccoli recipes from smoothies to quiches, for more cooking ideas.

How to serve it

Best served hot, fresh from the stove, we like our broccoli cheese soup with a hearty serving of crusty fresh bread on the side, or delicious garlic croutons sprinkled on the top. If you’re entertaining guests and want to elevate the serving, however, you can try plating up alongside an inviting plate of roast potatoes or a fresh green salad.

Recipe variations

Our broccoli Cheddar soup recipe features cheddar cheese, which we think is the best combination with broccoli. However, if you wanted to branch out you could experiment by adding other types of cheese. You can find all the cheese inspiration you need with our ultimate cheese guide. For a healthy broccoli cheddar soup alternative, you can swap the whole milk for plant-based alternatives to reduce the fat content. And if you enjoyed making this soup recipe, we have a whole host of soups to try your hand at in the kitchen from around the world.

Storage

Leftover broccoli Cheddar soup will keep in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. To reheat, you can warm on the stove on a low heat for around five minutes, stirring occasionally until fully warmed through.