This easy, creamy Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup takes everyone’s favorite broccoli cheese soup and amps it up with even more good-for-you veggies, and it’s ready in less than an hour!
One of the reasons I love soup is it’s a delicious way to eat your vegetables. This soup is the perfect example – you start with 9 cups of raw veggies!
But that’s not what you’ll be thinking about while you’re eating it. You’ll just be thinking about how yummy it is…creamy, cheesy, and full of fabulous flavor!
I love classic broccoli cheese soup, but I’ll be honest – I’m picky about it. I want it creamy and slightly thick – not super thick to the point where it’s like paste.
I’m not a huge fan of the texture of pureed soups (too much like baby food for me), so I want little chunks of broccoli in there – and lots of them. I want the soup to be super flavorful, and I want to actually taste the cheese.
Who’s with me on this one?
Sadly, too many times when I have ordered broccoli cheese soup out, I have indeed gotten a bowl of thick, pasty, overly pureed, where’s-the-broccoli, is-there-really-cheese-in-here, how-long-ago-was-this-soup-made, gray, flavorless soup.
You’ve been there too. Am I right?
The answer? You know what I’m going to say. Make it at home, of course. That way, I get exactly what I want!
First and foremost, I want lots of veggies (look at them all – you’re not getting that in most restaurant or canned soups), so along with the broccoli I add cauliflower, carrots (love the pop of color they add), celery, and onions.
I add a little flour to lightly thicken the soup, but I don’t add so much that it ends up being super thick and pasty.
I use chicken base (Better Than Bouillon is my favorite brand #notsponsored) and water for the broth because I find that it has so much more flavor than canned or boxed chicken broth.
Instead of pureeing the soup, I mash the veggies with a potato masher until they get to exactly the texture I want. I don’t want to wrangle with big pieces; I just want nice little bits that I can see and actually have to chew (If you want to puree it, though, go right ahead!).
Finally, I add some half and half to make the soup creamy and then some sharp cheddar cheese so that you know there’s cheese in there!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Olive oil (regular or light – extra virgin not recommended)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Salt and pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Chicken base (such as Better Than Bouillon)
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Half and half*
- Sharp cheddar cheese
*Half-and-half is simply a mixture of equal parts milk and cream. You can find it in the dairy aisle of the grocery store next to the milk and cream. If you can’t get it, you can just make your own mixture of half milk and half cream (I would use heavy cream).
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER AND CHEESE SOUP:
Super easy, right? And it only takes about 40 minutes – including chopping all the veggies. You’ll be sitting down to a bowl of this warm and comforting soup before you know it!
TIPS AND TIDBITS:
- I prefer using fresh veggies for the best flavor and texture, but you can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Just make sure you reduce the cooking time so they don’t get too mushy.
- You can use boxed or canned chicken broth/stock instead of the chicken base and water (but I can’t guarantee it will be as flavorful!).
- Since I use flour to thicken the soup, this recipe is not gluten-free. However, you could omit the flour to make it gluten-free and then use your favorite gluten-free thickening agent and method (such as cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca starch, etc.) to thicken the soup.
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Soups with dairy in them can separate and have an odd texture when frozen and reheated.
I know it’s gilding the lily a bit, but I usually top my soup with a little extra cheese. I also like to sprinkle on some of my Cajun-Spiced Oyster Crackers for some crunch and extra flavor. Grilled cheese cut up into croutons also makes an excellent topper!
Oh, and it’s also fabulous with some of my Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits!
I hope you try this recipe for Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
- Cajun-Spiced Oyster Crackers
- Spicy Tomato Vegetable Soup
- Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup (Zuppa Toscana)
- Sausage & Tortellini Soup
- Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, use regular or light – not extra virgin
- 1 cup diced carrots, about 2 medium to large
- 1 cup diced celery, about 2 large ribs
- 1 cup diced onion, about 1 small to medium
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups water
- 4 teaspoons chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot (I use a 4-quart or larger), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring.
