Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printable)

Velvety blend of broccoli, cheddar, and beans for a hearty, nutritious bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
05 - 1 medium carrot, diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, diced

→ Beans

07 - 2 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup milk

→ Cheese

10 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

→ Seasonings

11 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
14 - Pinch of nutmeg

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes.
04 - Add drained cannellini beans and pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, blend in batches in a blender, then return to the pot.
06 - Stir in milk, shredded cheddar cheese, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Return to low heat and stir until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra cheddar or steamed broccoli florets if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally creamy without any cream, thanks to blended beans that make the whole thing feel indulgent but pack serious fiber.
  • Sharp cheddar does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need a dozen spices or fancy techniques.
  • Ready in under an hour, and it reheats beautifully for lunches throughout the week.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans or your soup will be starchy and gritty, a mistake I made once and learned never to repeat.
  • The immersion blender is worth using because it creates the smoothest texture and you can control how much blending happens while the soup stays in the pot.
  • Add the cheese off heat or on very low heat, because high temperatures can make it separate and become grainy instead of melting into creaminess.
03 -
  • If your immersion blender ever gets stuck, tap it gently on the bottom of the pot to release the air pocket, which I learned after panicking that I'd broken it.
  • Shred your cheese fresh from a block instead of using pre-shredded if you can, because the anti-caking powder in pre-shredded cheese sometimes affects how smoothly it melts.
  • Keep the heat low when stirring in the cheese because high heat can cause the proteins to seize up and make everything grainy.
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