Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Soup
This creamy broccoli cauliflower cheese soup is filled with tender vegetables and sharp cheddar in a rich, velvety broth. Finished with homemade garlic croutons, it is an easy one-pot comfort food dinner ready in about 45 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: DINNER | SOUP
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: (if using veg broth), Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, finely diced or shredded
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 cups small broccoli florets
- 3 cups small cauliflower florets
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the Garlic Croutons
- 4 cups cubed crusty bread
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F if making the homemade garlic croutons.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking or stirring continuously. Scrape the bottom of the pot and continue stirring until the broth is smooth.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the broccoli and cauliflower are tender.
- Use an immersion blender to blend approximately one-third of the soup. Leave plenty of broccoli and cauliflower pieces intact for texture.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard.
- Add the shredded cheddar one handful at a time, stirring until completely melted before adding more. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the cheese.
- Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- To make the croutons, toss the bread cubes with 3 tablespoons of melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–14 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm with homemade garlic croutons, if desired.
Notes
- Shred the cheddar directly from a block for the smoothest, creamiest soup. Packaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that may produce a grainy texture.
- Keep the heat low when adding the cream and cheese.
- Do not boil the soup after adding the cheese because excessive heat can cause it to separate.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in additional broth, milk, or cream until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Fresh or frozen broccoli and cauliflower can be used. Frozen vegetables may cook more quickly.
- For completely smooth soup, blend the entire batch. For a more natural homemade texture, blend only about one-third.
- Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make the soup vegetarian.
- Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk if needed.
- Store the garlic croutons separately at room temperature to keep them crisp.