Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printable)

Creamy soup with oven-roasted broccoli, carrots, sharp cheddar, and aromatic herbs for rich, comforting flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (about 17.6 oz)
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (6 oz)
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup whole milk (8 fl oz)
08 - ½ cup heavy cream (4 fl oz)

→ Broth

09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (32 fl oz)

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Oil

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss broccoli florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, until golden and tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
03 - While broccoli roasts, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and carrots for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add roasted broccoli to the pot, reserving a few florets for garnish if desired. Stir in thyme, basil, and nutmeg.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Use an immersion blender to purée soup until smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender, exercising caution with hot liquids.
07 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Gradually add cheddar cheese, stirring until fully melted and soup reaches creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with reserved broccoli florets and extra cheddar if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted broccoli tastes almost nutty, which means you're actually looking forward to eating your vegetables instead of tolerating them.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering something all day.
  • Sharp cheddar does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need cream in massive quantities to feel genuinely indulgent.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the broccoli—it's the difference between soup that tastes like broccoli and soup that tastes genuinely delicious, and I learned this the hard way by trying to speed through it.
  • Grate your cheddar fresh and add it slowly while stirring; pre-shredded cheese has additives that make it clump instead of melting into a smooth sauce.
  • Taste your soup before adding cheese because the broth's saltiness varies by brand, and you don't want to oversalt before you've tasted the actual dish.
03 -
  • Don't let your broccoli florets get too small when cutting—they shrink considerably during roasting, and you want texture in your final soup.
  • If your soup breaks or looks separated, it usually means the temperature was too high when you added the cheese; fix it by reducing heat slightly and whisking constantly until it comes back together.
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