This Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is so good you’ll never miss the flour and heavy cream. Made from a few simple ingredients, easy this soup recipe is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night.

Creamy, light and flavorful, this will be your favorite way to enjoy broccoli cheddar soup from now on. It’s the perfect meal prep item for a busy week.

Healthyish Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Healthyish Foods

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Extra veggies. For this soup recipe, I boiled fresh cauliflower and pureed it in the food processor. This creamy cauliflower replaces the flour and heavy cream that is oftentimes found in creamy soups.

Tastes amazing. Plus, you do not even taste the cauliflower. It’s the perfect way to thicken this soup, add nutrients, and keep it on the lighter side without sacrificing any flavor.

Versatile. Serve this soup with a side of crusty bread, cornbread or crackers. Enjoy for lunch or dinner.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter – For this recipe, I used salted butter. You could substitute olive oil if you’re dairy free. However, the butter adds a lot of flavor.
  • Onion – Use yellow or sweet onion for this recipe. Dice it into small even sized pieces.
  • Broccoli – Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut it into small pieces. You can use the stem if you want or remove it. Either way is fine. Be sure that you have 3 cups of chopped broccoli when you’re done. You’ll also want the broccoli to be the same size. This way it will cook evenly in the pan.
  • Shredded Carrots – Use shredded carrots for this recipe. Roughly chop the carrots before adding them to the pan. This way you’ll have small, easy to eat pieces versus long matchsticks. Option to grate fresh carrots instead.
  • Broth – Use chicken flavored bone broth for this recipe. You can also use low sodium chicken broth if you prefer.
  • Milk – For this recipe, I used 2% milk. You could use whole milk but the 2% milk works perfectly. If you’re dairy free you can try a dairy free alternative.
  • Cauliflower – Boil a pot of water and cook the cauliflower until it is fork tender. Drain off the water and add the softened cauliflower to the food processor. Buzz the cauliflower until it is smooth and creamy.
  • Cheese – I like using mild shredded cheddar cheese for this recipe. It melts quickly and adds the perfect amount of cheese flavor.
  • Seasonings – Simple kosher salt and cracked black pepper are perfect for this soup. It enhances the flavor without taking away from the broccoli and cheddar.

Variations

  • Add more flavor. If you want, you can add minced garlic to the soup. Add this when you’re sautéing the onions.
  • Add protein. Add shredded chicken for a punch of protein or try my Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe. It’s delicious.
  • Make it spicy. If you love a little spice try adding a few shakes of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Healthyish Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Healthyish Foods

How to Make

Puree the Cauliflower

  • Boil a pot or water and cook the cauliflower florets until fork tender. Drain off the water and add the fork tender cauliflower to a food processor. Buzz until smooth and creamy, no lumps. Set aside.

Make the Soup

  • Place a pot over medium high heat. Add the butter. Once it melted, add the diced onions and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Saute until the onions are translucent, then add the chopped broccoli florets and julienned carrots. Saute.
  • Once the broccoli and carrots are soft but not browned, deglaze with the chicken broth. Next, add the milk. Stir well. Then, add the cauliflower puree and let everything simmer. Once it reduces add the shredded cheese. Simmer the soup until it reaches your preferred thickness. If it gets too thick, add a splash more broth. Serve hot and enjoy.

Storage

  • Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat soup in the microwave until heated through. Option to reheat this soup in a soup pot on the stovetop as well. If it is too thick, simply add a small amount of chicken broth or water to help loosen it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if my soup is too thin?

Simmer it on the stovetop uncovered and let it reduce to your desired thickness.

Can I add other ingredients?

Yes! Try adding more vegetable, protein, beans or whatever you enjoy most.

Other Soup Recipes to Consider Trying

Healthyish Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Healthyish Foods

Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is so good you’ll never miss the flour and heavy cream. Made from a few simple ingredients, easy this soup recipe is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night.
4.67 from 3 votes
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Equipment

  • 1 pot to boil cauliflower
  • 1 colander
  • 1 blender or food processor
  • 1 3.5 quart soup pot

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, or olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet onion, diced small
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups broccoli florets, remove stems, dice small
  • 1 cup carrots, shredded or grated
  • 2.5 cups chicken bone broth, or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 24 ounces cauliflower florets, boiled, drained and pureed
  • 2 – 2.5 cups mild shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions 

Puree the Cauliflower

  • Boil a pot or water and cook the cauliflower florets until fork tender. Drain off the water and add the fork tender cauliflower to a food processor. Buzz until smooth and creamy, no lumps. Set aside.

Make the Soup

  • Place a pot over medium high heat. Add the butter. Once it melted, add the diced onions and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Saute until the onions are translucent, then add the chopped broccoli florets and julienned carrots. Saute.
  • Once the broccoli and carrots are soft but not browned, deglaze with the chicken broth. Next, add the milk. Stir well. Then, add the cauliflower puree and let everything simmer. Once it reduces add the shredded cheese. Simmer the soup until it reaches your preferred thickness. If it gets too thick, add a splash more broth. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat soup in the microwave until heated through. Option to reheat this soup in a soup pot on the stovetop as well. If it is too thick, simply add a small amount of chicken broth or water to help loosen it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 274kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 724mg, Potassium: 686mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 4384IU, Vitamin C: 98mg, Calcium: 377mg, Iron: 1mg