- Combine the water and chicken base. Add to the pot along with the broccoli and cauliflower.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Using a potato masher, mash the veggies until they reach the desired consistency.
- Add the half and half and the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- This recipe makes 4 generous servings of about 2 cups each, which is perfect for a bowl of soup as the main dish, but you could stretch it out to 6 servings of about 1 1/3 cups each if you were serving it as a starter – more like a cup of soup rather than a bowl.
- You can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time so that they don’t get mushy.
- You can use 4 cups of canned or boxed chicken stock in place of the chicken base and water, but the flavor will be a bit different (I think the chicken base has much more flavor).
- Omit the flour to make the soup gluten-free. Use your favorite gluten-free thickening agent and method to thicken the soup (cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca starch, etc.).
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Soups with dairy can separate and take on an odd texture when frozen and reheated.
This post was updated on 2/10/21 (updated images).
Shirley Caldwell
I made this soup last night. It was SO delicious 😋
Michelle
Thank you so much, Shirley! I am so happy that you enjoyed the soup, and I really appreciate you taking the time to come back to comment and rate the recipe!
Patrick J
Wonderful tasting soup!!! Any Idea how many carbs per serving?
Dwayne
This is definitely delicious made it family loved it made garlic biscuits to go with it
Michelle
Thank you so much, Dwayne!
Kimberly Ann Carrington
I made this soup topped it with crispy bacon mmmm… chefs kiss;)
Michelle
Thank you, Kimberly! And bacon on top…YUM!
Joy H
I really look forward to making this, but I’m curious about the nutritional information: ie calories/cup/serving, fat, carbs. Any help would be great!
Michelle
Hey there, Joy! Estimated calories are 471 per serving (about 2 cups of soup). This estimate was calculated based on the ingredients/brands that I used when making the recipe and could vary depending on the specific ingredients that you use. Sorry that I don’t have the other nutrition information yet, such as fat and carbs (working on that!), but you can always use one of the many available recipe nutrition calculators that are available online to get that info. Hope you give the recipe a try and enjoy it!
Colorado Cook
Light, creamy, and delicious. I love the idea of using a pastry blender instead of puréeing it. The texture turned out perfect.
Michelle
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!
Kathy
Awesome recipe. I added more cheese.
Michelle
Thank you, Kathy! So happy you enjoyed the soup (and more cheese is always yummy)!
Melanie
This is awesome! I made it today for lunch. Really easy and quick to make and it tastes great! I did not have whole carrots so used the bagged little carrots, did not have the chicken base so I used some good build on and no half and half, but used whipping cream. It tastes as good as in a restaurant. Thank you for the recipe!
Michelle
Thank you so much for the awesome comments, Melanie! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the soup, and I love that you made it work with what you had on hand!
Jane
Absolutely delicious! I used arrowroot to thicken rather than flour so it was a Keto soup. I loved it!
Michelle
Thank you so much, Jane! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the soup, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
VL
This recipe is exactly what I was looking for directions. Going to make it tomorrow. Thank you for the extra time you too to provide pictures & instructions on how to make it. Nice alternative to videos, when you prefer reading vs a video. 👍🏻
Michelle
Thank you, VL! I’m so glad you appreciate the step-by-step photos (I am actually working on video too and hope to have both options available for my readers soon!). Also excited that you plan to make the soup. Please stop back and let me know how it went!
Kellie
WOW!!! This was YUMMY!!! and super simple to make. Packs a lot of flavor!!
Michelle
Thank you, Kellie! I’m really happy that you enjoyed it!
Judy Latam
I made this soup this morning and so glad I did!!! Loved every spoonful!!! My new go to recipe!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Michelle
Thanks so much, Judy!! I’m absolutely thrilled that you loved the soup!
Sarah
I’m excited to try this soup! Have you ever added any protein to this recipe? Wondering if some shredded chicken would be a good addition?
Michelle
Hey, Sarah! I haven’t yet added any protein to this soup, but some shredded chicken sounds good (that would be my pick)! Hope you enjoy it!
