Ina Garten's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ina Garten's broccoli cheddar soup is creamy and full of flavor with plenty of cheese. About half of the soup is pureed, which makes it extra thick and creamy, whereas the rest is left chunky so that you get some visible broccoli in every bite.

What is Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

The soup is made with a base of sauteed onions and garlic, and thickened with a roux (a butter and flour mixture) before being simmered with veggie stock, broccoli, and carrots. At the very end, half and half and freshly grated cheddar cheese are added to give it a velvety smooth texture.

Ina Garten created this broccoli cheddar soup with easy and simple steps. She starts by frying the onions, carrots, and garlic until they are tender. Then, she adds about a ¼ cup of flour and cooks all the ingredients together for about 5 minutes. After that, she adds the chicken broth, broccoli, and salt and pepper, and simmers the soup for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can use homemade mashed potatoes to thicken the soup or follow the steps in the recipe to make mashed potatoes to add to the soup.

Once you prepare the mashed potatoes, add them to the soup with the cheddar and cook the soup until the cheese is completely melted.

Ina Garten's Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 cups chicken broth (try to use low-sodium broth)
• 4 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 head)
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large russet potato ( 8 ounces)
• 8 ounces mild yellow cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)

How to Make Ina Garten's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large deep pot or Dutch oven. 

2. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add the flour and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half and half until smooth.

4. Stir in the chicken broth, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper; bring it to a boil.

5. Once the broth has thickened and the broccoli becomes very tender, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, while stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

6. To prepare the potato, prick it all over with a fork and place it on a microwave-safe plate. 

7. Microwave it on high until tender, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes.

8. Allow to cool before peeling. 

9. Mash the potato with a fork or potato masher until crumbly. 

10. Reserve about 2 cups of the soup in a liquid measuring cup. Remove and discard the bay leaves from the broth.

11. Cool the soup for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining hot soup to a blender, filling it no more than halfway.

12. Add the mashed potatoes.

13. Cover the blender and blend the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.

14. Return the pureed soup and reserved 2 cups of soup to the pot. 

15. Add the shredded cheddar to the soup and cook until melted and smooth. 

16. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. 

17. Serve in bowls with toast and top with more shredded cheddar cheese. 

How to Store Leftover Broccoli Cheddar Soup

In the Fridge:

When properly stored, broccoli cheddar soup can last up to 7 days in the fridge. After it has cooled, pour it into good-quality glass containers, seal them well, and place them in the refrigerator.

In the Freezer:

It is possible to freeze broccoli cheese soup for up to 2 months. Let the soup cool first, place it in an airtight container, leaving some space to accommodate for expansion. Make sure to divide the soup into individual servings for easy reheating. Divide the soup into servings so that it can be easily reheated.

How to Reheat Broccoli Cheddar Soup

In the Oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Place the cold (not frozen) broccoli cheddar soup portions in the oven. 
3. Reheat for about 10 minutes. Then, stir and reheat for 10 minutes more or until the soup is warmed through.
4. You can top it with shredded cheddar and give it a couple of minutes in the oven until the cheese is melted if you like.

In the Microwave:

Reheating broccoli cheddar soup in the microwave takes about 3 minutes, stirring every 60 seconds. It is important to ensure the soup heats evenly. Be sure to cover the cup or bowl with a damp paper towel so that the soup can steam.

In the Skillet:

Broccoli cheddar soup can easily be reheated in a skillet. To do this, heat 2 tablespoon of water in the skillet and then add the broccoli cheddar soup. Heat the soup until it is heated through and thickened. The process will take about 5 to 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

How to Reheat Frozen Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I recommend thawing frozen broccoli cheddar soup before reheating it. Thawing it in the fridge will take about 1 or 2 days until it is completely thawed.

Alternatively, you can place your container of soup in a warm water bath until it thaws.

Also, you may place the broccoli cheddar soup in a large saucepan and thaw it over low heat until it has completely thawed.

Once the soup is fully thawed, you can proceed to reheat it in the microwave or the oven, following the instructions above.

What You Can Eat With Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Most people serve broccoli cheddar soup with bread, such as baguette or toast, or top their soup with toasted bread cubes. For side dishes, you could serve the soup with fries with a dipping sauce (yum yum sauce or boom boom sauce) or make a simple fresh salad like cucumber salad to have with the soup. The broccoli cheddar soup goes well with roasted chicken or turkey as well.

Here is a list of the best side dishes to serve with broccoli cheddar soup:

• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Pionner Woman's Corn Casserole
• Mini Corn Dogs
• Hardee’s Biscuits and Gravy
• Garlic Bread Hot Dogs
• Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
• Butternut Squash Salad
• Roasted Vegetables
• Homemade Garlic Knots
• Grilled Butternut Squash with Miso Butter
• Fried Macaroni and Cheese Balls

Frequently Asked Questions

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Ina Garten’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ina Garten’s broccoli cheddar soup is creamy and full of flavor with plenty of cheese. About half of the soup is pureed, which makes it extra thick and creamy, whereas the rest is left chunky so that you get some visible broccoli in every bite.

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Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 cups chicken broth (try to use low-sodium broth)
• 4 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 head)
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large russet potato ( 8 ounces)
• 8 ounces mild yellow cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large deep pot or Dutch oven. 
2. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the flour and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half and half until smooth.
4. Stir in the chicken broth, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper; bring it to a boil.
5. Once the broth has thickened and the broccoli becomes very tender, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, while stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
6. To prepare the potato, prick it all over with a fork and place it on a microwave-safe plate. 
7. Microwave it on high until tender, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes.
8. Allow to cool before peeling. 
9. Mash the potato with a fork or potato masher until crumbly. 
10. Reserve about 2 cups of the soup in a liquid measuring cup. Remove and discard the bay leaves from the broth.
11. Cool the soup for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining hot soup to a blender, filling it no more than halfway.
12. Add the mashed potatoes.
13. Cover the blender and blend the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.
14. Return the pureed soup and reserved 2 cups of soup to the pot. 
15. Add the shredded cheddar to the soup and cook until melted and smooth.
16. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. 
17. Serve in bowls with toast and top with more shredded cheddar cheese. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 669Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 1530mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 8gSugar: 11gProtein: 26g