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This Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Sundried Tomatoes, takes a classic soup recipes up a few notches. It’s full of amazing flavor and texture!
This soup is easy to make as it comes together in about 30 minutes and it is pure comfort food. You can personalize to your preferences making it chunkier, with bigger pieces of broccoli or smoother, using smaller pieces and blending the soup more – you choose!
I love the taste the addition of sundried tomatoes gives it, but they are totally optional.
Ingredients Needed
- Broccoli. I used fresh broccoli but frozen could also be used, you won’t have to cook it as long if using frozen broccoli. Use the florets and you can also use the broccoli stems if you like.
- Cheddar Cheese. I prefer a medium cheddar but you could also use sharp cheddar cheese. A pepper jack cheese would also be delicious. Use freshly grated cheese.
- Flour. Use all purpose flour or a gluten-free flour if desired.
- Vegetables. Celery, white or yellow onion and cloves of garlic.
- Chicken Broth. Substitute vegetable broth if you want to make it vegetarian.
- Sundried Tomatoes. I use jarred sundried tomatoes that I drain and rinse.
- Bacon. Fry bacon nice and crispy.
- Half and Half. For a creamier soup you could use heavy cream or for a thinner soup use whole milk.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Combine chicken broth and broccoli florets in a pan and bring to a boil, cook until broccoli is tender.
- In another pot, melt butter.
- Add celery, onion and garlic to melted butter and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions soften.
- Mix in flour, stir well to form a roux. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
- Pour in chicken broth and broccoli to roux and use an immersion blender to get desired consistency.
- Add in 1/2 and 1/2 and cheese. Mix until cheese is melted.
- Add in sundried tomatoes (optional)
- Serve hot and garnish top with crisp bacon and grated cheese if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
Tips from leigh Anne
- An immersion blender comes in handy when making broccoli chedder soup, but you could also use a high speed blender.
- If you prefer your soup on the thinner side and thickens too much when it cools, add in some additional chicken broth.
- Adding in sun dried tomatoes and bacon takes this soup to the next level! You could also add in carrots or other favorite veggies. Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
Pair This with:
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does broccoli cheddar soup last?
Stored in an airtight container, it will last up to five days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Be sure and cool the soup completely before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or put frozen soup in a sauce pan on the stove top and warm over low heat, stirring often.
Why isn’t my cheese melting in my soup?
Be sure and use freshly grated cheddar cheese to get creamy broccoli cheese soup. Pre-grated cheese is coated in anti-caking agents which means it won’t melt as smoothly.
For more delicious broccoli recipes try these:
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 oz. butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups broccoli florets chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
- salt and pepper to taste
- dash of red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 4 slices of bacon fried crisp, for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan combine stock and broccoli and bring to a boil. Cook until the broccoli is tender.
- In another pot melt butter.
- Add celery, onion and garlic to melted butter and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions soften.
- Add in flour, stir well. This will form a roux. Reduce heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in chicken broth and broccoli to roux and use an immersion blender to get desired consistency.
- Add in 1/2 and 1/2 and cheese. Mix until cheese is melted.
- Add in sundried tomatoes
- If soup is too thick, thin with additional chicken broth.
- Serve hot and garnish top with crisp bacon.
Tips & Notes:
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Nutrition Facts:
Vicki O'Dell says
Hubs is upstairs making this right now. I can’t wait for dinner!
I’m so glad you all are doing the weekly menus. I just started this week and so far I’m loving it. Thank you!
Monna Hilton says
Leigh Ann., in your recipe for the broccoli cheese soup what does I c and I/2 cup mean. This soup looks and sounds so good with the basil and sun dried tomatoes added for a nice change, but at a loss for the above. Thank you for your reply.
Leigh Anne says
It is 1 cup of 1/2 and 1/2 or half and half.