It is officially soup season. AKA, the best time of the freaking year! There is just nothing better than enjoying a warm and cozy bowl of soup as the days get colder. And I really do love all kinds of soup, but my childhood favorite is some good old Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I mean who doesn’t love that classic creamy soup, best enjoyed in a bread bowl?! Lol. Anyway as an ode to that soup, I’ve created a healthier Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup. It’s like a refined, adult version of what I loved as a kid. Truly the best!

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup is going to be your new favorite soup for those cold days! This easy, one-pot recipe is creamy, cheesy, cozy, and of course delicious. It’s made with sharp cheddar cheese, fresh vegetables, and no cream. Grab yourself a bowl, some toasted bread to dip, and enjoy!

Looking for more soups? Check out my chicken meatball, creamy taco, or vegetable gnocchi.

lightened up broccoli cheddar soup

Ingredients needed for Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup…

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this recipe. No heavy cream, butter, or flour is used … making it a Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup that is still perfectly creamy and absolutely delicious!

  • Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic are two very important ingredients in this soup recipe! They provide tons of unbeatable flavor. You’ll need 1 yellow onion and 3-5 garlic cloves.
  • Carrots: Carrots are one of the classic soup ingredients … and things are no different in this recipe. They provide a nice crunch, flavor, and color here! Add 2 cups chopped.
  • Broccoli: Broccoli!! Can’t have broccoli cheddar soup without broccoli. This recipe calls for 2 crowns.
  • Chicken Broth: Chicken broth makes up the bulk of this soup. Add 6 cups or 48 fl oz.
  • Milk: To give this soup a perfect light creaminess add in 1 cup of milk. I used 2%!
  • Cheddar Cheese: Cheese is one hundred percent the star of the show here. I recommend you use a sharp cheddar cheese block and shred it yourself for the best flavor. You will need 8 oz.
  • Olive Oil: 3 tbsp of olive oil is used here to sauté up the veggies in this soup.
  • Salt & Pepper: Salt & pepper is a very important ingredient in this soup. Since there are no other seasonings or spices they provide a lot of the flavor. Add both generously!
broccoli cheddar soup recipe

How to make this soup recipe…

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup is as simple as can be to make! All you’ll need is one pot and about 45 minutes.

  1. Start by preparing all your vegetables.  Dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the carrot finely, and chop the broccoli into bite sized chunks.
  2. Next add the olive oil, carrots, onion, and garlic to a large pot on the stove over medium heat.  Add salt & pepper.  Sauté for several minutes until soft and fragrant.
  3. Then add in the chicken broth and broccoli.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low.  Add the milk and then add the cheddar cheese in slowly.  The low heat and slow addition will help the cheese melt in nicely rather than clumping together.
  5. Add salt & pepper to taste and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes for all the flavors to combine.
  6. Serve with extra cheddar cheese on top & enjoy!
easy broccoli cheddar soup

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup Tips…

  • Chop your veggies beforehand! Chopping the veggies is honestly the most time consuming part of making this soup. If you chop them ahead of time you will be making your life a whole lot easier!
  • Mix in cheese slowly & on low heat! This helps the cheese melt in nicely, rather than clumping up and getting stringy.
  • Add lots of salt & pepper! This is very, very important. Salt and pepper are the only seasonings in this recipe so they really provide a lot of the flavor … make sure to add until the soup tastes good to you! Or feel free to add in some extra spices.
  • Use sharp cheddar cheese! I highly recommend using a sharp cheddar, even an extra sharp cheddar, in this soup. It just creates a stronger, more delicious flavor.
easy & delicious soup

How to serve this Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe…

My favorite way to enjoy this cozy soup is with some extra shredded cheddar and fresh herbs on top! I also love to add some bread on the side for dipping. A toasted french baguette or sourdough are both delicious options!

You could even throw some shredded chicken, or a different protein source, into a bowl of this soup for a more well rounded meal!

lightened up broccoli cheddar soup

Storing & Reheating Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup…

Store this Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator! It will stay for about 1 week.

For even longer storage, place in the freezer. Simply transfer the soup to freezer ziplock bogs or a Tupperware and it will keep for a couple of months!

broccoli cheddar soup recipe

Need more delicious dinner recipes? Check out some favorites below…

Connect with me!

If you make Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup or any of my other recipes I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on instagram, so I can see and share your recreation.

easy broccoli cheddar soup
easy soup recipe

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

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Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup

  • Author: Kayla Berman
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 Minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop

Description

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup is going to be your new favorite soup for those cold days! This easy, one-pot recipe is creamy, cheesy, cozy, and of course delicious. It’s made with sharp cheddar cheese, fresh vegetables, and no cream. Grab yourself a bowl, some toasted bread to dip, and enjoy!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 35 garlic cloves
  • 2 broccoli crowns, chopped
  • 2 cups carrots, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 cups (48 fl oz) chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk, 2%
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Start by preparing all your vegetables.  Dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the carrot finely, and chop the broccoli into bite sized chunks.
  2. Next add the olive oil, carrots, onion, and garlic to a large pot on the stove over medium heat.  Add salt & pepper.  Sauté for several minutes until soft and fragrant.
  3. Then add in the chicken broth and broccoli.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low.  Add the milk and then add the cheddar cheese in slowly.  The low heat and slow addition will help the cheese melt in nicely rather than clumping together.
  5. Add salt & pepper to taste and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes for all the flavors to combine.
  6. Serve with extra cheddar cheese on top & enjoy!

Notes

  • Be generous with your salt & pepper!

Keywords: Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe