This easy creamy Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup is hearty, comforting and packed with good-for-you veggies and flavor. And it's ready in less than an hour!
Michelle's Recipe Rundown
Soup is such a great way to eat your vegetables, and this one is the perfect example because it's got lots of them. For 4 generous servings of soup, I start with 9 cups of fresh veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, and onions.
BUT that's not what you'll be thinking about while you're eating it. You'll just be thinking about how delicious it is and how quick and easy it was to make with very simple ingredients.
The broth is creamy and has plenty of cheesy flavor from the sharp cheddar. I thicken it just slightly to give it some body without making it gloopy. I then use a hand-held potato masher to get the cooked veggies into perfectly-sized chunks that give the soup a really nice texture.
Ready in just 40 minutes - and that includes all the prep work - this satisfying and nutritious soup is great for lunch or dinner. It's one of my go-to recipes on meatless meal days.
And with all that cheesy goodness, I think you may even win over some of those picky eaters who think they don't like vegetables!
Featured Review:
This soup was delicious and not hard to make either. Everyone loved it and I will make it often. Thanks for a great recipe!
~ Laura ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Ingredients & Notes
This photo shows all of the ingredients you'll need to make this broccoli, cauliflower and cheddar cheese soup; amounts are in the recipe card below. I've also included a few notes below for some of the items on making the best selections, preparation and easy substitutions.
- Olive Oil - I use a regular or light-tasting olive oil as opposed to extra-virgin which can have a stronger flavor. You can substitute any neutral-flavored oil, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil, or you can use butter.
- Roasted Chicken Base + Water - Better Than Bouillon is my choice because it adds a lot of great flavor (#notsponsored); feel free to use your favorite. Roasted vegetable base can be used as a vegetarian option. You can substitute canned or boxed broth or stock; just make sure it has plenty of flavor.
- Broccoli and Cauliflower - I prefer the flavor and texture of fresh veggies in this soup, so that's what I recommend.
- TIP: I have substituted frozen broccoli and cauliflower with very good results; since they are partially cooked and already have a softer texture, reduce the cooking time as needed so they don't get too mushy.
- Half-and-Half - You will find this in the dairy aisle of most grocery stores near the cream; or you can easily make your own by combining equal parts of whole milk and heavy cream.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese - White or yellow; freshly shred it from a block of cheese. You can substitute mild, medium or extra-sharp cheddar depending on the flavor you like.
- TIP: Don't substitute pre-shredded cheese, as it can have anti-caking agents or other additives that may prevent it from melting well.
How to Make Broccoli, Cauliflower & Cheese Soup
This is a brief overview of the steps with photos for visual guidance. The full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.
Sauté the carrots, celery and onions in olive oil until beginning to soften.
Add flour; cook for one minute.
Add the chicken base, water, broccoli and cauliflower.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the veggies are tender.
Use a potato masher to mash the veggies to your desired consistency.
Off the heat, add the half-and-half and cheese; stir until the cheese is melted.
Recipe Tips
- Add the cheese in smaller batches, and always add it off the heat. This will prevent it from clumping in the soup. Stir after each addition until the cheese is completely melted before adding more.
- You can purée the soup if you prefer a smoother texture. Use either an immersion blender, blender or food processor, and be sure to follow the manufacturer's safety instructions for blending hot foods.
Storing Leftovers, Reheating & Freezing
To store leftovers: Once cooled, place the soup in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Place the soup in a pot over low heat and stir occasionally just until heated through. Don't boil, as this can cause the dairy to separate or the cheese to stick to the bottom of the pot. Alternately, you can reheat it in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
Notes on Freezing: I generally don't recommend freezing creamy soups because the dairy can separate and have a grainy texture.
That being said, soups thickened with flour, like this one, can sometimes end up just fine because the flour helps stabilize the texture. And I have, in fact, successfully frozen, thawed and reheated this soup many times (but I can't guarantee those results).
Alternately, you could prepare the soup up to the point of mashing the vegetables, then cool and freeze that. Then add the half-and-half and cheese when it is thawed and reheated.
Serving Suggestions
It may be gilding the lily a bit, but I usually like to top my soup with a little extra shredded cheddar cheese. You could also add something crunchy like my Cajun-Spiced Oyster Crackers or Homemade Croutons.
And although it's great all on its own, I do love to serve it with some of my Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits or Homemade Garlic Bread. Or you can pair it with your favorite salad or sandwich.