Dana
Love love love this soup! My husband won’t eat broccoli and cauliflower so I tried this when he was out of town for work. I’m on my way to eating the whole pot by myself 🤪
Michelle
That’s so awesome, Dana! I’m thrilled that you love the soup! Thank you very much!
Liza A Steinmetz
Made this tonight and the family loved it. Made a few changes so we could have a chunky soup. Going to add chicken next time.
Michelle
Thank you, Liza! So happy your family loved this soup!
KathyR
This is outstanding. Very, very hearty. Perfect texture. Thank you!
Michelle
Thank you so much, Kathy! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Francine
I increased some of the ingredients and it was excellent. My husband is not one for vegetables unless they are loaded with cheese, this was right up his alley. We added a little Tuscan bread and wished there was more.
Michelle
Hi, Francine! Thank you for the 5-star rating! I’m so happy that both you and your husband enjoyed the soup!
Rene W
This was so yummy!!!!
Michelle
Thanks so much, Rene!
Cathleen
Made this today this was delicious and very easy. Will make again
Michelle
Thank you, Cathleen! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Susie O
This was wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
Susie
Michelle
Thank you very much, Susie!
Katie Neil
I know I am late to the party but I just tried this recipe and it is hands down the best soup! I left out the cream and cheese so I could freeze servings and added them when ready to eat. I actually like the soup better without them though. This soup is addictive and it was all gone within the week. Thanks for a great recipe.
Michelle
Hey, Katie! I’m so glad you like the soup, and freezing the soup without the cream and cheese is an excellent tip. And I never thought of trying the soup without them, but I’m going to give it a try sometime! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
VAL
Can you cook it in a crock pot?
Michelle
Hi, Val! I suppose you could, but I haven’t tried doing that, so I’m not able to give you any instructions. Sorry!
J myers
Wow so easy and so delicious! Great recipe.
Michelle
Thank you very much!
Deb
So good! I have a head cold and this hit the spot! I did 3tsp chicken and 1 tsp ham better than bouillon. Delicious!
Michelle
Hi, Deb! Thank you for this awesome rating and review! I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup…and I hope that head cold goes away soon!
Deb
I omit the flour and cream and use instant potato flakes as a thickener. Adds extra flavour to the soup.
Michelle
That’s a great option! Thanks for sharing, Deb!
Cherie
What is half & half please.
Cherie
Michelle
Hi, Cherie! Half and half is a mixture of heavy cream and milk. You can find it in the dairy aisle of the grocery store (or you can make your own by combining equal parts heavy cream and milk).
Helen Funk
This is the 3rd time I am making this soup. It is sooooo delicious. Twice I have used 1/2 tsp garlic powder and love it too. I did freeze several portion size containers so as not to waste and it was fine but like you mentioned anything with milk or cheese really doesn’t hold up well in the freezer. Thanks for the recipe. My vegetarian friend just loved it too!
Michelle
Hi, Helen! I’m so happy to hear that both you and your friend enjoyed this soup! Thanks for your feedback and also for letting us know how freezing it went for you!
Christina Gilson
This was a yummy soup. I’m glad I found your recipe. Mashing them up was a perfect idea. Little chunks of veggies in every bite. My husband and our granddaughter loved it. I’m making it again tonight.
Michelle
Thank you very much, Christina! I’m so happy you enjoyed this soup and are making it again!
Wren
Definite 5 stars for this soup. Totally delicious!
Michelle
Thank you, Wren! I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup!
Mary
Yummy, total comfort soup. Everyone should make this soup. You and your family will love this easy to make scrumptious soup.
Michelle
Thank you, Mary!
Stephen Sorsa
Sorry for being a bit of a numpty but what’s half and half…
Soup is lovely.
Michelle
Hey there, Stephen! Half-and-half is simply a mixture of equal parts milk and cream. Here in the States, you get it in the dairy aisle next to the milk and cream. If you can’t get it, you can just make your own mixture of half milk and half cream. So happy you enjoyed the soup, and thanks so much for the 5-star rating!