Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

close up side shot of broccoli soup in small white bowl with cheesy croutons

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4.67 from 3 votes

This cheddar broccoli soup has a dreamy creamy texture and is packed to the brim with flavour!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Starter

Cuisine: Western

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £1.50 / $2

Equipment

Large Pot with Lid
Wooden Spoon
Hand Blender
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Cheese Grater
Jug (for stock)

Ingredients

Soup

2 large heads of Broccoli (30-32oz/850-900g total)
4 cups / 1 litre Chicken Stock, plus more as needed
2/3 cup / 160ml Heavy/Double Cream, at room temp
2 cups / 200g grated Cheddar, plus more to serve if desired
1 large rib of Celery, finely diced
1 large Carrot, finely diced
1 medium Onion, finely diced
3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
2 tbsp Butter
3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
finely diced Fresh Parsley, to serve (optional)

Croutons

5oz / 150g Baguette, or other firm/thick bread
3-4 tbsp Parmesan
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Remove the florets from the broccoli and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Slice off any gnarly bits from the stem, then finely dice it.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the broccoli stem, alongside onion, celery and carrot. Fry until everything has softened and has started to tinge golden, then add in the garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer.
Add in the broccoli florets, then pour in the stock and season with salt & pepper (the stock should barely cover the broccoli). Lower heat, pop on the lid and simmer for around 20mins, or until the broccoli is fork-tender.
Meanwhile, dice the bread into large bite-sized pieces and place on a large greaseproof baking tray. Toss in a good drizzle of olive oil and a hefty pinch of salt & pepper. Toss in parmesan, then sprinkle more over the top. Bake in the oven at 180C/350F for around 10mins, or until deep golden and visibly crispy. I typically just eyeball the measurements for these!
Once the broccoli is tender, turn off the heat and use a hand blender to blitz everything until smooth. It should be fairly thick at this point (thicker soup = cheese melts easier). Stir in cream, then stir in the cheese a handful at a time. Adjust seasoning if needed and stir in more stock a splash at a time to thin out if desired.
Serve soup with croutons and more cheese (optional). Enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Croutons - These are optional, so don't feel like you need them! Also, you can just make regular croutons if you'd prefer. As I mentioned, I tend to just eyeball the measurements and use what I've got on hand. Any sort of thick/firm bread will do the trick (i.e. ciabatta, sourdough etc). Timings will depend on the size of the croutons, so just be vigilant.

b) Soup Consistency - I like my broccoli soup nice and thick, but especially so at the start because the cheese melts through easier. The consistency is very easy to adjust, just slowly add in more stock to thin out or simmer with the lid off the reduce slightly if you go overboard.

c) Cheese - Cheddar is a must! I recommend using a mature/sharp variety, just to punch in the flavour. But if you prefer a more mild cheddar that'll work too.

d) Storage - Allow to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheat in short blasts in the microwave or stir on low heat over the stove. Can also freeze, just thaw in the fridge then reheat as above.

e) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 5 without croutons.

Nutrition