Home » Recipes » Soups » One-Pot Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
by Taesha Butler on Nov 16, 2021 (updated Feb 16, 2024)
Jump to Recipe
4.98 from 42 votes
This Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy, and full of delicious, flavorful veggies! This recipe comes together in just one pot and is a warm, comforting vegetarian and gluten free dinner recipe.
This Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is lick-your-bowl-clean good. It’s creamy. It’s flavorful. It’s veggie-loaded. All the boxes for the perfect dinner recipe have been ticked in this amazing soup.
Made healthier by using potato and Greek yogurt to create that cozy creamy consistency and the flavor you look for in a broccoli cheddar soup. This trick helps to lighten up the dairy and skips the need for a flour roux. But don’t worry, you are not missing out on any of the flavor in this classic comfort dish! You will love how many veggies you get in, how delicious this vegetarian and gluten free soup is, and how easy it is to make!
It is the perfect soup to make during the colder months for dinner or to make as part of meal prep to pack for lunches.
Why this Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is amazing…
- It is super flavorful and creamy. It is exactly the kind of soup you want to curl up with on a chilly night and will leave you satisfied in all the ways.
- Vegetarian and gluten free. I’ve replaced the flour roux typically found in creamy soups with blended cooked potato and a little Greek yogurt.
- A lightened up version of a classic recipe. Most broccoli cheddar soup recipes have heavy cream, milk and a considerable amount of cheese. I’ve lightened it up a bit with some easy ingredient swaps, but don’t worry…the flavor is on point.
- Easy to make in one pot! These are the kinds of recipes busy me dreams about on hectic weeknights.
- It uses the whole broccoli. Never know what to do with those broccoli stalks? This recipe uses them and helps to reduce the veggie waste.
- Comes together quickly. The veggie chopping will be the hardest part of this soup. The rest is letting it simmer to perfection while you do other things.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup completely smooth?
If you’d prefer the soup to be smooth and have no bits of broccoli throughout, add broccoli florets to the soup halfway through the initial 15 minutes of cooking time. Blend the soup to your desired consistency then add in the cheese and any additional seasoning.
Can I leave out the potato?
The potato gives the soup a thick, creamy consistency without the addition of flour or extra dairy, so I would not leave it out.
Can I replace the white potato with sweet potato?
I would not use sweet potato, as it would really change the flavor of the soup.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes you can. Use 2 1/2 cups of broccoli florets in place of the stalks and then thaw 3 more cups of florets to add later. Be sure the florets are thawed so they are easy to cut to bite sized and so that everything cooks throughly.
Can I make this soup dairy-free?
The Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese is a vital part to this soup recipe. You can make a delicious dairy-free version with this recipe.
Suggested Adaptations
- Want the soup to be extra green and veggie packed? Wilt a few handfuls of spinach into the soup before you blend it up.
- Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use regular plain yogurt or sour cream. If you use regular yogurt the soup consistency might be a little thinner.
- Use frozen broccoli. Sub 2 1/2 cups of thawed frozen broccoli florets for the broccoli stalks in this healthy broccoli cheddar soup. Then add 3 more cups of thawed frozen florets when you’d add the fresh.
Other delicious veggie-loaded soups to fill your belly with.
- Veggie-Loaded Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Hearty Chicken-Vegetable Quinoa Soup
- Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Vegetable Rice Soup (dairy-free)
- Creamy Cauliflower Vegetarian Potato Soup
- Veggie-Loaded Lasagna Soup (vegetarian)
Loving this Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipeand now you’re hungry for more?
Sign up so that my newsletter is deliveredstraight to your inbox. And be sure to follow me onFacebook,PinterestandInstagramfor all kinds of veggie-loaded living ideas!
4.98 from 42 votes
One-Pot Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
This Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy, and full of delicious, flavorful veggies! This recipe comes together in just one pot and is a warm, comforting vegetarian and gluten free dinner recipe.
Print RecipePin RecipeLeave a Review
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, or you can sub more olive oil
- 1 large yellow or white onion, peeled and chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound fresh broccoli, 2 large heads with stalks
- 1 large Yukon Gold or Russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 12 oz)
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth, or a combo of the two
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt , I've found full-fat or 2% gives the soup the best flavor
- 4-6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
Instructions
Separate the broccoli florets from the stalks. Trim any tough parts from the broccoli stalks then chop tender stalks into small pieces; you should have about 2 cups. Chop the broccoli tops into small pieces (think about how the broccoli will fit onto a spoon). You should have about 3 cups of very small broccoli florets. Set aside.
Heat oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add broccoli stalks, potato, water, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring up to a simmer then cover and cook until the potato will easily mash when pressed with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Stir in yogurt.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.
Alternatively, use a regular blender and blend soup in batches (blender should only be half full when blending hot soup) then pour soup back into the pot.
Stir chopped broccoli florets into the soup and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup of the cheese then carefully taste soup for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining cheese.
Enjoy warm. Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Suggested Adaptations
- Want the soup to be extra green and veggie packed? Wilt a few handfuls of spinach into the soup before you blend it up.
- Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use regular plain yogurt or sour cream. If you use regular yogurt the soup consistency might be a little thinner.
- Use frozen broccoli. Sub 2 1/2 cups of thawed frozen broccoli florets for the broccoli stalks in this healthy broccoli cheddar soup. Then add 3 more cups of thawed frozen florets when you’d add the fresh.
Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 940mg, Potassium: 561mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 677IU, Vitamin C: 73mg, Calcium: 219mg, Iron: 1mg
Dinner Gluten-Free Soups Vegetarian broccoli potato
originally published on Nov 16, 2021 (last updated Feb 16, 2024)
39 commentsLeave a comment »
« Previous PostWhole Roasted Butternut Squash
Next Post »Healthy Cranberry Orange Carrot Muffins
Leave a comment & rate this recipe
Comments
39 comments on “One-Pot Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup”
Leave a comment »
Bryn B —Reply
Phenomenal recipe. It was super easy for both making and cleaning up which is important to me. The soup makes me happy, body and soul. I honestly didn’t know that I could make soup this yummy at home. Thank you for the amazing recipe!Alison —Reply
I made this last night in the hopes my vegetable-fearing child would deem it appropriate for consumption. It was also a wonderful excuse to make cheese biscuits, a true soup necessity. I used cauliflower instead of broccoli as that was the only cruciferous I owned and I admit I used chicken broth as I had just made some the other day. I ended up blending the whole thing (texture is a real issue, y’all) and serving it with trepidation like Mikey’s brothers did with Life cereal way back when. He took a bite, contemplated what he was tasting and said in his matter-of-fact way, “Yes. I will eat this.” Hallelujah! Thank you, Taesha! And lucky me, there are leftovers for my lunch. 🙂Melanie —Reply
Delicious soup that, while healthier, still tastes indulgent. Will make again!Jessica —Reply
So easy to make and so yummy! I love the creaminess of the base of this soup!Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you loved it as much as we do, Jessica!
Karen F FitzGerald —Reply
Made this over the weekend . We all loved it.
Taesha Butler —Reply
That is so awesome to hear, Karen!
Vibha Mahadeo —Reply
My husband and I really enjoyed thus soup!I did 1.5 cups broccoli stem and 1/2 cup carrot. Otherwise ai followed it exactly as written and we loved it!
Taesha Butler —Reply
Love that you added the carrot! I need to try that in my next batch! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Reading these always means so much to me.
Carolyn Stefansky —Reply
Loved it! It’s great to have a healthy and very tasty recipe. Thank you!Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you enjoyed it! A favorite of ours too!
Lisette —Reply
Can you freeze this soup?
Taesha Butler —Reply
Sure!
Diane Warankie —Reply
I was out at a local restaurant yesterday and my sister and I had this soup so I decided to buy the ingredients and make it myself and it turned out just as good if not better than the restaurant variety the only thing I changed was instead of yogurt I used sour cream it turned out perfect
Taesha Butler —Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to share, Diane!
Anna —Reply
Is this easy to freeze?
Taesha Butler —Reply
Yes!
Lisset —Reply
Absolutely delicious!! First time making it and eating this type of soup and it was so so good. Will be making it again for sure!Taesha Butler —Reply
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do. Such a cozy meal! Thank you for taking the time to share, Lisset!
Eva —Reply
Had been eyeing this recipe for weeks! Finally I made it tonight – and I really really like it! I find the amount of cheese just right – you get the savory cheddar flavor, but it doesn’t make the soup too heavy. Only tiny thing I added was a pinch of nutmeg. Delicious.Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you enjoyed it, Eva!
Laura —Reply
I modified using what I had. I replaced regular onion with leeks, also added celery and carrot prior to potato and veg broth, subbed sour cream for the yogurt, and used purple sprouting broccoli from my CSA haul – chopped, then added while immersion blending. So good. Excited to eat this for lunch the next few days!Taesha Butler —Reply
Love that you made this with leeks, Laura! I bet it was extra yum!
Mary-Anne —Reply
Is it okay to freeze soup in plastic containers?
Taesha Butler —Reply
That is a personal choice. I know lots of plastic containers are graded for freezer use, but some people still prefer not to freeze or heat plastic.
Carla —Reply
Oh my goodness. I was craving broccoli cheddar soup last week and found this recipe. I’ve made this recipe FOUR times since the first time I tried it. I can’t get enough! The last batch I made with cheddar from Kerrygold—holy moly it took the soup up a notch. Not that there was anything wrong with it to begin with. Anyway, enough rambling—off to enjoy more soup!
Taesha Butler —Reply
I have this on my list next week and LOVE the idea of the Kerrygold cheese. We love their butter and bet their cheese is magical in this!
Barbara Holmes —Reply
So yummy! I used the half veggie stock, half water version. Absolutely delicious.
I will DEFINITELY make this again. And again.Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy you loved this one as much as we do!
MMH —Reply
Can you use chicken stock instead of the veggie stock?
Taesha Butler —Reply
Absolutely!
Simone —Reply
It was easy to make and your instructions were so thorough. I appreciated all of the extra instructions annd the FAQs It tasted great! I added a little more broth to make it go further which worked well. I love that it’s a healthy version too.Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you enjoyed it, Simone! And I’m glad you found it so through and helpful. And thanks for taking the time to read it! I really try to set readers up for success!
Marls P —Reply
There is no reason to ever make another Broccoli Cheddar soup again! I followed the recipe exactly but pureed more of the broccoli than suggested (leaving fewer pieces as chunks in the soup). I used fat free greek yogurt. Perhaps full fat yogurt would be better but this came out so good I see no reason to switch to full fat if you are watching your fat intake. I used the ninja bullet blender to get it nice and smooth. The stick blender wouldn’t have done as good a job. Note: when I added the yogurt, there was some curdling but it disappeared after the blending step.Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy you loved it so much, Marls!
Christie —Reply
This is a delicious soup recipe. I’ve made it as written here and I’ve also done a version where I substitute the potato with cauliflower and it’s still pretty tasty!Taesha Butler —Reply
Thats sounds delicious, Christie! So glad you love it so much!
Marjorie —Reply
The soup is delicious! I did something wrong though bc it became clumpy and the cheese stuck to the spoon and our teeth. Any idea what I did wrong? 🙁Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you enjoyed it, Marjorie! I find that cheese gets clumpy when you cook it on too high of a heat. Cheese should be added when the soup is still hot, but not boiling.
