This creamy and cheesy potato soup with broccoli comes together quickly for a crowd-pleasing weeknight meal that everyone will love.
Cheesy Potato Soup with Broccoli
I was a bit of an anomaly as a kid.
I didn’t care for peanut butter, opting for liverwurst instead. I loved oatmeal for breakfast and salad was one of my favorite snacks. And what was my pre-dinner ritual? Two tall glasses of milk before the food ever even hit the table.
Who was this kid?
I also liked broccoli. I mean I really, really, liked broccoli. When other kids wouldn’t touch their “green trees” unless they were camouflaged under a blanket of cheddar cheese (not that there’s one darn thing wrong with that!) I loved them simply steamed with a little butter, salt and pepper and drizzled with vinegar. That side put me in heaven every time.
But even while I enjoyed my broc in that cleaner way, the soup that always rang my bell was a creamy cheddar cheese broccoli fusion. I don’t know that my mom ever made it at home, but when we went out, it was my kryptonite.
Like most recipes you love as a kid, the cravings for them simply don’t go away. And as things go as an adult, the extra lbs don’t always go away as easily either. But this broccoli potato cheese soup recipe doesn’t sacrifice flavor in it’s ingredient modifications, but instead is a healthyish version of my childhood fave.
What’s in This Potato Cheese Soup?
Spoiler: there’s no cream in this recipe, just milk and chicken stock. The creamy factor to the broth is thanks to potatoes cooked in the broth that have then seen the bottom side of my immersion blender before the broccoli goes in. Don’t worry, this easy potato soup recipe is still full of flavor and is creamy in texture.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this broccoli potato soup:
- Butter
- Yellow onion
- White potatoes
- Chicken broth
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Broccoli florets
- Whole milk
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Flour
How to Make Potato Soup
This cheesy potato soup with broccoli comes together in under 30 minutes and takes little effort to make. You’ll first need to sauté the onion in a little butter before adding in the cubed potatoes, broth, and kosher salt. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, then whiz the mixture with an immersion blender.
Add the broccoli and milk to the soup and cook until the broccoli is al dente. Add the cheese to the soup one cup at a time, stirring until melted between additions.
This broccoli potato soup is best enjoyed immediately. I like to garnish my bowl with a twist of freshly ground black pepper and an additional sprinkle of cheese.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Broccoli?
I use fresh broccoli in my soup cheesy broccoli potato soup, but if you keep a prepared freezer stocked with frozen broccoli and you have potatoes and cheese on hand, this is a great recipe to pull out of your magic hat when you’re not sure what to cook for dinner tonight.
Can I Freeze Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup?
No, I don’t recommend freezing this soup. In general, soups made with a dairy-rich base don’t freeze very well. The cheese and milk mixture tends to split once frozen, and once reheated the texture isn’t very appetizing.
Tips for Making the Best Potato Soup
The most important thing to note: there’s a trick to adding the cheese so the soup doesn’t break and turn into a chunky mess. Toss your freshly shredded cheese in a bit of flour first, then add it to the soup in small batches, stirring each batch until completely melted before adding another.
If you dump all of the cheese in at once, that’s what you’ll have…dumpy soup instead of creamy soup. And what kid of any age is gonna want to eat that?
Also note that you should use whole milk for this cheesy potato soup recipe. Whole milk has a good amount of fat, which will make this soup super creamy and flavorful. In a pinch, you could probably get away with 2% milk, but I don’t recommend using a milk with less fat than that.
More Easy Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- The Best Minestrone Soup
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.
Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 3 large white potatoes , cubed, about 4 cups
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 cups broccoli florets*
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cubed potatoes, chicken broth and the kosher salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and cook the potatoes for about 8 minutes or until soft and easily pierced with a fork. Whiz the potatoes and broth with an immersion blender to the consistency you desire (I like to leave some chunks of potato), or mash with a potato masher.
- Add the broccoli florets and the milk and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking for 5-7 minutes or until the broccoli is al denté.
- Toss the cheese with the flour and add to the soup 1 cup at a time, stirring until melted before adding the next batch of cheese. Season with black pepper and more salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
More Broccoli Recipes You Need to Try
- Easy Broccoli with Feta Cheese
- Bacon, Broccoli, and Potato Frittata
- Beef with Broccoli
- Orange Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowls
- The Best Broccoli Salad
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Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
Yummy! This looks indulgent
becky says
Oh my gosh, I love hearing about you as a kid! That is so funny!! I’m a big broccoli cheese soup fan too so I’ll be giving this a try soon.
