This crockpot broccoli cheese soup recipe is a creamy, comforting, delicious soup you can make with very little effort. Perfect for cold evenings and busy weekdays!
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Broccoli cheese soup is a much loved classic for a reason, and with this crockpot recipe it's easier to make than ever before.
This creamy soup is incredibly satisfying, perfect for bread dipping, and quite possibly the best way to enjoy broccoli.
This recipe is naturally gluten free, nut free, egg free and soy free. It is also suitable for vegetarians, and is considered low carb and keto friendly.
Ingredients
To make this dish, you will need broccoli, onion, cheese, milk, water + a stock cube (or vegetable broth), nutmeg, salt and pepper.
You can also alternatively use butter if you want an extra creamy soup, but this can be omitted if you want to make the broccoli soup a little lighter.
I typically use cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can also use other cheeses, or a combination of different types of cheese. Blue cheese such as stilton can also be used, but will give the soup a much stronger flavor.
Instructions
Cut the broccoli into florets, and finely dice the onion. Add both vegetables to your slow cooker, along with water, the stock cube and nutmeg.
Cover with a lid, and leave the slow cooker to cook for 2-3 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low.
Remove the lid from the crock pot, and blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can blend it in batches with a regular standing blender.
Combine the cornstarch with a teaspoon of cold water in a bowl, and stir to form a paste. Add this to the blended soup, and cook on low for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the soup to thicken.
Add shredded cheese to the soup, a little at a time. Stir to dissolve the cheese completely. Then, add milk and optionally a little butter. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed, then serve.
Top tips
Here is my best tips to help you succeed with this easy recipe:
- The cheese tends to blend in better with the soup if you add a little cheese at a time, and then stir until it has melted into the soup. Adding all the cheese at once could result in cheesy lumps which may not be as appetizing.
- Small broccoli florets cook faster than large florets, so you can cut them quite small to speed up the cooking time.
- Always leave the lid on the slow cooker while the food is cooking. Removing the lid will allow the heat to escape, and increase the required cooking time.
Discover more delicious slow cooker soup recipes.
Serving suggestions
Not sure what to have with broccoli cheese soup? Here are some of my favorite options:
- Bread! Some good crusty or toasted bread, garlic bread, dinner rolls or a sliced baguette would all taste great with this soup. I love to dip the bread into the soup and take a big bite - yum!
- Sprinkle some croutons on top of the soup. Either bread croutons, crispy bacon pieces or roasted smoked tofu.
- Serve with some crunchy crackers.
Variations
Here are some great variations of the dish that you can try!
Add carrots: Broccoli and carrots go great together. Try adding some finely diced or shredded carrots to the soup. This adds extra fiber, extra nutrients and extra flavor.
Different cheeses: Try making the soup with Monterey Jack, cheddar, mozzarella or Stilton, and discover your favorite version.
Lighter version: Omit the butter, use less cheese and use a light milk such as almond milk or skimmed milk for a light version of the soup.
Leftovers
You can store leftover crockpot broccoli cheese soup in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. The soup can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Frozen soup can be thawed in a refrigerator overnight, or in a microwave using the defrost setting. You can then reheat the soup in a microwave, a pot on the stove top, or in the slow cooker.
Frequently asked questions
If you want your soup a little thicker, you can add more cornstarch slurry, make and add a roux, add a few instant mashed potato flakes, or add a few mashed boiled potatoes.
The cheese and milk can separate and curdle if the temperature gets too high. This is why you should always add the dairy towards the end of the cooking process.
If you add large amounts of cheese to any soup, the cheese can tend to clump together. You can avoid this by adding the shredded cheese in small batches, and stirring to dissolve it completely between each batch.
You might also like these recipes
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Leek and Potato Soup
- Healthy Mushroom Soup
- Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
- Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
- Carrot Soup with Ginger
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli (cut into florets)
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups water (700 ml)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup milk (100 ml)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (100 g)
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli into florets, and finely dice the onion. Add both vegetables to your slow cooker, along with water, the stock cube and nutmeg.
- Cover with a lid, and leave the slow cooker to cook for 2-3 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low.
- Remove the lid from the crock pot, and blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can blend it in batches with a regular standing blender.
- Combine the cornstarch with a teaspoon of cold water in a bowl, and stir to form a paste. Add this to the blended soup, and cook on low for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the soup to thicken.
- Add shredded cheese to the soup, a little at a time. Stir to dissolve the cheese completely. Then, add milk and optionally a little butter. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed, then serve.
Video
Notes
- The cheese tends to blend in better with the soup if you add a little cheese at a time, and then stir until it has melted into the soup. Adding all the cheese at once could result in cheesy lumps which may not be as appetizing.
- If the cheese doesn’t melt on its own, you can use the immersion blender to make sure that it’s all thoroughly blended.
- Small broccoli florets cook faster than large florets, so you can cut them quite small to speed up the cooking time.
- Always leave the lid on the slow cooker while the food is cooking. Removing the lid will allow the heat to escape, and increase the required cooking time.
Michelle
I'm a massive fan of soup too and I love the sound of this one. I love that you can make it in the slow cooker too, perfect to come home to after a long day.
Tonje
Absolutely! I love using my slow cooker!
Pam Greer
This is the perfect easy weeknight meal! We love the flavors and plan on making it a lot this winter!
Tonje
I agree! Glad you like it 🙂
Emily
Broccoli cheddar soup is SO comforting, pass the bread this looks delicious!
Tonje
Yes! Perfect autumn comfort food 🙂
Emese
You wouldn't believe it, but my daughter would love this soup. I know broccoli is not a kid-friendly veggie, but she loves broccoli cream soups. Thanks for sharing.
Tonje
Soups are probably my favorite way to make kids eat veggies. Try find a 5 year old that doesn't want to eat "green dragon soup"!
Sara Welch
This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner tonight!
Tonje
Hope you enjoy it 🙂