This homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy, rich, and bursting with flavor. Perfect for a cozy meal, it's made with fresh ingredients and can be customized to your taste for a comforting, delicious dish.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one of those classic comfort foods that’s loved by just about everyone. It’s been a favorite in our family for decades, and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy broccoli than in this rich, creamy, cheesy soup. Making it from scratch means you get to use the freshest ingredients and customize the soup exactly the way you like it—whether that’s a little extra cheese or more broccoli.
This homemade version is so satisfying. It’s velvety smooth, with a perfect balance of broccoli and sharp cheddar, and every bite is packed with flavor. The homemade broth also really elevates the flavor. And while it's wonderful served simply in a bowl, why not take it up a notch and serve it in a bread bowl? It’s fun, it’s unique, and you get to enjoy the bread too—no dishwashing required.
This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is the perfect meal for any chilly day or when you want something hearty and comforting. Plus, making it at home means you can enjoy it any time the craving hits.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, minced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 cups half and half
1 dry bay leaf
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
salt, pepper, to taste
6 cups broccoli (cut into florets and 1 ½ inch pieces) (3 broccoli crowns with the stems)
2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Melt the butter in a medium or large cooking pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 
Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Add the flour and mix it until it's completely incorporated.
Cook it for about a minute to get the raw flour taste cooked out. Add the chicken broth and the half n half, mixing until it's smooth. Add the bay leaf and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. 
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened. Discard the bay leaf. Add the broccoli and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender too. 
Add the cheese to the soup and mix it until it melts. 
Pulse the soup in a blender in batches until it is the consistency that you like; you can make it completely smooth or chunky. 
I like to set aside some of the cooked broccoli florets to add to the soup. Cut a circle off the top of some small sourdough or country boules. Take out the inside of the bread with your fingers or using a fork to make a cavity. 
Pour the soup inside the bread.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk minced
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 dry bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- salt pepper, to taste
- 6 cups broccoli cut into florets and 1 ½ inch pieces(3 broccoli crowns with the stems)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese grated
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium or large cooking pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the flour and mix it until it's completely incorporated. Cook it for about a minute to get the raw flour taste cooked out.
- Add the chicken broth and the half n half, mixing until it's smooth. Add the bay leaf and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened. Discard the bay leaf.
- Add the broccoli and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender too.
- Add the cheese to the soup and mix it until it melts.
- Pulse the soup in a blender in batches until it is the consistency that you like; you can make it completely smooth or chunky. I like to set aside some of the cooked broccoli florets to add to the soup.
- Cut a circle off the top of some small boules. Take out the inside of the bread with your fingers or using a fork to make a cavity. Pour the soup inside the bread.
I LOVE this soup! Thank you so much for the recipe, I already cooked it like 4 times and now hosting a family dinner for my parents and siblings to try. Love this recipe, it's delicious!
Quick question, for cheddar cheese does it mean I need to buy 16 oz of cheese or will I just measure out 2 cups as I shred it?
That's awesome, Maryna. Thanks for your feedback.
2 cups of cheese is actually 8 oz, not 16. But the amount of cheese is totally up to you. Add as much or as little as you prefer.
This is some of the most amazing soup I've ever had. I have a homesteading blog and I made it with some of the fresh veggies from my garden. May I share it as part of a recipe roundup?
Can I use fat free 1/2 & 1/2 ?
I don't know, Renee. I've never used fat free half n half.
made this today... delicious! pinned!
Thanks for taking time to write and let me know. I love hearing feedback. And thank you so much for pinning - I really appreciate it.
Hi, Olga, may i use milk instead of Half & half? thank you so much in advance
I wouldn't recommend it, Yulia, because the milk has a lot less fat content, in which case the milk might curdle.
Hi Olga, I came via Pintrest to see your soup recipe which looks amazing! I'm going to try it tomorrow!
Welcome, Sami! I hope you enjoy the soup:).
First, you are adorable! I love reading your stories as they relate to your recipe. I love this soup too and have tried different recipes 4-5 times. They were a disaster! I love Panera's soup but don't like the price of a quart! I am going to try yours tomorrow!
Thank you, Tracee! I really hope you enjoy the soup. I would love to hear what you think once you try it.
Just made this with my toddler. He loves breaking apart the broccoli 🙂 so delicious too!! Thanks for the great recipe.
That's so sweet! You must enjoy having your great little helper. I'm so glad you enjoyed the soup, Enessa.
Olga, Can I use Heavy Whipping cream instead of the half and half. I know it has a thicker constistency, but would it work? I have some in my fridge now. Thanks!
Yes, you can, Liz. It should be just as delicious.
Made it this morning! "Just like panera bread" stated my husband. I also made the bread bowls! Yummy! I ommited nutmeg (didn't have any). Taste was still amazing! Thank you Olga! Gods Blessings for your family!
Hi Olya!
Good for you for making the bread bowls too:). That's great that you all enjoyed the soup.
This is totally everyone's favorite soup! Broccoli and cheddar were practically made for each other. Yum 🙂
Will you be posting the instructions for the bread bowl tomorrow?! (I just don't think I could properly enjoy it without the bread bowl!)
Nope, I just bought the bread in a local grocery store, Doug:). You're right, the bread bowl is great with this soup.
This is practically my favorite soup!
That's great, Anna. I guess that's something we have in common:).
Wow Olga this sure looks delicious! I do love the bread you found! It looks perfect! Pinning! 🙂
Thanks, Natasha! I thought it looked adorable; couldn't pass it up. I might be weird, but I get strangely excited when I go grocery shopping:). I get so many great ideas and walk through the aisles with a silly grin on my face:).
Thank you so much for posting this! I've been looking for a great recipe and the one time I tried making it, it was not good. I can't wait to finally try your version!
I really hope you like this one, Tanya:). I'd love to hear what you think once you try it.