Silvia @ Local Gardeners says
This soup looks so delicious! I can eat broccoli and cheese every day of my life! I’ll try it as soon as possible.
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Mmm…I can taste the coziness from here! I love using potatoes are a thickener. Great way to lighten up soups, and still keep them super creamy and delicious! Can’t wait to try this one!
Lydia says
Ohhhhh… I suddenly have a soup craving. This looks just lovely and comforting and indulgent. So clever using the potatoes to thicken it up…
Letty / Letty's Kitchen says
How to sell broccoli to a broccoli hater, by Heidi Larsen aka Foodie Crush. What an enticing soup to surprise those broccoli-averse folks!
heidi says
Ha! I’m so glad it might inspire you to cross the green line Letty :)
Nicholas Butcher says
I added a little beer before adding potatoes and broth. Also added bacon with broccoli
Savita @ Chef De Home says
Love broccoli cheese soups! This looks so delicious and comforting!
marcie says
I LOVE plain broccoli, but blanketed in cheddar cheese is a super close second. :) This soup looks so silky and delicious!
Joan K says
Yummy, just yummy, simple to make but tastes indulgent
Izzy @ She Likes Food says
I was raised by a very healthy mom and ended up eating a ton of “weird” vegetables that other kids didn’t love. I feel like it’s one reason why I love so many vegetables today though! This soup looks so creamy ad I’m loving all that melty cheese on top :)
2pots2cook says
It is still so cold out here; this soup will definitely make my day ! Thank you so much !
Gilliane says
This was delicious! I used my potato masher instead of the blender and I loved the consistency. Hot tip on the cheese and flour–worked like a charm. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
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Sarah says
I
Goofed by blending the broccoli turned into green. Not a good idea
Freya Osborne says
Great recipe for potato soup I have found ever. Now, my husband won’t quarrelling with me. I must try these at home.
Thanks for sharing an awesome recipe
EmilyGC says
I made this tonight and it turned out really delicious. I added garlic and diced carrots (that I blended w/the potatoes) and it was nice and creamy. My broccoli took a lot longer to cook, I think because I bought some sort of fancy kind rather than normal broccoli, but once they finally softened, it was perfect. :)
mbadissertations.com says
I’m really impressed with your article, such great & usefull knowledge you mentioned here
DIYMike says
My family LOVED this! I made it pretty much as the recipe says and it was delicious.
It was one of those moments… tired, not sure of what to make, not a lot of items on hand, hungry kids, and it was almost dinner time….
Thanks, it was exactly what I needed.
Chelsea says
I made this soup. It had great flavor and it was really easy! The only problem was that it separated in an unappealing way after I added the cheese. Maybe it was the flour? Any idea? Thanks!
Lacy says
Mine also!! Wonder what I did wrong?
Samantha Hamblin says
I found if i just buy the already shredded cheddar cheese it does not clump whatsoever, pkus u dont need the added flour :)
Phylicia says
Just made it for the first time, and I must say it is AWESOME!! thanks for sharing!!
Laura Dennison says
I made this soup tonight and it was wonderful. I usually doctor up recipes but I didn’t do a thing to this one and it was delicious.
Liz says
Do you have to mash the potatoes or could you leave then diced up in the soup?
Michelle Gauthier says
Made this tonight and very good. Mashed the potatoes and mashed again when broccoli cooked leaving some chunks. Added crumbled bacon when I added the broccoli. Very hearty on a cold night and husband loved it too!
linda says
I just made this exactly as directed. It is delicious. Thank you
Jill says
Nom ,Nom ,Nom! This Broccoli Soup was amazing! Ican’t wait to try the Beet Buckwheat pancakes.
rosemarie johnson says
making this tomorrow i was looking for a yummy potatoe and brocolli cheese soup cause with all of this cold weather we need soup.
Michelle Gauthier says
OMG soooo yummy. I did change a bit but only because I had to use some ham up and only had 3 cups broccoli so I halved the recipe. I had a ham bone so put that in the 4 cups water. I strained ham out and used the water to boil 1.5 c of potatoes, fried and added onions & when done used an immersion blender til semi smooth. Added 2 c milk. Added the broccoli cooked and blended, a bit more than I wanted, but worked, added one packet leek soup mix…added 1.5c cheese tossed in flour and then put 1.5 c ham cooked but cold ( cool down the soup somewhat so we could eat earlier ;)
Becky says
Just made this soup…. Yum Yum!!!!
