I personally believe that Broccoli Cheddar Soup is in my Top 2 list of ultimate soups. It’s great for a Meatless Monday/any day, it’s cheesy, warm, and filled with my favorite vegetable! I lightened this recipe up a bit by using coconut cream instead of full-fat cream. You’re going to quickly devour a huge bowl of this soup, guaranteed!
Soup season is here, and I’m sharing one of my favorites with y’all – Broccoli Cheddar Soup!
My favorite vegetable is broccoli, so maybe I’m a bit biased… but I love having a big, hot bowl of Broccoli Cheddar Soup especially when it’s cold or rainy outside. This recipe is great because I used one of my tricks to lighten up meals – coconut milk. By replacing heavy cream/half and half with coconut milk, you get fewer calories without even realizing the swap.
Ingredients
- Roux – We make a basic roux out of butter & all-purpose flour as the start of our soup.
- Coconut Milk – Most broccoli cheddar soups have heavy cream in them, but I’m lightening up the recipe a bit and subbing that for coconut cream. I promise you won’t be able to taste it at all.
- Vegetable Broth – Veggie broth (low-sodium if you have it) helps round out our soup base with tons of flavor. But don’t worry, we still add in our own blend of seasonings!
- Broccoli Florets – It wouldn’t be broccoli cheddar soup without the main star. You can either cut these yourself or buy the refrigerated bag of florets to save a few minutes.
- Cheddar Cheese – I know it seems like a lot, but I really encourage you to shred your own cheese! Store-bought shredded cheese has preservatives on them that mess up the texture we’re going for. That means your cheese will not melt correctly. Take a block of cheddar and shred it yourself for best results.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup at Home
We start out by making a simple roux using butter and all-purpose flour. Then, we add in the aromatics and let those cook for a few minutes. Next, pour in the liquids and let that simmer so the base broth merges perfectly.
While the broth cooks, it’s the perfect time to chop your broccoli and shred the cheese. I know I know, shredding cheese adds an extra step and dish. But I promise it’s so much better than buying the pre-shredded kind with all of those preservatives, etc… It’ll melt much better this way.
Your last steps are to stir in the cheese and veggies and let everything mingle in the pot for another 10 minutes or so. Serve with extra cheese on top, with grilled cheese, croutons, or biscuits on the side. I’ve made this with or without carrots (for my carrot haters), so I put that veggie in as optional in the recipe card.
I also have a super yummy Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipe in the works – stay tuned! These two are a perfect match for an easy lunch on a cool Fall day.
Other Soups & Salads for a Perfectly Light Meal!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots optional
Instructions
- In the bottom of a soup pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Stir in the flour until combined.
- Stir in the garlic and dijon mustard; sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the coconut milk and veggie broth. Cut down the temperature to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with the listed dry seasonings. Add in the cheddar cheese and cook for another 5 minutes until evenly distributed.
- Stir in the broccoli florets and carrots. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes. Serve with garlic bread or cheddar bay biscuits and enjoy!
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The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $0.77
- Total Cost (6 servings): $4.59
- Those Other Guys: $9.99 per serving
