The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

Well, Hello! I know. It’s been more than a minute since I’ve shared a recipe with you! I’m hoping The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup will grant forgiveness for staying away for such a long time! It’s what the world needs right now! A giant steaming bowl filled with fresh veggies floating in a rich and cheesy {but not tooooooo cheesy} broth makes everything a little more tolerable! It’s a giant hug in a bowl from me to you!

Not only is this broccoli cheese soup quick and easy to make, but it’s also forgiving as to what you put in it. No fresh broccoli on hand? No problem! Use frozen! The base for this soup is so flavorful you could pretty much use a variety of vegetables in place of the broccoli, and this soup will still be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Going to the grocery store is stressful, and by no means do I want to encourage anyone to go there! Use what you have on hand. Stay home. Pour a GIANT glass of wine! Light a candle. Take a deep breath. Get the soup pot out!

Jeff made a grocery run for us a few weeks ago {Sorry, Jeff!}. Thankfully, he came home with a couple of bags of broccoli! Honestly, at that moment I felt like we had won the freakin’ lottery!! We happily used them in place of lettuce for a salad. We roasted them with onions and mushrooms and served them alongside pasta with alfredo sauce. And then, halfway through the second bag, the florets started to look a little blah. I knew it was time to make some broccoli cheese soup! Our taste buds were happy and our bellies were full! In these moments, we can’t ask for anything more!

While we’re sheltering-in-place I have two things I look forward to every day.

1. First things first! I must have coffee! Mmhmm, I am a girl that cannot form a complete sentence without it! Sometimes, under the influence of caffeine, I still have problems!
2. Happy Hour!!! Also, non-negotiable! Anytime between noon and 4 p.m. is completely acceptable. In case you were wondering, my drink of choice is a Spicy Mexican Mule { reposado tequila, Q ginger beer, lime juice, and a sprinkle of chipotle powder on top~ delish!}

Now that this broccoli cheese soup is in heavy rotation at our house it gives me one more thing to look forward to! What are the treats you look forward to these days? I’m thinking about ordering a jigsaw puzzle. I saw this one and loved the soothing subject. Besides, I could finally (!!!) display a plant that our cat, Cabernet, couldn’t eat! Ha! Well, unless she stole one of the puzzle pieces… Yes, she will steal the pieces, and I’ll find them months from now under the couch or in some other random location. Okay, maybe the jigsaw puzzle isn’t a good idea after all!

For now, I’ll stick to tinkering with recipes and enjoying a drink or two with my own personal Instacart {AKA Jeff!}! Let me know in the comments what type of recipes you would like to see here on Yums & Kisses! Be safe! Stay healthy! I’ll be back soon! I have more delicious recipes I can’t wait to share with you! Take care! ❤️Heidi

P.S. The links I promoted are not affiliate links. I receive no compensation from the parties I promote. I just like to share the things I love! 💕

The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

---

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Heidi Clark~Yums & Kisses
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This broccoli cheese soup truly is The Best!! It’s a hug in a bowl!  Full of fresh {or frozen} broccoli, spices, and a velvety cheesy broth!  It’s delicious, budget-friendly, and freezes beautifully!

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper, to taste

1 cup water

3 cups whole milk

4–5 cups broccoli florets

1/2 cup minced red, yellow or orange bell peppers

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 

1 Tablespoon hot sauce {I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce}

2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar, plus more for serving

1/3 cup grated carrot {about one carrot}

garnishes:

more shredded cheddar cheese

minced chives or scallions

---

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  When hot, add the diced onion.  Season with salt and pepper. Saute the onion for 4 minutes. 
2. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for a minute longer. 
3. Stir in the flour and continue to stir, cooking the onion/flour mixture over medium heat for two minutes.
4. Add the milk, water, broccoli, spices, hot sauce and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the mixture to a slight boil and turn the heat to medium-low.  Stirring frequently, simmer the soup, uncovered, for 20 minutes.  The soup will thicken during this step.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese and carrot. 
6. Return the pot to the stovetop and continue to cook over medium-low heat until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is hot.  Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. 
7. Serve garnished with minced chives and more shredded cheddar cheese.  Enjoy!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: broccoli cheese soup, broccoli, cheese, soup