Mama Sue says
I made this and it was great! I used miso broth, brown rice flour, and soy milk. I also mixed medium and sharp cheddar because that’s what I had. I may try this with asparagus instead of the broccoli. Can it be frozen? Thanks!
lacey says
I was wondering If I could skip the flour. If it would change the texture of the soup, Brown rice flour worked well? I have almond flour, arrowroot flour, coconut flour, and rice flour in my kitchen.
anagonzalez says
I made this soup today, and I don’t regret it, the soup was so delicious! I really recommended it, very easy to do too.
Cristina says
Have made this soup today. Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe but, being a thrifty person, I also added some of the broccoli stem to the potatoes. Will definitely make this again. Thank you very much!
heidi says
Hi Christine, and so smart to use ALL of the broccoli. They add more body, have all the nutrients, and so no need to waste, right??! Thanks for the comment!
Suzie says
Very good recipe, thank you for posting. It works for my meat eaters and the single non-meat eater in my household – I cooked up some bacon to add to the top for those who wanted it.
Camille barry says
I made this tonight. I had leftover mashed potatoes so it was super fast to make! I added ham that I still had from Easter brunch. I used fresh broccoli and a mixture of half and half and 1% milk as I wanted to use up (I didn’t use quite 3 cups because I didn’t want it too thin). Cheese melted perfectly-used an old cheddar. No dumpy soup!
Ciana says
Hey!
I love your blog! Pics look so tasty mmmm. I would like to cook all these lovely recipes.
Teresa Harshaw says
Awesome recipe and so easy make! Loved it and so did my husband.
M. says
This soup was absolutely delicious! The only tweaks I made were using veggie broth + 1/4 of a veggie bouillon cube, and added 1 large garlic clove. This is going to be a staple in my home. Thx!
Ashley Sorenson says
Those adjustments sound delicious! Thanks M!
C.L. says
Has anybody tried using a nut milk for this? I don’t have an aversion to dairy, but I do have some almond milk that needs to be used soon!
Michelle Gauthier says
Thank you! So simple to make even on a week day! Hubby loved it & only change I made was to add some bacon per his request. So filling & great for a rainy fall dinner
Jen says
What adjustments would you make, if any, for crock pot cooking?
Angela says
Can this soup be made without cheese I’m lactose intolerance
Matt says
I used coconut milk. There are cheeses without lactose you could put in there but not sure which ones.
Ralph Townsend says
The perfect recipe if you’re looking
To make what looks like a pot full of baby vomit.
Kim says
This was SO good!! The only thing I did different was use 6 large potatoes because I already them peeled and then added sour cream to my bowl. The tast was exactly what I was looking for when I went searching for a potato and broccoli soup recipe! Thank you!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Thank you so much Kim! I am glad that this was just what you were looking for
Eve says
Does anyone have any thoughts for me on how to adapt this recipe to make it in the Instant Pot? I just got one and this will be the first recipe I attempt that hasn’t specifically been written for it. Thank you in advance!
Trissy Castagna says
Made this soup last night, and everyone loved it. I used my immersion blender at the end, after I mashed the potatoes earlier with the masher. I used half broccoli, since that was what I had on hand, and subbed half chicken broth/half beef broth. My family loved it!! Will make again.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
I am so happy to hear that!! Thanks Trissy.
Bee says
Wowwwww! I adore broccoli soup AND potato soup… but it never occurred to me to combine them! I bet the potato gives a lovely creamy texture. I want to try this soup recipe next week, thanks so much!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
You’ll love it! More filling too!
Charles D says
is it ok to eat progresso cheesy broccoli potato soup soup cold/straight out of the can
Elizabeth says
I noticed you had the servings up there, but not calories…do you know the calories per serving? I’d like to know just for reference…even though I ALWAYS end up eating more than one bowl of this! It is SUPER yummy and always turns out great for us. My husband literally eats 3 bowls every time.
Kayel says
I added a tad bit of bacon grease and some bacon to this recipe and it was hands down the best soup I’ve ever had. Super excited fall is coming and I can make this soup again. Great recipe with baguettes.
Heidi says
Kayel, so glad you liked it. Bacon is a great idea to add, perfect pairing with broccoli and potatoes. :)
John says
Made this and got big smiles! Served with toasted sandwiches. Great easy supper.
