Shredded Cheddar Broccoli Soup with Croutons
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What could be better than cheddar broccoli soup when you want a bowl of comfort food? It’s one of those homemade soup recipes that deliver a pleasurable one-two combo of creaminess and tangy-rich flavor. Ladle this hearty soup into bowls, and top with toasty sourdough croutons to make it a meal!
For this cheesy broccoli soup recipe, I craved the ideal thick and velvety consistency of my childhood comfort food. But! I wanted to create a version without using a base of butter and flour (a roux).
Mostly, it’s because I’m not a big fan of cream soups thickened with flour. The dealbreaker for me comes down to texture — they feel dense and paste-like to my palate.
Instead, I used my favorite simple workaround: A thought-out ratio of liquid to solids. It’s really kind of magical! Broccoli cheese soup is all about those two ingredients. Once the soft shreds of cheddar melt into the hot, puréed soup, I add a small amount of heavy cream to add the final touch of luxe.
Ingredient rundown
- Broccoli: You’ll need 8 cups of chopped broccoli (about 1-1/2 pounds trimmed), fresh or frozen. As I tend to repeat in most of my broccoli recipes, if you buy whole bunches, don’t forget to use the tender part of the stems. You don’t need to waste them — the sweet stalks add so much flavor to the soup.
- Cheddar cheese: Basic, young, sharp cheddar melts the best (save premium aged cheddar for your cheese board). Pre-shredded cheddar cheese is the most convenient to shop for — or you can grate a block of cheddar cheese on a box grater. As for color of the cheddar, I gravitate toward white cheddar. I think it’s because I grew up in New England, where it’s more traditional. In the Midwest and other regions in U.S, cheddar comes in shades of orange from the addition of annatto food coloring.
- Broth: I recommend using a good-quality broth, like homemade vegetable broth or chicken broth. The cheese itself contains plenty of salt, so consider low-sodium broth or even plain water as an option.
- Aromatics: The base of this soup is simply chopped onion and some sliced garlic. Other ideas for seasoning: Toss in a diced carrot, a dash of cayenne pepper, or ground nutmeg.
- Bread: Crunchy toasted croutons are the finishing touch — you get the bread right in your bowl. Use your favorite sourdough loaf or a crusty baguette to make them.
Recipe steps
1. Croutons: Toss cubed bread with olive oil and dried herbs on a baking sheet. Toast at 375F until golden and crisp. 2. Cut the broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces. Don’t forget to dice the tender stems! 3. Soften chopped onion and garlic with olive oil, in a 4-5 quart pot.
4. Add the broccoli to the pot with 5 cups broth. 5. Simmer 15 minutes, or until the broccoli pieces are tender to the bite. 6. Scoop out some of the whole broccoli. Puree the rest of the soup until smooth.
7. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese and heavy cream over low heat. 8. Add the reserved broccoli. 9. Divide the soup into serving bowls. Top each with more cheese and some croutons.
Shredded Cheddar Broccoli Soup with Toasted Croutons
Equipment
Ingredients
Cheddar broccoli soup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped onion, about 1 large onion
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 8 cups (680 g) chopped broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, and tender stems diced (1½-2 pounds). Frozen broccoli is fine, too.
- 5-6 cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups (340 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, (12 ounces)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, optional
Croutons
- 2 cups 1-inch cubed baguette, or similar crusty bread
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, or other dried herb blend
Instructions
For the croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
- Put the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the herbs over the bread. Toss to combine. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the cubes are crisp and golden. Store the croutons in a covered container at room temperature up to 5 days.
Cook the soup
- Stir the olive oil, onions and garlic together in a 4-5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook until the onions are softened, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, 5 cups broth, 1½ teaspoons salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium. Cook 15-20 minutes, partially covered, until the broccoli is tender.
- Puree with an immersion blender: Scoop out 1½ cups of the broccoli with a slotted spoon into a measuring cup or bowl and reserve. Puree the rest of the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Puree with a standing blender: Remove half the soup and transfer to a blender (be sure not to overfill to avoid it spilling over). Return to the pot.After pureeing, you can drizzle in more of the remaining 1 cup of the broth to reach a the consistency you like.
- Over low heat, stir in the cream and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese to the soup. Stir until the cheese melts. Add in the reserved broccoli and stir it in.
- Serve the soup in bowls, sprinkled with additional shredded cheddar and some of the croutons.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- The soup keeps up to 5 days refrigerated and 1 month in the freezer.
- I enjoy enriching the soup with a small amount of heavy cream, but it can be omitted.
- Keeping in mind the salt content of the cheese, consider homemade broth, a store-bought low-sodium broth, or even plain water as an option for the liquid if you have concerns about sodium.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.