This single serving broccoli cheddar soup is creamy, extra cheesy, and filled with broccoli. Best of all, it cooks in less than 30 minutes!
It's soup season and one of my favorite soups to make is this creamy broccoli cheddar soup. It's creamy and cheesy, loaded with broccoli, and cooks in less than 30 minutes! If you're a fan of the popular Panera broccoli cheddar soup in the US then you will love this soup.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- The perfect amount: This small batch broccoli cheese soup recipe is just the right size if you're cooking for one. It's rich and creamy and filled with broccoli.
- Recipe doubles well: Although this is a single serving soup recipe, the ingredients can be doubled to serve two.
- So incredibly delicious!: It's a rich, extra cheesy, and very hearty soup.
- Tested and perfected recipe: This is a recipe that I've been making for years. It's tried and true and cooks in less than 30 minutes!
RELATED: Single Serving Comfort Food Recipes
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Broccoli florets: This soup is loaded with broccoli. I prefer using fresh broccoli but you could also use frozen or cooked broccoli. Since frozen broccoli is already blanched, it will become softer in the soup as the soup cooks. Fresh broccoli will retain some of its crunch.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this broccoli cheese soup recipe as well as in every other recipe on One Dish Kitchen that calls for olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. It is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. Because of the way extra virgin olive oil is made, it retains a more true olive taste. It also contains more of the vitamins and minerals found in olives. It's my favorite type of olive oil to use but you may use a lighter olive oil instead.
- Vegetables: Fresh chopped onions and garlic add so much flavor. In a pinch, you can use ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon of onion powder but I really do recommend using fresh onions and garlic.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to thicken the soup. To make a gluten-free broccoli cheddar soup, I recommend using King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Chicken broth: I use low-sodium chicken broth but if you'd like to make a vegetarian broccoli cheddar soup, use vegetable broth instead.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Both of these ingredients are essentially the same - they both have over 36% milk fat, and the name often depends on the brand.
- Milk: This soup is creamy and rich and it gets that way because we use cream and whole milk. You can use a lower fat milk but the soup will not be as rich and creamy and will also be thinner. If you'd prefer, you can use ¾ cup of half and half instead of using both milk and cream.
- Cheddar cheese: I love using sharp cheddar cheese in this soup recipe. I recommend shredding your own cheese rather than purchasing bagged pre-shredded cheese. The cheese will melt better when freshly shredded. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives that help to keep the shreds of cheese from clumping in the bag. This means that the cheese doesn't melt as well.
- Seasonings: Use cumin, chili powder, and salt.
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup For One
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until the onions soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the flour to the pot and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the milk and cream.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring frequently, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add the cheese, cumin, chili powder, and salt and stir until smooth.
- Add the broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pro Tip: Be sure to chop your broccoli into fine, bite-sized pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly.
- Pour into a bowl and enjoy hot.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe before beginning. This easy cheddar broccoli soup comes together quickly. Be sure to read through the recipe and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Buy the best broccoli: When buying broccoli, choose ones that have a uniform green color with no major brown or yellow spots. The broccoli stem should be firm and the crown should be tight, limp florets are a sign of old broccoli. Store broccoli in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Broccoli should keep well for about 1 week. See below for ways to use leftover broccoli.
- How to cut broccoli into florets: To cut broccoli into florets, slice straight through the broccoli stem close to the crown. The crown should break into several large florets. Cut through the stem of each floret to make bite-sized pieces.
- To make a vegetarian broccoli cheddar soup, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I actually love using vegetable broth, it really enhances the flavor of the broccoli.
- Make a gluten free broccoli cheese soup by eliminating the flour and making a cornstarch slurry by whisking together ½ tablespoon of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of broth in a small bowl and stirring it into the soup or use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour instead.
- Cook the broccoli cheese soup on a low setting. High heat will cause the soup to become grainy and possibly curdle.
- If possible, do not use pre-shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts much better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes! If you'd like to make more, just double the ingredient amounts in the recipe.
If you'd like to make a low carb broccoli cheddar soup, leave out the flour and the milk and use only heavy cream. This means using ¾ cup of heavy cream in this recipe.
You can, although I don't usually puree it because I prefer the chunky pieces of broccoli in my soup. You can puree the soup by using an immersion blender or by transferring the soup to a stand blender but be careful, the soup will be hot.
Although I think the consistency of this broccoli cheese soup is absolutely perfect if you would like an even thicker soup you could add extra cheese or put ½ tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch into a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of broth until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the soup to thicken and to cook out any flour flavor.
RELATED: The Best Soup Recipes For One
Serving Suggestions
This cheddar broccoli soup makes a hearty main dish. I love making a small loaf of french bread or Irish soda bread to use to dip into the soup. A simple tomato salad or cucumber salad goes perfectly alongside it too.
Variations
I absolutely love this broccoli cheddar soup just as it is, but I also love these delicious variations:
- Add bacon: Cook 1 strip of bacon, remove the bacon from the pot and use the bacon drippings to cook the onions and garlic in. Continue with the recipe as written and add cooked and crumbled bacon to the soup when you add the broccoli.
- Make cauliflower cheese soup: Substitute cauliflower for broccoli.
