This healthy broccoli cheddar soup is creamy, and full of delicious, flavorful veggies! This recipe comes together in just one pot and is a warm, comforting vegetarian and gluten free dinner recipe.
This healthy broccoli cheddar soup is lick-your-bowl-clean good. It’s creamy. It’s flavorful. It’s veggie-loaded. All the boxes for the perfect dinner recipe have been ticked in this amazing soup.
Made healthier by using potato and Greek yogurt to create that cozy creamy consistency and the flavor you look for in a broccoli cheddar soup. This trick helps to lighten up the dairy and skips the need for a flour roux. But don’t worry, you are not missing out on any of the flavor is this classic comfort dish! You will love how many veggies you get in and how delicious this easy vegetarian and gluten free soup is.
It is the perfect soup to make during the colder months for dinner or to make as part of meal prep to pack for lunches.
Why this healthy broccoli cheddar soup is amazing…
- It is super flavorful and creamy. It is exactly the kind of soup you want to curl up with on a chilly night and will leave you satisfied in all the ways.
- Vegetarian and gluten free. I’ve replaced the flour roux typically found in creamy soups with with blended cooked potato and a little Greek yogurt.
- A lightened up version of a classic recipe. Most broccoli cheddar soup recipes have heavy cream, milk and a considerable amount of cheese. I’ve lighted it up a but with some easy ingredient swaps, but don’t worry…the flavor is on point.
- Easy to make in one pot! These are the kinds of recipes busy me dreams about on hectic weeknights.
- It uses the whole broccoli. Never know what to do with those broccoli stalks? This recipe uses them and helps to reduce the veggie waste.
- Comes together quickly. The veggie chopping will be the hardest part of this soup. The rest is letting it simmer to perfection while you do other things.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this healthy broccoli cheddar soup completely smooth?
If you’d prefer the soup to be smooth and have no bits of broccoli throughout, add broccoli florets to the soup halfway through the initial 15 minutes of cooking time. Blend the soup to your desired consistency then add in the cheese and any additional seasoning.
Can I leave out the potato?
The potato gives the soup a thick, creamy consistency without the addition of flour or extra dairy, so I would not leave it out.
Can I replace the white potato with sweet potato?
I would not use sweet potato, as it would really change the flavor of the soup.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes you can. Use 2 1/2 cups of broccoli florets in place of the stalks and then thaw 3 more cups of florets to add later. Be sure the florets are thawed so they are easy to cut to bite sized and so that everything cooks throughly.
Can I make this soup dairy-free?
The Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese is a vital part to this soup recipe. You can make a delicious dairy-free version with this recipe.
Suggested Adaptations
- Want the soup to be extra green and veggie packed? Wilt a few handfuls of spinach into the soup before you blend it up.
- Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use regular plain yogurt or sour cream. If you use regular yogurt the soup consistency might be a little thinner.
- Use frozen broccoli. Sub 2 1/2 cups of thawed frozen broccoli florets for the broccoli stalks in this healthy broccoli cheddar soup. Then add 3 more cups of thawed frozen florets when you’d add the fresh.
Other delicious veggie-loaded soups to fill your belly with.
- Veggie-Loaded Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Hearty Chicken-Vegetable Quinoa Soup
- Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Creamy Mushroom Vegetable Rice Soup (dairy-free)
- Creamy Cauliflower Vegetarian Potato Soup
- Veggie-Loaded Lasagna Soup (vegetarian)
- Chicken & Veggie Pot Pie Soup
Loving this healthy broccoli cheddar soup recipe and now you’re hungry for more?
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Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter or you can sub more olive oil
- 1 large yellow or white onion peeled and chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound fresh broccoli 2 large heads with stalks
- 1 large Yukon Gold or Russet potato peeled and chopped (about 12 oz)
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth or a combo of the two
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt I've found full-fat or 2% gives the soup the best flavor
- 4-6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
Instructions
- Separate the broccoli florets from the stalks. Trim any tough parts from the broccoli stalks then chop tender stalks into small pieces, you should have about 2 cups. Chop the broccoli tops into small pieces (think about how the broccoli will fit onto a spoon). You should have about 3 cups of very small broccoli florets. Set aside.
- Heat oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add broccoli stalks, potato, water, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring up to a simmer then cover and cook until the potato will easily mash when pressed with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes.
- Stir in yogurt.
- Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Alternatively, use a regular blender and blend soup in batches (blender should only be half full when blending hot soup) then pour soup back into the pot.
- Stir chopped broccoli florets into the soup and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup of the cheese then carefully taste soup for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining cheese
- Enjoy warm. Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Want the soup to be extra green and veggie packed? Wilt a few handfuls of spinach into the soup before you blend it up.
- Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use regular plain yogurt or sour cream. If you use regular yogurt the soup consistency might be a little thinner.
- Use frozen broccoli. Sub 2 1/2 cups of thawed frozen broccoli florets for the broccoli stalks in this healthy broccoli cheddar soup. Then add 3 more cups of thawed frozen florets when you’d add the fresh.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Phenomenal recipe. It was super easy for both making and cleaning up which is important to me. The soup makes me happy, body and soul. I honestly didn’t know that I could make soup this yummy at home. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
I made this last night in the hopes my vegetable-fearing child would deem it appropriate for consumption. It was also a wonderful excuse to make cheese biscuits, a true soup necessity. I used cauliflower instead of broccoli as that was the only cruciferous I owned and I admit I used chicken broth as I had just made some the other day. I ended up blending the whole thing (texture is a real issue, y’all) and serving it with trepidation like Mikey’s brothers did with Life cereal way back when. He took a bite, contemplated what he was tasting and said in his matter-of-fact way, “Yes. I will eat this.” Hallelujah! Thank you, Taesha! And lucky me, there are leftovers for my lunch. 🙂
Delicious soup that, while healthier, still tastes indulgent. Will make again!
So easy to make and so yummy! I love the creaminess of the base of this soup!
So glad you loved it as much as we do, Jessica!