Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
110
Published Jan 15, 2020, Updated Nov 15, 2021
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Easy and healthy, this lightened up broccoli cheddar soup uses cauliflower for a creamy base and packs a ton of veggies into a comforting and cheesy bowl of soup. Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Broccoli cheddar soup brings me back to my childhood! As a kiddo, I wasn’t a huge fan of vegetables besides potatoes and corn. #carblover I would eat green veggies like broccoli, but only when it was smothered with butter or cheese. That said, I always loved broccoli cheddar soup! The ultimate comfort food then and now.
Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Traditional broccoli cheddar soup is made with a melted butter and flour roux and a hefty serving of milk. I decided to skip all of those extra calories and made the base out of vegetables and broth blended with an immersion blender. It’s so creamy and delicious, you won’t even realize I switched up the recipe to include more veggies. 😉
- vegetables – yellow onion, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots
- broth – either bone broth or vegetable stock is great!
- cheese – I used cheddar cheese
- spices – nutmeg, salt and black pepper
One serving is under 270 calories – no guilt here and plenty of room for delicious sides!
What to Serve with Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I love pairing this broccoli cheddar soup with a couple of sides to make it a more filling meal. I need more than 270 calories to fill me up! I love bread with soup – cornbread is always delicious (my pumpkin cornbread is amazing, as is my vegan cornbread) or you can keep it simple and toast up a slice of honey whole wheat bread. A side salad (like my garlicky kale salad) would also be a light, refreshing accompaniment to this soup.
Storing & Reheating Soup
When it comes to soup, I feel like some soups taste better as leftovers, after the flavors have had more time to mesh, and others are better right away. This broccoli cheddar soup falls somewhere in the middle. I think it’s best fresh, but it also stores and reheats really well from the refrigerator. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this soup because the cheese may change consistency/break up in the freezer. Refrigerate leftovers for up to five days and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
In the Mood for Soup? More Soup Recipes to Try
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Vegan Curried Pumpkin Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup
- Easy Black Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Sausage Kale Soup
- Autumn Harvest Soup
Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head cauliflower, core removed and chopped into small florets
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
- 4 cups bone broth or vegetable broth
- 5 cups broccoli fresh florets or frozen
- 1-2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top, if desired
- green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower, nutmeg, cayenne (if using), salt and pepper. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the broth to the pot and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for at least 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender (soft enough to mash with a fork).
- Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Return the soup to the pot over medium heat and add the broccoli and carrots. Bring to simmer and cook 20-25 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender (if you use frozen broccoli, you’ll only need to cook until the broccoli is thawed and heated through).
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese a little at a time. The soup will be pretty thick. If you want a thinner soup, add additional broth or water to reach a desired consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.
- Serve soup sprinkled with additional shredded cheese and green onions.
Notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the cauliflower soup base to a regular blender for pureeing, but do so carefully and in batches so the soup doesn’t splash out. Alternatively you can use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower. This will result in a chunkier soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my goodness! I need this veggie loaded comfort soup in my life right now! and it’s only 8am. Ha! I just printed this to hopefully make in the coming week.
Yay!! Definitely come back to let me know how it turned out once you make it. 🙂
This looks great! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for posting!
You’re so welcome, Annie! Definitely come back and let me know what you think if you try this soup. 🙂
This soup looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it out soon!
Paige
http://thehapyflammily.com
It’s so yummy! Can’t wait to hear what you think once you’ve had a chance to try it.
what a wonderful idea!! I love broccoli cheddar soup and now im sure I will love it even more, knowing how much it is lightened up. Thank you for the post. Cannot wait to try it with cauliflower.
You’re so welcome!! It’s definitely a great way to get your veggies in without all the extra calories. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this soup once you try it. 🙂
I just made this right now and it is delicious!! I’ve had a hard time getting my veggies in during my pregnancy so this is the perfect meal for me!! Loaded with veggies but still tasty!
What a great way to get your veggies in!! I love it. And thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating after making the soup. This feedback is so so helpful!
I was very excited to make this soup on my healthy eating plan. Both my daughters are vegetarian so I used organic vegetable broth. I added the broccoli stalks to the cauliflower which was blended and the soup is a lovely mix of smooth and bites of broccoli and carrot. Flavour is outstanding, I will definitely make this again. A thick and hearty healthy soup for winter cold!
