Soup is so good! What I love most about soup is that it is a comfort food that is also nutritious. Soup contains healthy protein and collagen from the broth (if it’s made from meat) and is usually an easy way to get lots of antioxidant-rich vegetables in the diet. This broccoli cheddar soup is the perfect healthy comfort food.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
There’s something decadent about this broccoli cheddar soup that makes it feel like a huge treat. The cheese and milk make it creamy and delicious but also offer a lot of healthy fats.
This soup pairs well with a salad or small appetizers like smoked salmon dip and raw veggies. You could even try a grain-free flatbread dipped in the soup.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This soup is very simple to make. First, I cooked the aromatics. Then I added in the cassava flour to make a nice roux. Next, I added the vegetables to cook down and finally the cheese and milk. Very simple and (very!) delicious.
You can use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe. If you choose fresh, it may take a few extra minutes to soften. If you have leftover broccoli from another meal, you can use that in place of fresh or frozen. Just wait to add it until the other vegetables have cooked for a few minutes.
Also, I find that shredding the carrot in a food processor is the easiest way to go. I may even shred some extra for another meal (it’s perfect on top of a salad).
While this recipe is easy to make, if you are limited with your time or ingredients, you can also try my go-to Broccoli Cheddar soup from Kettle and Fire as a quick meal.
Want More? Other Comfort Soup Recipes to Try
If you love savory soup as I do, you’ll love these other recipes:
- Vietnamese Pho (With Zucchini Noodles) – This updated version of the classic Vietnamese dish may not be authentic, but with zucchini noodles instead of rice noodles it’s healthy and tasty.
- Soothing Roasted Garlic Soup Recipe – Garlic is a potent cold remedy, and in this soup, it’s also amazing comfort food.
- Egg Drop Soup – My kids call this “breakfast soup” since it contains eggs. I love that it’s easy to make with kitchen staples I almost always have on hand.
- Chicken Vegetable Soup – This recipe is perfect for when you’re under the weather and need an immune boost, but it’s also excellent whenever you want something warm and umami.
- Authentic French Onion Soup – The classic soup with a healthy twist
Next I want to try this Chicken Pot Pie Soup from 40 Aprons!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 TBSP butter (or coconut oil, divided)
- ½ medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 TBSP cassava flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 6 cups fresh or frozen broccoli (chopped)
- 1 cup carrots (grated)
- 1 stalk celery (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups milk (or coconut milk)
- 2 ½ cups sharp Cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Dice the onion, add it to the melted butter, and saute for 3 minutes.
- While the onion is cooking mince the garlic.
- Add the garlic to the pan and saute for and additional 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining butter and melt.
- Add cassava flour and whisk to combine.
- Saute 2-3 minutes until a thick roux forms.
- Gradually, whisk the chicken broth into the mixture until all is added.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, and celery and simmer for 20 minutes or vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the milk and shredded cheese and heat over medium low heat until just melted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen broccoli, just make sure it’s chopped into bite-size pieces. Fresh broccoli may need a few minutes longer to cook.
- I find that the easiest way to shred carrots is in a food processor. This makes perfect matchstick size shreds for soup. If you do a large quantity at once, you can freeze them and then just cut off and thaw as much as you need.
Nutrition
Have you ever made broccoli cheddar soup? What is your favorite way to make it?
Have you made this with another thickener besides cassava flour? Regular flour, cornstarch, arrowroot powder, etc.? Cassava isn’t an ingredient I keep around, but the soup sounds amazing!
You can absolutely use another thickener if you’d like. If you choose regular flour just add it in the same place as the cassava in the recipe and in the same quantity. If you go with cornstarch or arrowroot make a slurry with cold water and add it when you add the broth. And use less of it — maybe a couple of tablespoons.
Can you use almond flour for this recipe?
You can, but the consistency might be a little heavier than a cassava-thickened soup would be. I would sprinkle it in a little at a time after adding the milk and cheese.
Does this soup freeze well?
It would if you leave out the cheese. The dairy will separate during thawing etc.