Best 30 Minute Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A 30 minute broccoli cheddar soup loaded with broccoli, carrots, garlic and velvety smooth cheddar cheese. This tried and true recipe is much better than Panera!
This is one of those soups, that with the first hint of crisp air in the fall, I crave this immediately. Then I proceed to make it all winter long. Unfortunatley, winters are incredibly long in Maine, but cozying up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of this creamy, cheesy goodness, does make winter a little less brutal.
The key to success for 30 minute broccoli cheddar soup
The key to a creamy, velvet-like texture for this soup is the combination of cheeses. You want a 3:1 ratio of a good melting cheese, like monterey jack, combined with a stronger flavored cheddar cheese, like sharp cheddar.
It’s necessary to serve this soup with a crusty bread, like french bread, because how else are you supposed to clean the bottom of the bowl? I like to keep a french loaf, or half loaf, in the freezer for nights that I make this soup. I pull out the loaf and throw in the in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minute, and serve with soft salted butter. Butter the bread, dip in the soup, take a bite, repeat.
What you’ll love about this soup recipe:
A few notes about this 30 minute broccoli cheddar soup
Carrots
I recommend making your own julienne carrots, as fresh cut carrots have so much more sweet flavor than the precut match stick carrots you find in the produce section. As a rule of thumb, high quality ingredients are always important when it comes to the flavor of a meal, and even moreso when there are only a few prominent ingredients. You can make julienne carrots with a mandoline {linked below}.
Cheese
I highly recommend that you shred your own cheese, as preshredded cheese is coated in cellulose, an ingredient meant to block out the moisture to keep the shreds from sticking toghether. This coating affects the melting properties of of the cheese. It will work in a pinch, but will not create quite the same velvety texure that we want here. Liquid cheese gold is what we want to achieve!
Prep your ingredients
The most time consuming part of this recipe is the prepwork. I suggest shredding your cheese and prepping all the veggies then placing into bowls to make the cooking easier. I first shred the cheese, set in a bowl. Then I cut my broccoli, carrots, onion and garlic, place in a bowl. Next, measure out all of your liquids and place spices in a small ramekin together. This is always good practice so that you can flow through each recipe step smoothly. I’ts like training yourself to make the bed each morning, make it a habit!
Can I freeze leftovers?
This recipe only serves 4, but if you want to double it for leftovers, I don’t blame you! You can freeze leftovers in a large ziplock bag. Freezing this soup can lead to curdling when you reheat, so I recommend thawing in the refrigerator first, then reheat on the stove on a low temperature and stir often.
Best 30 Minute Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and broccoli. Sauté for 5 mins until vegetables are softened, stirring often as to not burn the garlic.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1-2 mins until the flour no longer smells raw.
- Slowly add in broth, milk, and cream, while stirring constantly to make sure there are no clumps.
- Add salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 mins until thickened and vegetables are cooked through.
- Turn off the heat, stir in cheese until melted and smooth.
- Serve with warm french bread!