Yay! This makes me so happy, Paula! And thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating on the recipe. I so appreciate it!
It was SO good even my picky eaters loved it!I count my macros, and carb cycle. I love that I can use this for any of my days with just a few changes. This will be a new staple in my dinners!
Yay!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit with the picky eaters. 🙂 That’s always a win in my book. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it, Sarah!
Thank you so much. I have cooked this dish for my mom, and it was delicious.
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear! 🙂 Thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Just made this today. Absolutely delicious. Loved it and it so easy to make. I will be making this again and again. Yum😊😊
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Laurie! Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
I love it everything and my husband. You are so good.All recipes is so delicious.
Ahh thank you Margaret! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this soup. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, it means the world to me!
Just made this and now Waiting for it to cool before I portion it out for my lunches this week. I used cauliflower rice and half the amount of dairy free cheese, saving the rest to add when I reheat. I may cut back on pepper next time. I’ll decide after seeing how it all mellows. thanks
Thanks for trying my recipe, Amy! I hope you loved it. And thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
I ended up using a blender for the whole soup – really good. Mine ended up a bit spicy so I added more broth. It also got a “really good” from my husband! So yeah!
Ahh I love hearing that, Judy! So glad you and your husband enjoyed this soup. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Holy. Moly. The BEST broccoli cheese soup!! The day this recipe showed up in my inbox I had the ingredients and changed my meal plan and made this instead! Best decision. Seriously this is so good and I can’t believe their’s cauliflower in it! My 5 year old, 3 year old and husband (who doesn’t like this cauliflower trend…) all liked it, said it was good, and THEN I told them it was cauliflower! So delightful 🙂
Ahhh this makes me so happy to hear, Brittany!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit with the fam. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It’s super helpful to other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! My husband said it tasted just like Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup. I’ll be making this again. Definitely recommend
Yay!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit, Maren! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me. 🙂
This was so delicious! My three kiddos and husband loved it. You honestly couldn’t tell it was a “lightened up” version! It tastes so creamy. Will definitely be making it again!
Yay!! So glad this was a hit with the fam, Tara! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
My favorite soup is Broccoli Cheddar Soup, so I had to try your recipe! We do not have an immersion blender and I did not want to take the time to transfer the cauliflower soup to the blender and back. So, I just used our potato masher. At first, I thought that I had made a mistake by not pureeing the cauliflower. I second-guessed my way all the way until we started adding the cheese. It was perfect. My husband loved it! The kids finished their bowls (may not sound much, but it is equal to thumbs up!). And I LOVED IT! Excited that we showed restraint so we can have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Thank you!
YAY!! That makes me so happy to hear, Jessica. I’m so glad this soup turned out well for you. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
This is the first recipe from your website and definitely will not be the last. I followed the recipe to a “T.” Will definitely make again using a little less ground pepper
Ahh this makes me so happy to hear, Sunny!! Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. It means the world to me. 🙂
Is there anyway to make this in a crockpot or instant pot? Love all your recipes!
Hi Jen! I definitely think you could make it work in the slow cooker or instant pot, but it’s not a soup where you can just dump everything in and cook it since the cauliflower base needs to be cooked and blended before adding in the broccoli and carrots. I’m also not sure of the cook times since I haven’t tried making it with either of these methods. Let me know if you decide to experiment and test it with either of these methods!
This recipe is great! Thanks so much. I love how it doesn’t take butter or flour. My kids and my whole family for that matter had no idea it was made with a cauliflower base. I will def be making again!
Woot woot!! I love hearing that, Andrea. So glad this soup was a hit with your whole family. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating, I so appreciate it. <3
So delish and so easy! I used the immersion blender again after the broccoli was cooked to blend the broccoli a little while still leaving plenty of chunks. Will definitely make again. Thanks for great recipes!
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed this soup, Emily! Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
While I was making the soup I was a bit worried due to the consistency.But this soup is AMAZING! So creamy and tastes just like a traditional broccoli cheddar soup! Will definitely be making this again!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Sydney!! I’m so glad you loved this soup. Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me!
This soup was delicious! You can’t tell it’s a lightened up version at all and my husband loved it too. I used chicken broth in mine. Will definitely be making again. Thanks for the recipe!
Woot woot!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit, Nicole. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me! 🙂
I had a bunch of broccoli in the fridge I needed to use, so I tried this recipe out tonight for dinner. I don’t think I’ll ever make broccoli cheddar soup any other way! So delicious!
