Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

Healthy broccoli cheddar soup recipe! This is by far THE best healthy broccoli cheddar soup recipe ever! My broccoli cheddar soup tastes just like Panera, but with healthier ingredients.

The best part about this cozy winter soup recipe is that you don't have to skip the cheddar cheese for healthy broccoli cheddar soup! Cheese can definitely be part of your healthy diet. As a registered dietitian, I eat and LOVE cheese too!

You can make my healthy broccoli cheddar soup on the stovetop, crockpot, or even your instant pot. It is so easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes (even the stovetop version)!

HEALTHY BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP INGREDIENTS

My healthy broccoli cheddar soup recipe is loaded with hidden veggies like broccoli, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery! Husband and toddler approved soup! Here's what's in it:

• Avocado oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Flour
• Bone broth
• Sea salt
• Pepper & Paprika
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Whole milk
• Sharp cheddar cheese

IS BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP UNHEALTHY?

Basic broccoli cheddar soup might seem like the healthiest soup option since the broccoli is clearly in there!! But it is not the healthiest soup choice because it has a lot of butter, heavy cream, flour and cheese.

These ingredients are not necessarily unhealthy, but they can become unhealthy when eaten in excess, especially if you opt for the bread bowl.

HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP HEALTHY?

So if you're looking at a classic broccoli cheddar soup recipe you might see that it calls for butter (which I'm not against at all!!), a lot of flour, water or stock, heavy cream, and a lot of cheese.

I took a classic and highly rated basic broccoli cheddar soup recipe and swapped out ingredients to give you more healthy benefits without compromising the taste!

Here's what I did:

• Instead of butter, I used avocado oil
• I added extra garlic
• I cut the flour by half
• Instead of water or stock, I used bone broth
• I doubled the broccoli
• I doubled the carrots
• For more veggies, I added celery
• I replaced heavy cream with whole milk (You can also use full fat coconut milk)

Butter is not necessarily bad at all! You can definitely eat butter as part of a healthy diet. Just keep in mind to get all the healthy benefits from butter (mainly vitamin A), make sure you are buying organic butter.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP AT HOME- STOVETOP

STEP 1- Prepare your ingredients

I like to start by chopping and getting out all my ingredients so I can quickly add them as I'm cooking.

Broccoli cheddar soup ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons avocado oil or organic butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced (equals approximately 2 tablespoons minced garlic)
• 4 tablespoons all purpose flour ( you can sub 1:1 gluten free flour)
• 3 cups bone broth (chicken or beef)
• 2 teaspoons pink sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large carrot, chopped (or 1 cup baby carrots)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

STEP 2- Sauté onion

Place a Dutch oven or large pot on your stove and set to medium heat. Add the 4 tablespoons of avocado oil or butter. Once the oil is hot (or the butter is melted), add the chopped onion.

Cook your onion until it is very soft and becoming caramelized (brown) on the edges. I love caramelized onion in my healthy broccoli cheddar soup it gives so much base flavor!

Add the garlic cloves and stir until they are just fragrant. Make sure to NOT brown the garlic.

STEP 3- Make the roux and add the veggies

Next, quickly stir in 4 tablespoons of flour, stir the flour into the onions for about 15-30 seconds just until the flour has totally coated the onions.

Start pouring in your bone broth. Don't pour it all in at once. Pour in about 1 cup of bone broth, stir until you notice it thickening. Do this with the remaining 2 cups.

If you want a totally flour free broccoli cheddar soup, you can definitely skip the flour! The whole milk and the cheese already adds a lot of creaminess and thickness to my healthy broccoli cheddar soup!

Next, add in the salt, pepper, paprika, broccoli, carrot, and celery. Cover and cook until your vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.

STEP 4- Puree and serve!

Once your vegetables are soft, remove about 1 cup of the soup and set it to the side. If you don't want any chunks in your soup and want a total puree, skip this step.

Use an immersion blender to puree your soup. Add the 1 cup of reserved soup back in along with the whole milk and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is just melted.

Serve warm and enjoy!

HOW TO STORE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

Store your soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days! I love dividing my soup into small glass containers so I have a cup of healthy soup handy to eat any time! This makes the perfect healthy winter lunch prep to bring with you to work!

More healthy winter soup recipes you might like!

• Ramen Noodle Soup in 20 minutes
• The Best Tomato Soup with Bone Broth
• Roasted Butternut Squash Pear Soup
• Acorn Squash Soup
• Purple Sweet Potato Soup
• 13 Bean Soup
• Shorbat Adas (Arabic Lentil Stew)
• Golden Red Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Beef and Veggie Stew

FAQ'S

Frequently asked questions about my healthy broccoli cheddar soup recipe.

How fattening is broccoli cheddar soup?

Broccoli cheddar soup fat and calories will vary depending on what was added to it. 1 bowl of broccoli cheddar soup at Panera is about 370 calories.

Is broccoli cheddar soup healthy when sick?

Depending on how sick you are, it is usually best to stick to lighter soups when sick. The best thing to drink when you're sick is tea and bone broth. The extra fat and dairy in this broccoli cheddar soup might be harder on your gut when it is fighting infections.

How can I make healthy broccoli cheddar soup in my crockpot?

You can make my healthy soup in your crockpot easily! Follow steps 1-4 the same way as below with the crockpot set to high heat to give your onions a nice sauté. Next, add all other ingredients, cover and cook on high for about 3 hours or low for about 5-6 hours.

Use your immersion blender to puree the soup right in your crockpot, leaving out 1 cup of reserved soup if you like chunky broccoli cheddar soup.

How do I make healthy broccoli cheddar soup in my instant pot?

Making this soup in the instant pot is even more of a time saver! You can take your soup from ready in 30 minutes to ready in 15 minutes!

Set your instant pot to SAUTE. Follow steps 1-4 the same way as below. Next, add all other ingredients, cover and set vent to SEAL. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Then, either allow pressure to naturally release, or quick release if you're ready to eat!

Use your immersion blender to puree the soup in your instant pot, leaving out 1 cup of reserved soup if you like chunky broccoli cheddar soup.

If you try my  Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!