Name: Homemade Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 stick butter; 1 onion (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 4 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 cups half and half; 2 cups chicken broth; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 3 cups broccoli (chopped); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 8 oz cheddar cheese (shredded); 1/3 cup carrots (shredded)

Craving a hearty bowl of Cheddar Broccoli Soup, but don’t want to pay the hefty price for just a single serving? With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a whole pot at home in just 30 minutes.

A wooden cutting board with a white bowl of just make homemade broccoli soup, topped wtih cheese and homemade crutons with a green paisley napkin next to it and some fresh chopped broccoli

When the weather is cold outside, there is nothing better to me than a warm bowl of homemade soup served from my own kitchen. Cheddar Broccoli Soup has been a favorite of mine for a long time. If this soup was the soup of the day at a restaurant I was sure to have it. Why then, have I never made it myself? If I knew it was THIS EASY, I would have done this years ago (and saved myself some money, that’s for sure….).

You only need one stockpot and a cutting board.

A pretty table with a wooden cutting board, a white stockpot, and a black laddle ready to make soup

I always thought homemade soup would be complicated. Some soups do require a bit more prep on the front end, but this one is pretty easy. Chopping is only required for onion and broccoli. All of the other ingredients just get dumped in the pot. Why haven’t I done this sooner? (Did I already say that?)

Most of the ingredients are already in your pantry, and prep time is less than 15 minutes.

A pretty table covered in colored measuring cups of chopped broccoli, chopped onion, butter and flour ready to make broccoli soup

Besides the broccoli and half and half, I already had all of this on hand. As a bushel of broccoli always comes with WAY more than anyone needs for a single recipe, I do my best to come up with several broccoli recipes for the week to use it all up. (I hate wasted food!)

Looking for other broccoli recipes?

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Use chopped broccoli and chicken with a mix of simple ingredients and two cans of crescent rolls to make this beautiful and delicious braid.

This Cheddar Broccoli Soup makes enough to share or reheat again later.

A close up pic of a white stock pot with a laddle of fresh homemade broccoli cheddar soup ready to eat

Don’t want to eat it over and over? As good as this Homemade Cheddar Broccoli Soup is, you might not be a fan of leftovers. Don’t worry – it freezes well. Just add a few ladles of it into a freezer bag or container and you have a quick lunch for later when you are craving it again.

I am always so tempted to just stop for take-out when I am craving a favorite dish – but is it really always necessary? For the price of 2 bowls of soup from the restaurant I can make a whole pot that lasts me for days.

Here’s all you need to make this Homemade Broccoli-Cheddar Soup:

1/2 stick salted butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons (T) all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon (tsp) nutmeg
3 cups of chopped broccoli
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Here are the 6 easy steps:

step 1:

Melt 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) salted butter over medium heat in stock pot.

A stovetop with a white stock pot of melted butter next to measured out chopped ingredients ready to make broccoli soup

step 2:

Add 1/2 medium chopped onion and 2 cloves minced garlic, cooking until onion is soft and translucent.

A white stock pot with a wooden spoon cooking chopped onion and melted butter to make soup

step 3:

Stir in 4 tablespoons (T) flour, cooking 1 minute until mixture is thick.

A white stck pot of cooked onions an butter with some added flour to thicken

step 4:

Pour in 2 cups chicken broth, 3 cups chopped broccoli, 1/3 cup carrots, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes until warmed through.

A white stockpot on a cooktop of soup mixture containing chopped broccoli, carrots, onions and spices

step 5:

Add 2 cups half and half and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bring to a boil.

step 6:

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

A white stock pot of simmering fresh broccoli cheddar soup with a lid on with a wooden knob

Optional: If you don’t care for chunks of broccoli, you can puree the soup in a food processor until smooth, then return to the pot and reheat.

Homemade croutons are my favorite soup topper and can be done in 15 minutes.

A parchment covered baking sheet topped with fresh baked homemade crutons

Homemade Croutons can be made with these few simple ingredients:

Italian loaf bread (I got this from Walmart Bakery for $1.00!)
4 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. parsley

Just a few simple steps:

A small white ramekin of melted butter and spices with a basting brush ready to top some bread chunks to make homemade crutons

step 1:

Cut up a few thick slices of Italian loaf bread into 1/2 inch chunks (about 30-35 pieces). Arrange on a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

step 2:

Melt 4 tsp. salted butter.

step 3:

Add 2 tsp. olive oil to melted butter.

step 4:

Add in your seasonings: 1/2 tsp each of Italian seasoning, garlic salt and parsley.

step 5:

Using a basting brush, coat the pieces of bread with the butter mixture until well coated.

step 6:

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

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Homemade Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Stop buying this soup at the restaurant when you can make this with a few simple ingredients and one stockpot!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Broccoli, Cheese, Easy homemade lunches, Homemade, One pot meals, Soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 4

Cost $10

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cups broccoli chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
1/3 cup carrots shredded

Instructions

Melt butter in stockpot over medium heat until melted.
Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is soft and translucent.
Add flour. Cook 1 minute until thick.
Add chicken broth, broccoli, carrots, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes on medium until heated through.
Add half and half and cheddar cheese. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.