American · Soups & stews

Broccoli cheddar soup

Name: Broccoli cheddar soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 1 cup whole milk; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 pound broccoli, stems peeled and diced and florets cut bite-size; 8 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Tender broccoli and carrot in a smooth, savory broth finished with sharp cheddar for café-style comfort without a gluey cheese sauce.

About 45 minTotal

About 45 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Use another metal-shaft immersion blender and pulse off heat to preserve texture.
Best simple immersion blender
Braun MultiQuick 5 Immersion Hand Blender · MQ505
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use another metal-shaft immersion blender and pulse off heat to preserve texture.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched direct in-pot pureeing, one-hand control, splash protection, metal shaft, stable MQ505 identity, current manufacturer documentation, independent performance review, ownership burden, and the exact Amazon destination. Kwilt has not cooked saag with this blender.
Braun MultiQuick 5 Immersion Hand Blender · MQ505: The stainless PowerBell shaft, splash-control bell, slim grip, and simple two-speed control make it easy to pulse tender greens in place and stop before a textured saag becomes a liquefied sauce. Trade-off: The 350-watt motor and two speeds are modest beside newer premium models, and the whisk and beaker add pieces that may go unused.
Another workable path: Use another sound immersion blender with a metal shaft, removing the pot from active heat and pulsing briefly so the greens retain visible texture.
Sources
Braun MQ505 specifications
RTINGS MultiQuick 5 review
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound broccoli, stems peeled and diced and florets cut bite-size
8 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium. Add onion and carrot and cook 5 to 6 minutes until soft but not browned. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, 1 full minute.
Slowly whisk in broth, then milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add diced broccoli stems, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 4 minutes, scraping the bottom so the roux does not catch.
Add florets, partially cover, and simmer 7 to 9 minutes until the stems are tender and the florets crush easily with a spoon but remain green. Blend two cups of soup and return it to the pot, or pulse briefly with an , leaving visible broccoli pieces.
Turn heat to low. Add cheddar one small handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next. Do not let the soup boil. Stir in Dijon until smooth.
Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately. Reheat leftovers gently over low heat with a splash of milk; boiling a finished cheese soup makes it grainy and oily.

North AmericaContemporary North American household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Broccoli-cheddar soup is a modern North American restaurant and home-cooking favorite whose best form keeps visible broccoli and melts sharp cheese below a boil.

Broccoli cheddar soup is closely associated with American cafés and bread-bowl lunches. Its appeal is the contrast between a vegetable-rich base and unmistakable sharp cheese. Using the peeled broccoli stem prevents waste and builds body; freshly grated cheddar and low heat solve the graininess that often disappoints home cooks. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Keep the beloved café profile, replace an all-cream base with milk and a partly blended vegetable base, and make fresh grating and below-simmer melting explicit rather than hiding the main failure point.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe