Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
A bowl of broccoli soup with cheddar scattered over it feels like an invitation to slow down for lunch. Each spoonful is smooth and creamy, with enough cheese to make the broccoli feel especially welcome. Sit down while it is warm and let the bowl do its job.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Soups · Soups & stews
A few quick notes
1. Soften without browning
Keep the onion and garlic at the softening stage in the butter; the directions specifically ask you not to brown them.
2. Give the stems a head start
Cook the broccoli stems in the broth before adding the florets, which need only the later, shorter cooking stage.
3. Puree before the cheese
Blend the cooked soup completely smooth first, then stir in the main portion of cheddar until it melts.
Get to know the ingredients
Smashed garlic is enough
Peel and smash the garlic cloves. They need no further chopping because the soup will be pureed later.
Separate stems and florets
Keep the chopped broccoli stems apart from the florets during prep so you can add them at their different stages.
Medium or sharp cheddar
The ingredient list allows medium or sharp cheddar, shredded from a block; keep some aside for sprinkling over the bowls.
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 2 steps completeMake room for Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheddar
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
Cheese over each bowl
Taste the blended soup after the cheddar melts, adjust salt and pepper, then ladle it out and add the remaining cheese.
A little more help as you go
Plan a few lunches ahead
You can make the soup ahead and refrigerate it for up to three days.
Leave freezer space
Cool completely before freezing in containers, leaving room at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to two months.
A few questions you might have
Can I use a standard blender?
Yes. Cool the soup slightly and puree in batches, with the center lid knob removed and the opening covered with a dishtowel.
When does the cream go in?
Add it with the broccoli florets and nutmeg, after the stems have partially cooked in the broth and water.
Does all the cheese go into the pot?
Most melts into the pureed soup, but the remaining portion is saved for sprinkling on the bowls when serving.
How do I reheat the frozen soup?
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until warmed through.
How tender should the florets get before blending?
Continue cooking after adding the florets until they are tender. Then puree the whole soup until it is completely smooth.
Any more cooking tips?
The garlic need only be smashed and peeled, rather than minced, as leaving it in large pieces prevents it from burning, and it all gets puréed in the end anyway. To smash and peel a clove of garlic, place the unpeeled clove on a cutting board. Take a chef’s knife and place the blade flat on the clove (sharp side facing away from you). Use the heel of your hand to press the blade down on the clove. The garlic should be smashed and the peel should slip right off. It is not necessary to chop the garlic further. Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The soup can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Although soups made with dairy products are more likely to have flavor and texture changes when frozen, this soup freezes well. For best results, allow the soup to cool completely, then pour into plastic containers, leaving an inch or two of space at the top to give the soup room to expand as it freezes. Seal the containers and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
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: onceuponachef.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