Tim Carroll says
My wife is a vegetarian so I am wondering if using vegetable broth was seriously (and negatively) impact the taste
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
It definitely would be a good sub to make this vegetarian!
Sheree says
We love broccoli, we love cheese. This recipe was so easy to make and tasted delicious. I used Fontina and Asiago cheeses. Smooth and silky. Da Bomb
Kristel says
This recipe was fantastic! My husband really enjoyed there flocked and the thickness of this soup! I added corn to this recipe to give an additional veggie. Thanks for sharing!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Yum! Thanks for sharing the corn tip
Stacy says
This soup is delicious!! I had a small stalk of fresh broccoli that I wanted to use and 3 large russet potatoes so I searched for a soup recipe with broccoli and potatoes- so glad I found yours! Also, since there are just two of us, we finished the soup for lunch today, 4 days after I made it – and it held up perfectly. We love soup- thank you for a great recipe!
Heidi says
That’s awesome Stacy! So glad you liked it!!! And yes, leftovers are always good at our house too.
Liza says
Just made this soup and it was great! Added carrots and celery seeds to the onions. Used broccoli and the stems and reduced the milk by 1/2 cup. I also used Cabot sharp white cheddar and left out the flour. To top it all off I cut brunoise potatoes and crisped them in the oven to get a nice and crunchy topping.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Those sound like great modifications. Thanks for sharing, Liza.
Sebastian says
Just made this soup. It is delicious. Followed every step and didnt have to add to much extra seasoning, a little salt and pepper with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese . Scrapping the side of the bowl delicious.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Thanks so much Sebastian!
Alexander Graham says
Just made this soup. It is delicious
Saundra says
I just made it came out okay
Vicab says
OMG the best soup ever! BUT I personally think the prep time is off – it took me quite a bit to prepare and cook. I will definitely cook again. Now that I know I how long it takes to make.
Sandy Kelley-Jones says
OMG this is as good as it looks! So it’s Sunday night, after 7 and I need to make a little something to eat and make it quickly. I wanted broccoli and thought cheese with it would be good then thought of broccoli and cheese soup. I turned to Pinterest and did a search for quick broccoli and cheese soup and lo and behold found one with the added benefit of potatoes. My husband adores potato soup so I figured he would love this. He actually said he was in heaven eating it. As always I had to modify the recipe, just a little this time. I used the packages of frozen chopped broccoli and Tuscan style broccoli I had on hand, a box of chicken broth, almost a pint of half and half, a chunk of butter and 5 or 6 small to medium potatoes—but I’m sure it would be great following the recipe precisely. I actually did toss the cheese with flour and it blended in beautifully. There’s just enough left for a cup for each of us for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely make this again!
Heidi says
So glad you liked it!
Kirsten J Salvador says
Super delicioius! Made the recipe for my family last night, and my son said, “WAY better than any restaurant or canned variety!” He also liked, and so did it, that it had potato and wasn’t overly cheesy – just right!
Heidi says
I’m glad you and your family enjoyed!
Deb says
I changed the recipe size to 4 and printed. Not knowing what you considered a large potato, I went by the measurement of 4 cups. WRONG, changing the size of the recipe did not change that measurement. It was so thick….just wanted to let you know!!
Chong says
I tried this recipe after I read few comments from other recipe similar to this recipe . I am glad I did not follow the other recipe because this soup is so delicious and simple but good enough to serve my family and friends. I am sticking to this recipe from now on.
Beth says
Do you peel the potatoes?
Heidi says
Yes Beth, peel the potatoes either before or after boiling.
Fay Brautigan says
The soup was wonderful! But in who’s world does this take only 5 minutes of prep time. This was very misleading as a lot of recipes are. You should adjust it.
Matt says
I used coconut milk instead to limit the amount of dairy. I also used extra sharp cheddar cheese and used a gluten free flour. I also served this gluten free dinner rolls. I have a family member with a gluten allergy. Overall this was excellent and I will be making this again. Thank you for sharing!
Heidi says
Happy you liked it and could make it gluten free!
Eleanor says
From my local Mercado, I occasionally buy a ‘Happ Box’ which contains enough fresh produce to fill a Subaru Forester wagon, with the back seats down, front to back, side to side, and top to bottom. This past box had a case of broccoli, so of course I searched for a great soup recipe. I made for batches of this soup in my huge stock pot. All of my friends and neighbors received healthy portions, and I received great reviews, which I now pass along to you!