Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Broccoli cheese soup is a welcome bowl to come back to when the cooker has had its time. The little broccoli pieces sit in a creamy cheddar broth, with Parmesan adding a savory finish. Ladle some out while it is warm and enjoy a satisfying spoonful.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 300 min
- Total
- 315 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 13 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Slow cooker
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
- Dish type
- Soups · Soups & stews
A few quick notes
1. Build the milk base first
Soften onion, cook garlic and flour briefly, then slowly whisk in evaporated milk until the mixture is smooth.
2. Thicken before transferring
Cook and stir the skillet mixture until it starts thickening, then pour into the cooker with broth, broccoli and thyme.
3. Lower heat before adding cheeses
Switch to warm or off before stirring in cream, cheddar and Parmesan, then check final salt and pepper.
Get to know the ingredients
Small broccoli pieces
Remove the large stems and dice the florets small before they go into the slow cooker with the thickened base.
Evaporated milk
Whisk it slowly into the onion-flour mixture, smoothing the base before its transfer to the cooker.
Freshly shredded cheddar
Have the sharp cheddar shredded for the final warm or off-heat addition, where it is stirred in with Parmesan.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Cream and cheese at serving time
With the heat on warm or off, stir in heavy cream and both cheeses, season to taste and serve warm.
A little more help as you go
Save heavy cream for the end
Evaporated milk is used in the first sauce base, while heavy cream waits until after the slow-cooking stage.
Stir the flour stage constantly
Keep stirring after adding garlic and flour to softened onion, then switch to whisking as the milk is added.
A few questions you might have
Do I use the thick broccoli stalks?
The preparation note removes large stems, reserving them for another use if desired, and dices only the florets for this soup.
Does the cheddar cook for the whole slow-cooker period?
It is added afterward, once the cooker has been switched to warm or off, along with cream and Parmesan.
Which slow-cooker setting is used?
Cover and cook the broccoli, broth, thyme and prepared milk base on low for the stated window before the dairy finish.
Is the soup blended?
The method keeps the small broccoli pieces in the soup and finishes with stirred-in cream and cheese, without a blending stage.
When does thyme go in?
It joins the chicken broth and diced broccoli in the slow cooker as soon as the thickened skillet mixture is poured in.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: cookingclassy.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
