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This Healthy Broccoli and Cheese Soup is inspired by vegan cheese dip, which is made by pureeing potatoes and carrots. Combined, they create a velvety smooth texture and rich yellow color that looks like cheese, which lightens up this classic soup recipe while still keeping it hearty and delicious!
This Healthy Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup recipe takes a much-loved classic and gives it a nutritious twist, combining a hearty medley of roasted veggies with a rich cheddar cheese melt.
The key to this broccoli cheddar soup’s appeal lies in its preparation. It starts by roasting the vegetables, which brings out their sweet and earthy flavors, adding depth and complexity to the soup. The incorporation of Yukon yellow potatoes and a dash of milk ensures the soup is wonderfully creamy and filling, without the need for heavy cream. The pièce de résistance is the generous sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, melting seamlessly into the soup for that irresistible tang and creaminess. Every spoonful of this soup feels like a warm, comforting hug that not only satisfies your taste buds but also nourishes your body.
Why You’ll Love This Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Nutrient-Packed: Made with a variety of vegetables, this broccoli cheddar soup is brimming with essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. From vitamin-packed broccoli and carrots to heart-healthy olive oil, this recipe is as good for you as it is tasty.
- Versatile: While this recipe suggests Yukon potatoes, carrots, onions, and broccoli, feel free to mix it up with your favorite veggies or whatever you have on hand. The recipe is flexible and forgiving.
- Easy to Make: With straightforward steps and the use of an immersion blender, this broccoli cheese recipe is a cinch to pull together, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Indulgent yet Healthy: With a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese, this soup feels indulgent but is much healthier than many creamy soups.
- Hearty and Filling: This soup is satisfyingly hearty and filling, perfect for a standalone lunch or dinner.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make a large batch of this broccoli cheese soup and freeze portions for a quick, healthy meal any time you need it.
How to make broccoli and cheese soup
Roast the vegetables
Start by roasting one tray of the broccoli and another tray of the onions, potatoes and carrots. Roasting them gives a cozy and caramelized notes to deepen the flavor of the soup. You can also just sauté the onions with the carrots and potatoes in the pot if you prefer.
cook everything in a pot
- Once the vegetables are roasted, transfer just the onions, potatoes and carrots to the pot. And add the seasoning.
- Pour vegetable or chicken broth on top. My vegetable broth is very orange so it does lend an orange hue to the recipe. Chicken broth will look much lighter.
- Use an immersion blender to blend everything together to create a cheese-like soup base.
- Add the roasted broccoli to the pot and then use an immersion blender again to roughly chop the broccoli.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese and milk for a balanced creamy and cheesy taste.
- Stir until it’s all heated through, and then it’s ready to be served!
Tips for making homemade broccoli cheese soup
- Use starchy potatoes rather than waxy 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.
- Use an immersion blender to create a smooth and creamy soup. You can also use a stand blender, and blend it in portions, but this can take more time and create more dishes to wash.
- 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 for 6-8 minutes and then add the broth in.
- Use nutritional yeast instead of cheddar cheese to keep it vegan. Nutritional yeast offers some umami and “cheesy” flavor as well as an added yellow color to the soup.
Frequently asked questions
Roasting the vegetables helps to bring out their natural flavors and sweetness so much more than boiling them with the soup liquid. It takes a little longer this way, but it’s definitely worth it.
Soup is one of my favorite dishes for meal prep. Allow the soup to cool and then transfer it to a covered container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days and can be gently reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave to serve.
Yes! Soup is great for freezer meals. I often make double batches! Place the cooled soup into ziplock bags or a safe container and it will keep well for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.
This broccoli and cheese soup will feel like a lightened up version of the classic soup with all the flavors we crave in winter and that cheesy goodness.
For more soup recipes, check out:
- Broccoli and Pea Soup
- Lemon Rice Soup
- Healthy Potato Leek Soup
- Tomato Cabbage Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup
- Lentil Kale Soup
If you’ve tried this feel good Broccoli and Cheese Soup recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
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 blend using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Add the broccoli and pulse a few times to incorporate the broccoli. Stir in cheddar cheese and milk.
- Serve warm with extra cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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