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This creamy and delicious broccoli cheese soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when served in a bread bowl!

Soup season is our favorite! Whether it’s Cheesy Potato Soup or Cheesy Cauliflower Soup, we love to enjoy these recipes all fall and winter long – especially when cheese is involved!

Easy Broccoli cheese soup in white bowl.


Just like Pacific Wharf Cafe!

Is it possible NOT to love soup?!

We count down the days until the weather is cool enough to enjoy delicious soups, and a favorite of ours (since childhood) is easy broccoli cheese soup. We know it’s a popular one, and not only is this recipe super delicious, but it’s beyond simple too.

If you’ve ever been to the Pacific Wharf Cafe at California Adventure in Anaheim, you may have tried their broccoli cheese soup in a Bread Bowl. If not, you must try it – it’s practically HEAVEN!

I have been dying to find a recipe that compares to this little piece of heaven. I’m happy to report that after a few tweaks (we used our Broccoli Potato Soup as a base), this soup tastes just like Disney’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

Chopped broccoli in a white bowl.

Ready in About 30 Minutes!

Believe it or not, this broccoli cheese soup recipe is as simple as it is delicious. It only takes about 30 minutes to come together, and the ingredients are super simple. In fact, you probably have most of them on hand already.

BROCCOLI. In a large pot, add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

ROUX. While simmering, melt butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute (or until golden brown). Whisk in milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

CHEESE. Add cheese and stir until it is all melted. Add salt and garlic pepper.

COMBINE. Pour cheese sauce into the large pot and stir until well combined.

Add more milk for a thinner consistency and add any additional salt and pepper needed. Top with bacon pieces. Serve warm.

Crockpot instructions

Place butter and flour in your crock pot and let melt. Add milk and let set for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients but cheese. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, adding cheese 30 minutes before done.

Broccoli boiling in pot of water.

Recipe Tips

Easily change the texture of the broccoli and cheese soup to your liking or add extra veggies!

Thickening. Add flour or cornstarch to the soup to thicken it. To do that, just whisk a few tablespoons of cornstarch into a little broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This will help thicken up the entire soup.

Vegetables. If you want even more veggies besides broccoli, you could add sliced large carrots or diced yellow onion.

Cheese. Our recipe calls for mild or sharp cheddar cheese. You could easily use white cheddar cheese or include parmesan cheese, pepper jack cheese, American cheese, or even cream cheese for even more cheesy flavor.

Milk. The soup is plenty creamy with the use of milk, however, if you prefer a thicker texture, you can use half and half or heavy cream instead.

Broth. If you don’t have chicken broth or chicken stock on hand you can use a bouillon cube for the equivalent amount of broth (4 cubes + 4 cups of water).

Fresh broccoli. Make your broccoli as big or little as you like. You can use full broccoli florets, cut them into bite-size pieces, cut off the broccoli stems completely, or whatever you prefer!

Spice it up. Sprinkle in some spices like black pepper, red pepper flakes, and onion powder.

Roux mixture whisked in a blue dutch oven.

Tips for storing

Regardless of whether you’re putting it in the fridge or freezing, let the recipe for broccoli cheese soup cool to room temperature before storing it.

STORE. Pour into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days! Reheat in the microwave or on the stove and serve with some crusty bread. Yum!!

FREEZE. This best broccoli cheese soup is actually perfect for freezing! Once it has cooled, pour it into a freezer-safe bag/container. Keep the soup in the freezer for up to 6 months! For a warm creamy texture, reheat on the stove top over low-medium heat.

You could even make individual servings by pouring them into paper/plastic cups, freezing them, and removing them from the cup after it has frozen. Store the frozen individual servings in a freezer-safe bag.

Best Broccoli cheese soup in white bowl close up image.

Recipe FAQ

Can I make this broccoli cheese soup vegetarian-friendly?

Yes, you can easily make this soup vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Can I use frozen broccoli to make broccoli cheese soup?

Absolutely, you can use frozen broccoli in this recipe. Just make sure to thaw it before adding it to the soup.

Can I make this soup gluten-free?

To make this broccoli cheese soup gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.

For More Soup Recipes, Check Out:

5 from 27 votes

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
This creamy and delicious broccoli cheese soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when served in a bread bowl!
Servings: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 27 minutes
Total: 32 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 2 small heads of broccoli, washed and diced small
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 3½-4 cups milk
  • 4 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic pepper

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • While simmering, melt butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute (or until golden brown). Whisk in milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  • Add cheese and stir until it is all melted. Add salt and garlic pepper.
  • Pour cheese sauce into the large pot and stir until well combined.
  • Add more milk for a thinner consistency and add any additional salt and pepper needed. Top with bacon pieces. Serve warm.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 757mg, Potassium: 578mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1694IU, Vitamin C: 136mg, Calcium: 511mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




52 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    im not a soup person, but broccoli cheddar soup is my go to when I make it! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Very good & easy. I caramalized some onion & jalapeno before melting butter & threw in some minced garlic as I made the roux. 😋

  3. 5 stars
    How much of the Swiss Cheese does the recipe need? I couldn’t find it where the ingredients were listed.
    Also, where can I find garlic pepper?
    Thank you!!

    1. The recipe doesn’t call for any swiss cheese, just cheddar. And you can find garlic pepper in most spice sections of a grocery store.