- Add extra vegetables: Add a little color to your soup by cooking ¼ cup of chopped red bell peppers along with the onions and garlic.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this broccoli cheddar soup recipe, you might consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Broccoli: Broccoli with Sausage, Italian Pasta Salad, Green Curry, Vegetable Casserole, Cashew Chicken, Pasta Primavera
- Onions: French Onion Soup, Chicken Fajitas, Goulash, Green Bean Casserole, Ratatouille, Risotto
- Garlic: Corn Casserole, Vegetarian Chili, Chickpea Curry, Penne alla Vodka, Baked Penne With Roasted Vegetables, Cowboy Caviar
- Chicken broth: Rice Pilaf, Chicken and Dumplings, White Bean Soup, Clam Chowder, Turkey Cutlets, Chicken And Rice Casserole
- Heavy cream: Vanilla Ice Cream, Alfredo Sauce, Cauliflower Casserole, Mustard Chicken, Mini French Silk Pie, Crustless Quiche Lorraine
- Milk: Mini Spice Cake, Strawberry Milkshake, Mashed Potatoes, Biscuit With Sausage Gravy, Flan, French Toast
- Cheddar cheese: Macaroni and Cheese, Taco Casserole, Cheesy Baked Eggs, Beer Bread, Cheese Grits, Sausage And Eggs Breakfast Bowl
- Cumin: Butter Chicken, Baba Ganoush, Vegetarian Chili, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Black Bean Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chili Powder: Beef Tacos, Chicken Chili, Shrimp Tacos, Mexican Corn Dip, Steak Fajitas, Beef Enchiladas
More Single Serving Soup Recipes
- French Onion Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Cioppino
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Thai Shrimp Soup
- Curried Carrot Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Chicken Noodle
- Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- French Onion
- White Bean Soup
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this single serving broccoli cheddar soup or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Broccoli Cheddar Soup For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup broccoli florets
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until the onions soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the flour to the pot and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the milk and cream.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, stirring frequently, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add the cheese, cumin, chili powder, and salt and stir until smooth.
- Add the broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Pro Tip: Be sure to chop your broccoli into fine, bite-sized pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly.
- Taste the soup and add additinal salt if necessary. Pour into a bowl and enjoy hot.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe before beginning. This easy cheddar broccoli soup comes together quickly. Be sure to read through the recipe and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Buy the best broccoli: When buying broccoli, choose ones that have a uniform green color with no major brown or yellow spots. The broccoli stem should be firm and the crown should be tight, limp florets are a sign of old broccoli. Store broccoli in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Broccoli should keep well for about 1 week. See below for ways to use leftover broccoli.
- How to cut broccoli into florets: To cut broccoli into florets, slice straight through the broccoli stem close to the crown. The crown should break into several large florets. Cut through the stem of each floret to make bite-sized pieces.
- To make a vegetarian broccoli cheddar soup, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I actually love using vegetable broth, it really enhances the flavor of the broccoli.
- Make a gluten free broccoli cheese soup by eliminating the flour and making a cornstarch slurry by whisking together ½ tablespoon of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of broth in a small bowl and stirring it into the soup or use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour instead.
- Cook the broccoli cheese soup on a low setting. High heat will cause the soup to become grainy and possibly curdle.
- If possible, do not use pre-shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts much better.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
J. Hegyi says
Terrific recipe.
Caro says
Could you make this in a slow cooker? Prep the veggies then put everything in the pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours?
Joanie Zisk says
We have not tested this recipe in a slow cooker.
Jozinnah C says
Very Delicious!
Kim Gallagher says
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Joanie Zisk says
Yes.
Elizabeth Parsons says
How does it work without the cheese. Should I see a significant change in texture and taste?
Joanie Zisk says
Yes, if you leave out the cheese the broth will be very thin. If you don't want to use cheese, I recommend using a different recipe.
Jenny says
Tried this for the first time last night. SO DELICIOUS!! I'm a single gal who likes to cook but doesn't want to eat the same thing for days. Thanks so much for creating these recipes!
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so glad to know you enjoyed the soup, Jenny. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
Donna says
I'm making this for dinner tomorrow. I gave you 5 stars because I already know that it will be delicious
By the way will you be adding new recipes to your site?
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you, Donna. Yes, we have a few new recipes up this week and many more to come.
Brylee says
Could I possibly use like peas instead of broccoli cause I don’t have broccoli and I can’t go to the store right now.
Joanie Zisk says
Sure.
Beverly says
I just tried this soup—my first from your site—and thought it was tasty. What could I do to make a thicker soup besides more flour? Also, mine curdled a little. What did I do wrong? I’m excited to find recipes for one or two and plan to try several that I’ve saved. Thank you for making it easier for single people.
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Beverly, the soup can curdle if the temperature gets too high. The proteins in the cheese tighten up which will give your soup a grainy, curdled consistency. That's why the soup has to cook on a low simmer. As for thickening the soup, you could add more cheese which would thicken it nicely or whisk a little bit of cornstarch into cold water until the cornstarch has dissolved, then stir it into the soup.
Katie says
Can the broccoli be made with leftover steamed broccoli?
Joanie Zisk says
Yes.