Organic Broccoli Cheese Soup
You’ll love this homemade, organic broccoli cheese soup! Say goodbye to canned soups with Velveeta™ cheese, preservatives and high sodium content. This flavorful broccoli soup has a delicious, sharp cheddar flavor that’s absolutely delicious and a nice creamy, silky texture–ready in 30-minutes!
Let’s face it, some restaurant broccoli cheese soups taste like plastic–as if someone melted five pounds of Velveeta™ cheese and then added a little broccoli. This quick dinner cheese soup has no Velveeta cheese and tastes delicious!
Why you’ll love this easy recipe!
The success of this homemade broccoli cheese soup starts with a basic roux: a combination of fat and flour. This is what contributes to the smooth silkiness of the cheesy broth.
- Quick and easy – ready in less than 30-minutes
- Filling – The creamy soup is a meal in itself! Serve with warm french bread and a crisp green salad
- All natural ingredients – real food; no artificial flavors or colorants, and no Velveeta cheese
- Made with real cheese– healthier than canned or take-out- safe to serve your family
This recipe is actually better and cheaper per unit than Jason’s Deli™ or Panera™ Broccoli Cheddar Cheese soup and you don’t have to get in the car to go get it!
Just a few simple ingredients…I like to serve it with Irish Soda bread or homemade skillet cornbread!
Here’s what you need
Note: for a truly “organic” broccoli cheese soup, you’ll want to buy only certified organic, non-GMO ingredients.
- 2 1/2 cups broccoli
- 3 large carrots
- 2 1/2 cups shredded all natural cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted, butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
How to make it
With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a hearty broccoli cheese soup on the dinner table in no time.
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add a little butter and oil; saute the onions and carrots then, stir in the all-purpose flour and whisk; gradually add milk and broth; continue whisking until there are no lumps in the mixture
Add in the chopped broccoli florets, shredded carrots and bay leaves; bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium or medium-low temperature
Stir in shredded cheese on low heat until the creamy broccoli soup is at your desired consistency
Remove the bay leaves, season to taste with salt and ground black pepper and serve
Recipe tips
- Use block cheese that you shred yourself
- Gradually add the shredded cheese when the broccoli is tender and the temperature is on medium to medium-low heat; continue to stir until the cheese melts completely
- If you add the shredded cheese too soon or, if the soup is really hot, the cheese will get grainy. Avoid this by making sure the soup is warm when you add the cheese – not super hot!
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Frozen or fresh organic broccoli works well in this recipe. If you use frozen, rinse it first before adding it to the broth.
If you use fresh broccoli, it is okay to use some of the upper part of the broccoli stalk in the soup. The stalk adds additional texture, fiber and nutrients.
Chop the broccoli as you like-some prefer big bites of broccoli in their soup, whereas others prefer small bites-it’s your preference!
What type of cheese should I use ?
Use a nice, sharp cheddar cheese that comes in a block.
Pre-shredded cheese is not recommended due to the preservatives added to maintain texture and color. You might consider using a sharp white cheddar, or a combination of Colby/Jack cheese.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a an airtight container. This broccoli cheese soup thickens when stored, so when you’re ready to reheat the souop, I recommend you pour it into a saucepan on low heat; whisk out any cheese clumps; you may have to add a little water or milk.
Freezing is not recommended because the texture of the cheddar cheese changes texture when frozen and turns “grainy.”
Variations
The creamy organic broccoli-cheddar cheese soup serves as a base for many variations: try using chopped asparagus, celery, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, potatoes or…you guessed it….Just plain Cheese Soup!
Chop the vegetables as you would the broccoli and add them after you add the cheese.
If you add potatoes, cut them into cubes and place them in the soup when you add the broth (they take longer to cook than vegetables.)
Related recipes
- Easy Lentil Soup
- Beef Stew with Puff Pastry
- Creamy White Bean Soup
- Southwestern Navy Bean Soup
- Texas Chili
- Skillet Cornbread
- Mexican Black Bean Soup
- How to Fix Over Salted Soups and Stews
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!
Organic Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets use organic ingredients
- 3 medium shredded carrots ,(about 1 cup shredded)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese buy a block; shred it yourself
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ cup olive oil or butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- salt & pepper
Instructions
Prep
- Shred cheese from cheese block and set aside (pre-shredded cheese is not recommended)2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
- Chop onions, broccoli and carrots; set aside2 cups chopped broccoli florets, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, 3 medium shredded carrots
Make the Soup
- In a Dutch oven, or large pot, add oil/butter and bring to medium high heat¼ cup olive oil or butter
- Add chopped onions and carrots and cook 5 minutes or until onions are translucent1 cup chopped yellow onion, 3 medium shredded carrots
- Stirring constantly, add flour to onions and combine; allow to cook for 3 minutes¼ cup flour
- Gradually add milk to onions; stirring constantly2 cups milk
- Add broth; use whisk to remove any flour lumps; once mixture is smooth add broccoli, and bay leaf2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- Bring mixture to boil; once mixture is at boiling point, reduce heat to medium or medium-low temperature (if you add the cheese to a boiling soup,it will turn grainy – See Recipe Notes below)
- Add cheese; stir and combine well2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
- Allow combination to cook on low or simmer for 15- 20 minutes, covered
- Remove bay leaf; taste for salt and peppersalt & pepper