Woot woot! That makes me so happy to hear, Chloe. I’m so pumped you loved this soup. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it.
I made this for a soup party; never told anyone it was ~healthy~ and it was gone in under an hour!! I wish I could give it a five star for everyone that loved it! Definitely a remake!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m pumped this soup was a hit with everyone! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
Exceeded my expectations and I didn’t miss the dairy at all!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Erin. I’m so glad you loved this soup. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
I used my Instant Pot; sautéed the onion and cauliflower then pressure cooked with chicken stock on high for 3 minutes with quick release, pureed in my Vitamix, returned to the IP, added carrot and broccoli and pressure cooked for another 3 minutes with a quick release then added cheese. Amazing and so easy!
Good to know this worked well in the Instant Pot, Mellisa!! Thanks for coming back to share how you made it. It’s super helpful for other readers. 🙂
OMG this is my new favorite! I added the carrots while the cauliflower was cooking and blended and I ended up with an even cheesier looking base. My kids loved it, and my partner (who I have to convince to eat healthy) had seconds! Thanks!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit, Amy. I really appreciate you making it and coming back to leave a review. <3
I never leave reviews but this is Such a great broccoli cheddar soup…it’s so hearty you’d never know it was lightened up! It’s also easy to make into a vegan soup by simple substitutes so this is one you can really make your own. I’ll definitely be making it again!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Alyssa!! I’m pumped you loved this soup. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it. 🙂
This soup tastes good, but it’s not one I would return to. The soup is a little grainy and the cheese melted strangely. It needed to be melted in a roux. As I said, the flavor is fabulous, but the texture is a bit off.
Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Kelly. What kind of cheese did you use?
Brittany, I used pre-shredded Sargento mild cheddar.
Mmm, that’s so strange. I wonder if it has something to do with the cheese you used. I haven’t heard of anyone else having the same issue.
Love this so much–so easy, so cozy, so tasty!! This was a huge hit around my dinner table! I’ll be making this all winter long!!
I’m so glad you loved this soup, Erica! I appreciate you making it and coming back to leave a review. 🙂
This recipe is out of this world! I always thought Panera’s soup was a little too thick and cheesy. This is the perfect combination. I also boil the carrots in with the cauliflower to give it a pretty color. I’m going back for another bowl!
Ahh this makes me so happy to hear, Laura. I’m pumped to hear you loved this soup!! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Hi Brittany, I always try out recipes from your site. ITs so amazing that we can eat guilt free all what you make. My broccoli cheddar soup is in the making. I saw ur soup is a creamy color and what I have is the ornage cheddar. will that do?
That should work just fine! Let me know how it turns out for you. 🙂
This soup is delicious! What really puts it over the top is the cauliflower base – the flavor is amazing!
Yay!! So glad you loved this soup, Julia. Thanks for making it and for the review. 🙂
Super tasty and so creamy, you‘d never guess there is no cream involved! Thanks for the great recipe, I‘ll definitely make it again asap!:)
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Sonia. I’m pumped you enjoyed this soup. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it.
I will definitely make this again – really delicious. I had a little issue with the cheddar cheese not fully incorporating, but I think this may have been due to my adding it while the soup was still too hot and/or adding too much at a time. I’m on my second day of leftovers and it reheats great on the stove. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this soup, Melissa! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Could I use frozen cauliflower for this? I’m worried it will mess with the base of the soup
I just made this and it’s super delicious! A word of advice, don’t use purple carrots, they make the whole soup purple 💜
So glad you loved this soup, Samantha! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Does this soup freeze well? Also, can I use frozen cauliflower florets and if so, how does the process/cook time change?
Hey Sally – I wouldn’t recommend freezing this soup because the cheese may change consistency/break up in the freezer.
Oh my gosh! I found your website by looking up Spaghetti Squash Cooking how to. I’m into eating healthy and have been struggling finding good meal ideas. All the recipes I run into aren’t always
the healthiest and are loaded with cheese and such. The emphasis is on fast and easy not healthy and good. Your site is just loaded with things that I love to eat. I’m creative with many things in my life. Unfortunately, cooking isn’t one of them. I have a slow juicer and a freeze dryer that I use to make and store long term 25 years foods that are good for me and my wife. I love soups and your soup menus are just out of this world! I can’t thank you enough for sharing your recipes! Variety is the spice of life. I’ve been so frustrated with my food choices you have no idea. Again, I’m so excited to have come across your website and will be sharing with everyone that I know! Take care! Mark Sendzik
This makes me so happy to hear, Mark! I’m so glad that you stumbled upon my site and I can’t wait for you too try some of the recipes! Thank you for the comment.
