Still dreamy but lightened up in the load, this cheesy potato and broccoli soup leaves the cream right out of it.
I was a bit of an an0maly 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 recipe doesn’t sacrifice flavor in it’s ingredient modifications, but instead is a healthyish version of my childhood fave.
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.
I use fresh broccoli in my 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.
One 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?
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram 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.
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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.
#eatseasonal February
As we have for the past few seasons, Becky of The Vintage Mixer has posted her list of what’s in season to eat now and from that list, has amassed a group of us who are posting #eatseasonal recipes today. Some are some are sweet, some are savory and they’re all in season now. They’re all good and they’re all seasonal and are listed below.
We’d love to see what you’re eating seasonal now, too. Share your eats and follow the #eatseasonal hashtag on Instagram to discover more seasonal eats.
Please hop over to their sites, say hi and enjoy their seasonal inspiration.
Tilapia with Tangerine Salsa from Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Cauliflower Chickpea and Crispy Kale Tacos with Orange Tahini Sauce by Vintage Mixer
Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Bread from Joy Food Sunshine
Beet and Apple Salad with Citrus Honey Yogurt from Flavor the Moments
Beet Buckwheat Pancakes from Simple Bites
Citrus and Yogurt Fruit Pizza with Granola Crust from Completely Delicious
Coconut Quinoa Bowls with Roasted Broccoli and Tahini Sauce from Cafe Johnsonia
Meyer Lemon and Honey Lassi from Kitchen Confidante
Meyer Lemon & Thyme Semifreddo from Suitcase Foodist
Orange and Arugula Smoothie Bowl from Floating Kitchen
Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowls with Pesto from She Likes Food
Spicy Cashew Spring Greens Soup from Letty’s Kitchen
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Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
February 13, 2017 at 6:44 amYummy! This looks indulgent
Brian danser says
March 17, 2019 at 3:41 pmBroccoli, potatoes, cheese soup was a total waste of time and money. It all went in the trash.
becky says
February 13, 2017 at 7:04 amOh 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
February 13, 2017 at 7:12 amThis 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
February 13, 2017 at 10:02 amMmm…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
February 13, 2017 at 11:06 amOhhhhh… 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
February 13, 2017 at 1:27 pmHow 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
February 15, 2017 at 9:27 amHa! I’m so glad it might inspire you to cross the green line Letty :)
Savita @ Chef De Home says
February 13, 2017 at 2:31 pmLove broccoli cheese soups! This looks so delicious and comforting!
marcie says
February 13, 2017 at 5:39 pmI LOVE plain broccoli, but blanketed in cheddar cheese is a super close second. :) This soup looks so silky and delicious!
Izzy @ She Likes Food says
February 13, 2017 at 7:50 pmI 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
February 14, 2017 at 1:07 amIt is still so cold out here; this soup will definitely make my day ! Thank you so much !
Gilliane says
February 16, 2017 at 4:18 pmThis 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!
essay service says
March 1, 2017 at 11:51 pmThis article is actually have idea for those people who have craze of recipe and have good skills of cooking as well. If they don’t have proper platform to recognize their skills to the world then must use social platform to create own video and shared it like did in this post which contain Broccoli Cheese Potato soup.
Sarah says
June 30, 2018 at 8:31 pmI
Goofed by blending the broccoli turned into green. Not a good idea
Freya Osborne says
March 12, 2017 at 10:47 pmGreat 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
March 23, 2017 at 11:26 amI 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
August 7, 2017 at 5:35 amI’m really impressed with your article, such great & usefull knowledge you mentioned here
DIYMike says
August 29, 2017 at 4:45 pmMy 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
September 10, 2017 at 8:03 pmI 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
January 18, 2018 at 2:42 pmMine also!! Wonder what I did wrong?
Samantha Hamblin says
February 7, 2019 at 3:47 pmI found if i just buy the already shredded cheddar cheese it does not clump whatsoever, pkus u dont need the added flour :)
Phylicia says
September 11, 2017 at 7:22 pmJust made it for the first time, and I must say it is AWESOME!! thanks for sharing!!
Laura Dennison says
September 19, 2017 at 4:49 pmI 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
October 10, 2017 at 9:13 amDo you have to mash the potatoes or could you leave then diced up in the soup?
Michelle Gauthier says
October 19, 2017 at 8:16 pmMade 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
November 16, 2017 at 2:30 pmI just made this exactly as directed. It is delicious. Thank you
Jill says
November 20, 2017 at 9:13 amNom ,Nom ,Nom! This Broccoli Soup was amazing! Ican’t wait to try the Beet Buckwheat pancakes.
rosemarie johnson says
January 3, 2018 at 5:57 pmmaking 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
January 11, 2018 at 8:10 pmOMG 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
January 21, 2018 at 4:09 pmJust made this soup…. Yum Yum!!!!
Mama Sue says
February 13, 2018 at 3:22 pmI 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
December 26, 2018 at 8:55 amI 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
March 1, 2018 at 5:35 pmI 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
March 27, 2018 at 1:36 amHave 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
March 28, 2018 at 9:04 amHi 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
April 4, 2018 at 5:59 pmVery 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
April 12, 2018 at 10:28 pmI 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
August 1, 2018 at 3:43 amHey!
I love your blog! Pics look so tasty mmmm. I would like to cook all these lovely recipes.
Teresa Harshaw says
August 21, 2018 at 6:13 pmAwesome recipe and so easy make! Loved it and so did my husband.
M. says
October 24, 2018 at 7:22 amThis 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
October 24, 2018 at 7:59 amThose adjustments sound delicious! Thanks M!
C.L. says
October 26, 2018 at 1:54 pmHas 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
November 1, 2018 at 8:05 pmThank 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
December 19, 2018 at 4:53 pmWhat adjustments would you make, if any, for crock pot cooking?
Angela says
January 3, 2019 at 6:35 pmCan this soup be made without cheese I’m lactose intolerance
Ralph Townsend says
January 16, 2019 at 4:38 pmThe perfect recipe if you’re looking
To make what looks like a pot full of baby vomit.
Kim says
January 19, 2019 at 8:26 pmThis 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
January 22, 2019 at 6:53 amThank you so much Kim! I am glad that this was just what you were looking for
Eve says
January 20, 2019 at 1:15 pmDoes 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
March 20, 2019 at 8:29 amMade 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
March 21, 2019 at 8:51 amI am so happy to hear that!! Thanks Trissy.
Bee says
April 22, 2019 at 9:00 amWowwwww! 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
April 23, 2019 at 7:20 amYou’ll love it! More filling too!