I hope you try this Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Vegetable Soup Recipes to Try
Be sure to check out my Soup, Stew and Chili Recipes page for lots more ideas!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went! Please leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, I use regular or light-tasting
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups water
- 4 teaspoons roasted chicken base, I use Better Than Bouillon (See Notes below)
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese, white or yellow
- salt and pepper, to taste
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.
- Add the water and chicken base to the pot along with the broccoli and cauliflower; stir to combine.
- 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 hand-held potato masher, mash the veggies until they reach your desired consistency.
- Add the half-and-half, then add the cheese in in a few small batches, stirring after each addition until it is fully melted. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Notes
- For the chicken base, if you use a different brand, follow the instructions on the packaging for how much you need for each cup of water to make broth. Better Than Bouillion uses 1 teaspoon per cup of water, so I use 4 teaspoons. But some brands may use more or less per cup. Adjust the amount accordingly.
- 4 cups of canned or boxed chicken stock can be used 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).
- Roasted vegetable base or vegetable broth/stock can be used for a vegetarian option.
- You can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower instead of fresh. Since it is already partially cooked and has a softer texture, just be sure to reduce the cooking time, as needed, so they don't get too mushy.
- 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 ⅓ cups each if you were serving it as a starter, more like a cup of soup rather than a bowl.
Jodi says
Delicious! Made it on a weeknight and it was easy and flavourful. Made the garlic cheese biscuits as well. This meal was a hit in my house and will be added to the rotation!
Michelle says
Thank you, Jodi...so happy you all enjoyed the soup (and the biscuits too), and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and leave a rating!
Val says
Such a simple, nutritious soup to make. Very tasty and enjoyable. Husband even really enjoyed it. I have frozen some before adding the half & half.
Michelle says
Thank you, Val!
doc Brown says
This is the second time I have cooked this with your recipe, and it was delicious both times. I'm an 72 year old widower and my wife was a great cook and taught
me to cook a lot of dishes before she left this world but I'm always looking for easy meals to make. You made this real easy for an old man like me and I thank you for that.
Michelle says
Thank you, doc! I'm so happy you enjoy the soup and that it's an easy homemade meal for you to make, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
jan goltry says
I like this soup because you don't need to and 4 cup Milk only 4 cup water and 1 cup half and half. It is delicious I will make it my favorite soup !
Michelle says
Thank you, Jan...so happy you like it!
DAlex says
We love soups in the winter months and this one is in our top 5. Great way to get your veggies! I do use boxed chicken broth but also add 1 tsp chicken boullion paste,just enhances flavor. Also add 1 tsp granulated garlic. ☺️
Michelle says
Thank you! I'm so happy you like it!
Sherry says
Has anyone calculated the WW points for a serving of this fabulous soup?
Wynn says
It is such a simple recipe and delicious.
Michelle says
Thank you, Wynn...so happy you like it, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Judith says
Love this recioe
Michelle says
Thank you, Judith!
Denise says
Oh my gosh, this soup is absolutely amazing. Everybody I have try it absolutely loves it. Thank you for the recipe and if you have anymore vegetable recipes I would Love having them
Michelle says
Thank you, Denise...so happy that the soup is a hit! For more recipes with vegetables, check out my side dishes, soup, salad and meatless dinner categories!
Ashley Rhoades says
I wish I could post a picture! This was so yummy! I used what I had so I used fresh grated pepper jack and cheddar, heavy cream and chicken broth. We had a big party where we had leftover broccoli and cauliflower florets and I didn’t want them to go bad. So glad I found this recipe as it is so yummy! I made the biggest mistake a cook could make and opened the large side of the salt and not the slotted side but scraped most out. A little salty because of my downfall but the soup is amazing. Wish I had some crusty rustic bread to dip in it! Thank you for an easy and delicious recipe!
Michelle says
Thank you, Ashley...so happy you enjoyed it, and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment!
Cathy says
Delicious soup and very easy to make!!!
Thank you!!!!!!
Michelle says
Thank you, Cathy...so happy you enjoyed the soup!
Lynn says
Is it ok to use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream?
Michelle says
Hi, Lynn! Yes, you could use evaporated milk; it might just be a little less creamy. Thanks for your question!
Linda Woods says
Very nice. There were a few changes. I added a veggie cube as well as a chicken cube. I used 5% cream instead of half & half. I didn't have carrots or orange cheddar so I used a Welsh Aged cheddar. Tasty all the same.
Michelle says
Thank you, Linda!
Kirsten says
So easy & tastes lovely!
Michelle says
Thank you, Kirsten...so happy you enjoyed the soup, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Carolyn says
Delicious! Making it again today!
Michelle says
Thank you, Carolyn!