Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printable)

Creamy soup featuring roasted broccoli florets, sharp cheddar, and aromatic herbs for rich, comforting flavor.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (approximately 17.6 ounces)
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (approximately 6 ounces)
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Broth

09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
14 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Oil

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss broccoli florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
03 - While broccoli roasts, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and carrots for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add roasted broccoli to the pot, reserving a few florets for garnish if desired. Stir in dried thyme, basil, and nutmeg.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender with caution when handling hot liquids.
07 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring continuously until fully melted and soup reaches desired creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with reserved broccoli florets and additional cheddar if desired.

# Tips from the Pros:

01 -
  • The roasting trick makes broccoli taste nothing like what you think you don't like about broccoli.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • Sharp cheddar gives it backbone without feeling heavy or one-note.
02 -
  • Pre-shredded cheese will make your soup grainy because of the anti-caking powder, so always grate fresh cheese for this.
  • Don't skip the roasting step or you'll end up with regular broccoli soup instead of this version, which tastes like someone actually cared about technique.
  • When you're blending hot soup, leave the cap's center piece off the blender and drape a towel over top so steam can escape without burning your hands.
03 -
  • Make this soup the day before you need it because the flavors deepen and blend overnight, and you can simply reheat it gently on the stove.
  • If the soup breaks when you're adding the cheese, which sometimes happens if the temperature gets too high, stir in a splash of cold milk to bring it back together.
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