Low Calorie Broccoli Cheddar Soup is an easy recipe loaded with fresh broccoli, carrots and cheese. This cheesy broccoli soup is a delicious way to eat your vegetables and it's ready in just 30 minutes or less!
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Check out my Low Calorie Red Pepper and Tomato Soup and my Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Pasta for more soup recipes!
This simple and delicious low calorie broccoli cheddar soup is ready in no time! It's filled with chunks of broccoli and cheesy flavor, but with less calories than traditional broccoli cheddar soup!
The best part, is that this delicious soup tastes like the copycat version of Panera's broccoli cheddar soup.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This creamy broccoli cheddar soup is quick to make and it's great as a leftover soup.
- Kid friendly! My kids love this delicious recipe and scarf it down in no time.
- It's the ultimate comfort food, especially when paired with your favorite bread.
- Made with simple ingredients found at any local grocery store.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butter: Adds flavor and silky texture. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onions & Garlic: Forms a savory base layer.
- Carrots: Grated, finely minced, or julienned carrots.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets along with the broccoli stems chopped into small bite-size pieces.
- Flour: To thicken the soup.
- Broth: Vegetable or chicken broth will work great. You can also use chicken stock.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, mustard powder and paprika.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Adds cheesy and creamy texture. I prefer grating a block of cheese rather than buy pre-shredded cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a nice saltiness and the texture adds richness.
- Milk: To make the soup creamy and delicious. You can also use almond milk or coconut milk. There's no need for whole milk, cream cheese or heavy cream.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place butter in a soup pot or large dutch pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Once butter is hot and melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Add the shredded carrot and broccoli and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until broccoli is wilted and softened.
Step 4: Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat the vegetables in the flour.
Step 5: Add broth, followed by the seasonings and cheeses. Stir to combine and then let simmer until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Add milk and stir to combine. Allow the soup to simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes.
Step 7: If desired, remove some of the vegetables to a blender and puree. Be careful not to trap heat in the blender - my method is to remove the air plug at the top and place a kitchen towel over it before blending at the lowest setting. Return the veggies back to the soup before serving. Never fill the blender more than half full.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Add more seasonings like minced garlic, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and onion powder, for even more flavor.
- Use a food processor or an immersion blender to blend the soup to make it thinner. If you use a blender be sure not to have the lid on tightly or it can explode from the steam.
- It's the perfect make ahead meal. It will stay fresh in an airtight container and tastes amazing the next day.
- Try using shredded carrots that are sold already peeled and cut into small quick-cooking pieces.
Variations
- Use vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian.
- You can use cauliflower florets instead of broccoli or a mix of cauliflower and broccoli in this recipe.
- For a larger family make a double batch or for a smaller meal cut the ingredients in half.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Place cooled soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a large pot on the stove over medium-low heat.
Freezing: Soups that contain milk don’t tend to freeze very well because its texture can become grainy and separates when defrosted. If you do freeze, be sure to freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container.
Recipe FAQ's
It's a great side with a sandwich or crisp salad. Soup is also great to serve in a bread bowl or with crusty bread for dipping or topped with croutons!
Yes. Fresh is best and will also have the best texture, but in a pinch frozen broccoli florets that are thawed and diced smaller will work too.
Overcooking on high heat can lead to a grainy texture. Adding the cheese too early can also result in a grainy texture instead of the smooth texture.
More Soup Recipes You'll Love
Low Calorie Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 cup shredded carrots approximately 1 large carrot
- 3 cups chopped broccoli approximately 1 head
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup reduced fat grated cheddar cheese I use sharp cheese
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup skim milk
Instructions
- Place butter in a soup pot or large dutch pot over medium heat.
- Once butter is hot and melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shredded carrot and broccoli and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until broccoli is wilted and softened.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat the vegetables in the flour.
- Add broth, followed by the seasonings and cheeses. Stir to combine and then let simmer until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.
- Add milk and stir to combine. Allow the soup to simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes.
- If desired, remove some of the vegetables to a blender and puree. Be careful not to trap heat in the blender - my method is to remove the air plug at the top and place a kitchen towel over it before blending at the lowest setting. Return the veggies back to the soup before serving. Never fill the blender more than half full.
Notes
- Add more seasonings like minced garlic, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and onion powder, for even more flavor.
- Use a food processor or an immersion blender to blend the soup to make it thinner. If you use a blender be sure not to have the lid on tightly or it can explode from the steam.
- It's the perfect make ahead meal. It will stay fresh in an airtight container and tastes amazing the next day.
- Try using shredded carrots that are sold already peeled and cut into small quick-cooking pieces.
- Storing: Place cooled soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a large pot on the stove over medium-low heat.
- Freezing: Soups that contain milk don’t tend to freeze very well because its texture can become grainy and separates when defrosted. If you do freeze, be sure to freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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