Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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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
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
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.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
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 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.
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. 🙂
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 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. 🙂
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 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
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.
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! 🙂
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!