Soup
$0.75per plate
Prep
15 min
Soup · Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This broccoli cheddar soup recipe turns one head of broccoli and a block of cheddar into a thick, creamy pot of comfort food for about a dollar a bowl - the Panera copycat you can make at home for a fraction of the price. A quick butter-and-flour roux does the thickening, so there is no heavy cream, and the whole pot comes together on the stove in about 40 minutes. Browse the rest of our soup recipes, all priced per serving.
The easiest way to make broccoli cheddar soup is to soften onion and carrot in butter, stir in flour to make a roux, then whisk in broth and milk and simmer the broccoli until tender. Take the pot off the heat and stir in freshly grated cheddar a handful at a time until smooth. Grating the cheese from a block and adding it off the heat is what keeps the soup velvety instead of grainy.
$1.00per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.00 · serves 6
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup
Equipment
- Large pot
Variations
- Use a 12 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh; simmer a couple minutes longer.
- Blend the whole pot smooth for a classic bisque, or leave it chunky for a heartier bowl.
- Stir in a cup of diced ham or shredded rotisserie chicken to turn it into a full meal.
- Use half milk and half broth for a lighter pot, or swap a cup of milk for half-and-half for a richer one.
1 How to make it
1
Soften the aromatics
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the diced onion and shredded carrot until soft, about 5 minutes. The carrot is traditional here: it adds color and a little sweetness that balances the sharp cheese.
2
Make the roux
Stir in the flour and cook it for a minute or two, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and coats the vegetables. This short cook on the raw flour is what lets the soup thicken without any heavy cream, and skipping it leaves a floury taste behind.
3
Add the liquid and broccoli
Slowly whisk in the broth, then the milk, scraping the bottom so no flour sticks. Add the broccoli florets, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Keep it at a simmer and never a hard boil, so the dairy stays smooth.
4
Blend for body (optional)
For a smoother, Panera-style soup, blend a few ladlefuls and stir them back in, or pulse an immersion blender in the pot for a second or two. Leave it chunky if you want broccoli in every bite; either way the roux has already done the thickening.
5
Melt in the cheese off the heat
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the grated cheddar a handful at a time until melted and smooth, then season with the garlic, salt, and pepper. Adding the cheese off the heat, grated fresh from a block, is the single thing that keeps the soup velvety instead of grainy.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Use frozen broccoli. A 12 oz bag of frozen florets works and is often cheaper. Add it straight from the freezer and simmer a couple of minutes longer, until tender.
- Make it velvety or leave it chunky. Blend the whole pot smooth for a classic bright bisque, or leave it as is for a heartier, more rustic bowl with visible broccoli.
- Add a protein. A cup of diced ham or shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in at the end turns a starter into a full meal for barely more money.
- Lighter or richer. Use half milk and half broth for a lighter pot, or swap a cup of the milk for half-and-half for a richer, more restaurant-style soup.
3 Budget tips
- One head of broccoli and a block of cheese make a whole pot, which is what keeps this to about a dollar a bowl.
- Buy a block of cheddar and grate it yourself. It costs less than pre-shredded and melts smoother, because it has no anti-caking starch.
- Frozen broccoli is even cheaper than fresh and works just as well once it simmers into the soup.
- The roux thickens the soup for free, so there is no need to buy heavy cream.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Broccoli cheddar soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. It thickens as it chills, so loosen it with a splash of milk or broth when you reheat.
Freezer
Cheesy, milk-based soups can turn grainy after freezing, so this is best eaten fresh. To freeze it, do so before adding the milk and cheese, then stir those in after thawing and reheating.
Reheating
Warm it gently over low heat, stirring often, and thin with a little milk or broth. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the cheese and milk separate.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
300
Protein
13g
Fat
20g
Carbs
16g
Per-serving figures are estimated from standard ingredient data across 6 servings and are not medical or dietary advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do you thicken broccoli cheddar soup?
A butter-and-flour roux does the work. Cook equal parts butter and flour for a minute or two before adding the liquid, and it thickens the soup as it simmers, with no heavy cream needed. Blending part of the soup makes it even thicker and smoother.
Why is my broccoli cheddar soup grainy?
Two things cause grainy cheese soup: adding the cheese while the pot is boiling, and using pre-shredded cheese. Take the pot off the heat before you stir the cheese in, add it a handful at a time, and grate it fresh from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch to stop it clumping, and that starch is what turns the soup gritty.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes, and it is often cheaper. Add frozen florets straight to the simmering soup and cook a couple of minutes longer than you would fresh, until tender. There is no need to thaw them first.
Is broccoli cheddar soup a meal or a starter?
Either. A bowl with crusty bread makes a light dinner, and a smaller cup is a classic starter. To make it a heartier main, stir in diced ham or shredded chicken, or serve it in a bread bowl.
Can I make broccoli cheddar soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add the broccoli, onion, carrot, and broth and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir the milk, the butter-flour thickener, and the grated cheese in during the last 20 to 30 minutes on low so the dairy stays smooth, then blend if you like.
How is $1.00 a plate figured?
The estimated $6.00 total divided across 6 bowls comes to about $1.00 each. Broccoli and a block of cheese are the two main costs, and both stretch across the whole pot, so the price barely moves.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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