Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup (2024)

4.67 from 3 votes

Course: Main Course / Starter

Cuisine: Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Author: Chris Collins

Soup

• ▢ 2 large heads of Broccoli (30-32oz/850-900g total)
• ▢ 4 cups / 1 litre Chicken Stock, plus more as needed
• ▢ 2/3 cup / 160ml Heavy/Double Cream, at room temp
• ▢ 2 cups / 200g grated Cheddar, plus more to serve if desired
• ▢ 1 large rib of Celery, finely diced
• ▢ 1 large Carrot, finely diced
• ▢ 1 medium Onion, finely diced
• ▢ 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• ▢ 2 tbsp Butter
• ▢ 3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
• ▢ finely diced Fresh Parsley, to serve (optional)

Croutons

• ▢ 5oz / 150g Baguette, or other firm/thick bread
• ▢ 3-4 tbsp Parmesan
• ▢ 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• ▢ Salt & Pepper, to taste

• Remove the florets from the broccoli and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Slice off any gnarly bits from the stem, then finely dice it.

• Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the broccoli stem, alongside onion, celery and carrot. Fry until everything has softened and has started to tinge golden, then add in the garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer.

• Add in the broccoli florets, then pour in the stock and season with salt & pepper (the stock should barely cover the broccoli). Lower heat, pop on the lid and simmer for around 20mins, or until the broccoli is fork-tender.

• Meanwhile, dice the bread into large bite-sized pieces and place on a large greaseproof baking tray. Toss in a good drizzle of olive oil and a hefty pinch of salt & pepper. Toss in parmesan, then sprinkle more over the top. Bake in the oven at 180C/350F for around 10mins, or until deep golden and visibly crispy. I typically just eyeball the measurements for these!

• Once the broccoli is tender, turn off the heat and use a hand blender to blitz everything until smooth. It should be fairly thick at this point (thicker soup = cheese melts easier). Stir in cream, then stir in the cheese a handful at a time. Adjust seasoning if needed and stir in more stock a splash at a time to thin out if desired.

• Serve soup with croutons and more cheese (optional). Enjoy!

a) Croutons - These are optional, so don't feel like you need them! Also, you can just make regular croutons if you'd prefer. As I mentioned, I tend to just eyeball the measurements and use what I've got on hand. Any sort of thick/firm bread will do the trick (i.e. ciabatta, sourdough etc). Timings will depend on the size of the croutons, so just be vigilant.

b) Soup Consistency - I like my broccoli soup nice and thick, but especially so at the start because the cheese melts through easier. The consistency is very easy to adjust, just slowly add in more stock to thin out or simmer with the lid off the reduce slightly if you go overboard.

c) Cheese - Cheddar is a must! I recommend using a mature/sharp variety, just to punch in the flavour. But if you prefer a more mild cheddar that'll work too.

d) Storage - Allow to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheat in short blasts in the microwave or stir on low heat over the stove. Can also freeze, just thaw in the fridge then reheat as above.

e) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 5 without croutons.

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Nutrition Facts

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 415Calories from Fat 292

% Daily Value*

Fat 32.45g50%

Saturated Fat 19.113g96%

Trans Fat 0.719g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.364g

Monounsaturated Fat 8.442g

Cholesterol 102mg34%

Sodium 769mg32%

Potassium 749mg21%

Carbohydrates 17.95g6%

Fiber 5.7g23%

Sugar 5.89g7%

Protein 17.24g34%

Vitamin A 4646IU93%

Vitamin C 164.2mg199%

Calcium 431mg43%

Iron 1.56mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.