Mmmmmm, not much is cozier than a bowl of creamy broccoli cheddar soup when it’s cold outside. This recipe is the perfect balance between nourishing + indulgent.

There are plenty of veggies between the broccoli, carrots, and onion— yet it tastes like such a creamy, indulgent soup because of the sharp cheddar cheese and whole milk.

With just one cup of whole milk in this recipe, there is nothing to fear here. I feel like whole milk gets a bad rap— I used to label whole milk as “bad”. But one cup only has 150 calories and 8 grams of fat. It also packs in 8 grams of protein and lots of Vitamin D and calcium.

If you wanted to up the creaminess factor, you could do half + half, heavy cream, or a combination of whole milk and one of the two creamier options! If you’re not concerned with creaminess, you could try a dairy alternative— this soup is packed with flavor, so I’m sure a more broth-y base would still be tasty.

The ideal weeknight meal

Served up with some fresh baked rolls or a sandwich (we had cracked black pepper turkey sandwiches with this soup one night— amazing!), it is perfect for a busy weeknight.

This broccoli cheddar soup…

• Comes together in about 30 minutes
• Has simple ingredients, many you probably already have on hand
• Is packed with veggies + healthy fats
• Oh, and it’s better than Panera if I do say so myself 🙂
  

Easy Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Servings: 4-5
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, julienned, shredded, or finely chopped (about one cup)
• 5 cups broccoli, roughly chopped into small pieces
• 3.5 cups low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 cup whole milk (or half + half or heavy cream)
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• sea salt to taste (if you are not using a low-sodium broth, you probably don’t need to add much extra salt)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.
2. Add the flour and whisk together for 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots, vegetable broth, and seasonings.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are just about tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Just before vegetables are cooked through, add the milk and cheddar cheese. Stir together and simmer for about five more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Snap a photo of your soup and tag me Instagram— there are few things that make my heart happier than seeing my recipes in other people’s homes!

And in case you are craving other cozy soup/stew-like recipes— check out my warming sweet potato sage turkey chili.