Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Printable)

Creamy soup with roasted broccoli, carrots, and sharp cheddar. Ready in 50 minutes for 4 servings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
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
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Broth

09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ 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 It:

01 - Preheat the 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 to 25 minutes, until golden and tender, stirring halfway through.
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 to 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 puree 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 desired creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with reserved broccoli florets and extra cheddar if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasted broccoli turns nutty and caramelized, completely changing how you think about this humble vegetable.
  • It's ready in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The sharp cheddar melts into something silky without any weird graininess if you follow the temperature trick.
02 -
  • Never add cold cheese to hot soup all at once or it'll clump up and feel grainy instead of silky, so add it gradually and keep stirring.
  • If you over-blend the soup, it gets gluey and loses that subtle texture, so stop once it's smooth enough to pour easily but still has a tiny bit of body.
03 -
  • Make this soup ahead and reheat it gently over low heat, stirring often, since high heat can make the cream separate and the cheese get weird.
  • If your soup ends up thicker than you want, thin it with a splash more broth or milk instead of water, which would dilute all the flavor you've built.
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