Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Updated Mar 06, 2026
Lightened-up Broccoli Cheddar Soup made with roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, milk, and cheddar for a creamy texture without heavy cream.
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Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, but healthier!
I like broccoli and cheese soup, but sometimes it ends up feeling heavier than I want, especially for a regular weeknight. This healthier broccoli and cheese soup version is the one I make when I want those same flavors without it turning into a bowl of just cream and cheese.
Instead of relying on cream, the base is made from roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions that get blended until smooth. That’s what gives the soup its creamy texture. Then I stir in roasted broccoli, a little cheddar, and milk to finish it. It still has that broccoli and cheddar soup feel, just a little lighter and made mostly with vegetables.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Ingredients
- Cheddar cheese & milk: The cheddar gives it the classic broccoli cheese flavor, but just a small amount is enough. I stir the cheese in at the end so it melts smoothly. The milk helps loosen the soup and keeps the texture creamy.
- Broccoli: I roast the broccoli separately so it keeps its flavor and doesn’t turn dull or overcooked in the soup. After blending the base, I pulse the broccoli in just a few times so you still get small pieces instead of completely smooth soup.
- Soup base: Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, and onion. These get roasted first and then blended, which is what makes the soup creamy without needing heavy cream. Yukon Golds work best because they blend smoothly. Try to slice the vegetables fairly evenly so they roast at the same rate.
- Olive oil, salt & black pepper: These season the vegetables before roasting so the flavor builds from the start. I divide the seasoning between the vegetable batches so everything gets coated evenly.
- Spices: Paprika and mustard powder. These give the soup a little depth without making it spicy. The mustard powder is subtle but helps bring out the cheese flavor.
- Vegetable broth: This is the main liquid for the soup. I use low-sodium broth so I can control the salt level. If the soup ends up thicker than you like, you can add a splash more broth when blending.
How to Make Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
This healthy broccoli and cheese soup comes together in a few simple steps. Roasting the vegetables first builds flavor and helps create a naturally creamy base once everything is blended.
Roast the Vegetables
Make the Soup
Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Recipe
Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup made with roasted vegetables, potatoes, and a little cheddar for a creamy texture without heavy cream.
Video
Ingredients
- 4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1 small head broccoli cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for serving
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Arrange the potatoes, carrots and onions on the baking dish, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- In another small baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add the broccoli, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and season with remaining salt and pepper; toss to combine. Roast the broccoli for 10 minutes.
- Transfer all the vegetables, except for the broccoli to a deep pot. Season with paprika and mustard powder and toss to combine. Pour the vegetable broth over the roasted vegetables and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes. Blend using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Add the broccoli and pulse a few times to incorporate the broccoli. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese and milk.
- Serve warm with extra cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
My Top Tip: Add dairy off the heat. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the milk and cheese. The residual heat will melt the cheese and warm the milk without the risk of anything splitting or curdling.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. It will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
Freezing: Place the cooled soup into ziplock bags or a freezer-safe container, and it will keep well for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 1115mg, Potassium: 996mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 9230IU, Vitamin C: 155.1mg, Calcium: 204mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the texture. I like to blend this pretty smooth, but if you like a more rustic soup, you can just blend half of the contents for a more stew-like consistency.
- Add a little acid. Adding a splash of lemon juice or even your favorite vinegar right at the end can really brighten up this soup. Start with 1 teaspoon, then add more to taste.
- Char the broccoli. The recipe calls for just slightly roasting the broccoli but for more depth of flavor, cook it for about 20 minutes, or until it starts to char. It will give the soup a deeper flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Use a semi-starchy/waxy potato over waxy ones in this recipe. Starchy potatoes will break down and create a creamier texture. I like to use Yukon Gold, and Russet would also work well.
- Cook the vegetables in the pot instead of roasting them. To limit use of extra dishes and the oven, you can also cook the onions, carrots and potatoes in the pot until tender (about 10 minutes) and then add the broth in.
Serving Ideas
- Bread: Olive Bread, Rosemary Focaccia, or Garlic Bread
- Salad: Kale Caesar Salad, Garden Salad, or Mixed Green Salad
Comments
I’ve been making this recipe for years, so I figured it was finally time I sing its praises as I make it again for dinner tonight. The potatoes make it very filling, plus I’ve been able to pass this recipe along to several friends with dairy issues and they’ve used vegan cheese and it works well! I love to serve it with a hunk of freshly baked bread as a hearty and comforting dinner, or I’ve had great success freezing it into individual servings for an easy and tasty lunch. Thanks for an awesome recipe that I will continue to cook for many more years to come!!
Aww thank you so much, Ava!! So happy you love the soup and find it comforting and filling! Love to hear that your dairy-free friends also like the recipe!
Today was the perfect day to make this as it was snowing in NY. Loved it and so yummy! Toasted a few pieces of sourdough bread alongside it.
I’ve yet to buy an immersion blender so used my food processor. It came out just fine but I think with the immersion blender it might’ve come out creamier so will try it that way next time.
Aww, that sounds like an amazing snowy day at home!! So happy you loved the soup, Leia! I hope you like it even more once you try it with an immersion blender!
Another delicious and easy recipe from Yumma! Does this freeze well?
Thank you, LC! Yes, this soup does freeze well. Place the cooled soup into ziplock bags or a freezer-safe container; it will keep well for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight to reheat.
Thank you for this helpful tip!
One Pot soup and Full of Flavor 🙂
We had this soup for lunch today, with chicken broth instead. I opted for my Instant Pot instead of using the stove top because I wanted to take advantage of the one pot/keep warm features.
So instead of baking the veggies, I used the SAUTE to warm/season/soften them (except the broccoli), then added the broth and let it boil while I did the dishes 😀
This worked to soften them up enough for my handheld immersion blender. This is one of my favorite kitchen tools.
What about the broccoli? I added them after blending, and set my Instant Pot to ‘simmer’ (sauté on low) with the glass lid on, while I did more dishes 😀
I tested a broccoli to make sure it was soft, and voila! More blending.
Other than these modifications, I followed the ingredients as stated, and found this soup perfectly flavorful. Our son said “it’s like a party in my mouth!”
Thanks for another great recipe.
I’m so happy your son thought this soup was a party in his mouth!! That’s amazing! Thank you so much for the kind words, Linda. I’m glad you and you family loved the recipe!
If you want to use nutritional yeast for the 1/2 cheese do you know the conversion?
I’d start with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and add more to taste as needed.
Another great soup recipe. Soup is so good even without the cheddar cheese which I didn’t use because I ran out. I would think it’s even better with cheese. Thank you Yumna for taking the mystery out of the soups I love to order at Panera. Your soups are superb!
Maybe I am missing it but at what point do you add the paprika and mustard powder?
Hi Nicole, so sorry for the oversight! The recipe has been updated. I hope you enjoy!
can i cook the vegetables the day before making the soup?
Hi Ida! You sure can – just store it in an air-tight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the soup. Hope you enjoy!
First off, I’m obsessed with your recipes. They’ve been a hit every time! Thank you! This one turned out ok for me. I used a block of grass fed cheddar bc that’s what I had on hand. Kind of a mild different flavor – but I really think the soup would have turned out a bit better if i had used a sharp cheddar instead. Just wanted to mention for people who read the comments looking for suggestions. Haha
Thank you so much! The kind of cheese can definitely make a difference. Thank you for the suggestion!
I made this recipe & it’s delicious! My husband requested more cheese, but I didn’t think it needed anything else! It tastes even better the next day. Will be making this for lunch when I have my friends over!
Thank you! That’s so great to hear!
Yumna please create an application with all your recipes
I keep googling your recipes.
You can search for them on my website – hope it’s easier to find that way!
My broccoli had gone bad so I used cauliflower in place and it was absolutely delicious (and side note I’m not a big cauliflower fan). Topped with a few oyster crackers instead of cheese. Yummy Goodness. Thank you for the recipe 🌸💕🌸
Oh I love that!! I think you just inspired me to make cauliflower and cheese soup for the blog!
I made this soup and it is AMAZING..!!! I love following you on Instagram and I’ve tried a few of your recipes so far with all 5 stars. My sister just made some and she can’t believe how delicious this is.
Aww I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I tried your broccoli cheese soup and I about died!!! 😍 it was amazing! My husband isn’t usually a soup fan, so I chopped up some bacon, fried it and threw it on top for some crumbles and he loved it all! It’s a winner for my household 🙌🏼
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing!
Looks incredible Yumna, you did it again!! Can’t wait to try.
Thanks so much! Hope you like it!
Incredible recipe! I cut up a chicken breast and added that in and it tastes amazing! This soup is definitely a new favorite!!!
So happy to hear that!! Thank you!
Another easy, healthy, delicious recipe! Thank you,
(??? is it freezeable???)
Thank you so much! And yes you can definitely freeze it as long as you don’t put any cheese or dairy in it because that can affect the texture of it. Thank you!
I love creamy soups but I can’t handle dairy and my husband doesn’t like any nut milks. This is the perfect compromise! Creamy but no dairy! Yum yum!!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup and the creamy soup without any cream or nut-milk! Thanks for sharing!
What a fantastic soup! Thank you so much!
Yay! So glad you loved it 🙂
delicious
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Though not a broccoli fan, am going to try this seemingly delicious recipe