Love love love this! I will definitely be making this again. One thing I changed: when I tasted the finished product I added 2 tsp more salt and LOTS of extra black pepper 🙂 My carrots were crunchier than I expected so next time I think I might let them simmer on their own in a small sauce pan of broth to make sure they get nice and soft before adding them to the soup.
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad this soup was a hit!! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I so appreciate it. 🙂
Super easy to make, absolutely delicious! Such a comforting soup with less guilt than a heavy, creamy soup. Definitely will be sharing this with friends
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed this soup. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, Joanna. I so appreciate it!
My husband and I loved this soup and will definitely make it again. I blended the broccoli and carrots once they were cooked, before adding the cheese as I prefer a smoother soup.
I’m glad this soup was a hit! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it, Susannah.
I just tried this soup for the first time and it’s amazing! It will definitely be a recipe I keep returning to and I’ll be sharing it with friends too. I love that it’s full of veggies and still tastes so rich and creamy!!
Woo!! So glad this soup was a hit. Thanks for the review, Carter. I so appreciate it!
This soup came out so good! Thank you! I always make some changes- I had my doubts when making it so I added two potatoes to the cauliflower and did not use nutmeg but cumin, onion and garlic powders and paprika. It would have been good with smoked paprika but we’re out. A hefty tablespoon of FF greek yogurt at the end. Delicious and it wasn’t 1000 calories! Served with biscuits and smoked pork chops. Thank you!!
So glad you loved this soup, Jane!! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This is the best broccoli cheddar soup! My whole family loves it.
Ahh yay!! That makes me SO happy to hear, Paige. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Delish! May have had a pinch too many of cayenne. Oops! Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jacky. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
Wow I am so grateful for this recipe, I adore all things creamy and all things cheesy and was after something that was flavoursome yet healthy! This is a very satisfying and filling recipe! I used more cayenne pepper and also added Harissa spice to adjust to my spice loving taste buds but that was it. Can’t believe this is so guilt free!
Yay!! So glad you love this recipe, Missy. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
Easy! Salty, flavorful, and easy to throw together on a weeknight.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this broccoli cheddar soup, Meghan! Thanks for making it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
SOOOOO Good!!! I usually make the butter and heavy cream way but I tried this for a healthier choice. It was amazing and simple. My kids didn’t know the difference!! ;)))
Yay!! Happy to hear this broccoli cheddar soup was a hit, Dena. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
My favorite soup ever! Tastes as good as the traditional less healthy version, but the best part is that its lower calorie with extra veggies! I’ll make this again and again.
Ah yay!! I love hearing this, Jessica. So pumped you loved this soup! Thanks so much for the review and star rating. It means so much to me!
Delicious!
Really loved this soup and I was a bit surprised to be honest (because of the healthier subs)! Love the taste of the seasonings in it.
Oh yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed this soup, Morgan. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Love this healthier soup! I won’t eat cauliflower at all but hiding it in the base of the soup is genius. I used frozen cauliflower rice and this time added shredded pepper jack cheese (we like things spicy and it was great! Quick, easy and delicious!
Yum! Love pepper jack cheese, that’s a great way to get some extra kick! Thank you for leaving a review, Lisa, I really appreciate it! 🙂
This recipe is truly excellent! I’m so glad I found it. It’s easy and makes a soup that’s usually sinful something I’m not guilty about eating multiple servings of! I’ve made it as is and it’s just as rich and creamy as any other broccoli cheddar soup I’ve ever had. I’ve also done it with about half-ish the amount of cheese and adding some nutritional yeast to supplement. Both ways are 10/10. I don’t have kids yet but when I do I know they’re gonna be obsessed with this haha
Woo! Thank you so much, Courtney! I’m so glad you love this recipe, thank you for leaving such a sweet review. 🙂
This is so delicious. So many veggies, and amazing taste! Thank you for this delight. Your recipes never fail.
Aw this is great, Pooja! I am happy you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!