Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printable Copy)

Creamy soup with roasted broccoli florets, sharp cheddar, and aromatic herbs blended to velvety perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy

05 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Broth

09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Oil

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
02 - Toss broccoli florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 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 5–6 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 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 purée soup until smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender, taking care with hot liquids.
07 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Gradually add cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until fully melted and soup reaches desired creaminess. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with reserved broccoli florets and extra cheddar if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasting step caramelizes the broccoli edges, creating these little pockets of intense flavor that store-bought soups just cant touch.
  • On hectic weeknights when everything feels overwhelming, this soup comes together with minimal hands-on time but tastes like youve been cooking all day.
02 -
  • After accidentally blending hot soup with a tightly sealed blender lid, I learned to either let the soup cool slightly or blend with the center cap removed and a kitchen towel placed over the opening to prevent a steam explosion.
  • The soup will continue thickening as it cools, so if youre planning to reheat later, make it slightly thinner than youd ultimately prefer.
03 -
  • After accidentally adding all my liquid at once and ending up with a thin soup, I learned to hold back about a cup of broth, blending first and then adding just enough additional liquid to reach your preferred consistency.
  • The soup will taste dramatically different depending on the age of your cheddar use a truly sharp, aged variety for depth, or blend with a milder cheddar if serving to those who prefer gentler flavors.
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