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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Updated Dec 15, 2020Published Nov 19, 2017 By Julia 23 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:
This simple one-pot soup is filled with tender bites of broccoli, topped with crispy crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. The soup is low carb and gluten free, naturally thickened with cream, cheese, and butter instead of flour.
broccoli cheddar soup in yellow dutch oven

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

4.6 from 11 votes
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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups chopped broccoli florets (Note 1)
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Note 2)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups water or broth (Note 3)
  • 1.5 cups diced onions (1/2 onion; Note 4)
  • 1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots)
  • 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 strips bacon
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cook Bacon: Place bacon strips in single layer in large pot (Note 5) over medium heat. Flipping occasionally, cook until crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate to drain.
  • Sautรฉ Vegetables: Add diced onions, carrots, and celery to pot with bacon drippings. Stirring frequently, cook over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Cook Broccoli: Add broccoli, heavy whipping cream, and water to pot. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as needed to maintain simmer.
  • Add Cheese: Gradually stir in shredded cheddar cheese until melted and incorporated into soup. Add butter and minced garlic, stirring until butter is melted.
  • Thicken Soup & Serve: Simmer until soup is thickened to desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Let soup cool a bit, then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls (Note 6), and crumble bacon on top.

NUTRITION

Makes 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 490 (81% from fat) ย 
Total Fat 45g 68%
ย ย ย Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Sodium 390mg 16%
Net Carb 11g ย 
Total Carb 13.5g 4%
ย ย ย Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%
ย ย ย Sugars 6.5g ย 
Protein 13g ย 
Vitamin A 124% ยท Vitamin C 57% ยท Calcium 30% ยท Iron 4%

PHOTOS

broccoli cheddar soup in yellow dutch oven
close up view of broccoli cheddar soup
broccoli cheddar soup served in wooden bowl
close up view of broccoli cheddar soup in wooden bowl

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Broccoli Florets. About 6 to 7 ounces weight. You can cut florets from a head of broccoli, or you can buy a bag of pre-cut raw florets located in the refrigerated produce section of many U.S. grocery stores.
(2) Cheddar Cheese. About 6 ounces weight. Use a bag of pre-shredded cheddar, instead of grating your own shredded cheese from a block. Cheddar cheese โ€” especially sharp cheddar โ€” does not melt well, so I recommend using a bag of pre-shredded cheese that includes emulsifiers to promote even melting. If that’s not an option, toss the freshly grated cheddar with a few tablespoons of cornstarch plus 1 cup of shredded American cheese (which contains emulsifiers), which should help keep the soup silky and clump-free.
(3) Water / Broth. In my tests, there was no noticeable flavor difference between using water or broth. I use water for convenience, but some readers prefer using vegetable broth.
(4) Mirepoix Option. Save time on preparing the onions, carrots, and celery stalks by buying mirepoix, which is a pre-diced package of those vegetables. I buy a 14 ounce tub of mirepoix from Trader Joeโ€™s, which is the equivalent of half an onion, 3 carrots, and 3 celery stalks.
(5) Large Pot. I use a 6 quart dutch oven.
(6) Serving / Leftovers. Top the soup with extra shredded cheddar cheese or thinly sliced scallions. The soup is delicious in a bread bowl, or served alongside low carb dishes like a fresh green salad or almond flour garlic knots. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheated in the microwave until warmed through.

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Filed Under: Low Carb, Per Serving: More Than 10g Net Carbs, Soups Tagged With: 31-60min, bacon, broccoli, butter, carrot, celery, cheddar cheese, featured, gluten free, heavy cream, more10ingredients, onion, stovetop

About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes, mostly low carb and gluten free. Learn more.

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newest oldest most voted
Gio

Amazing soup. I cooked the bacon in my cast iron and left the bacon there. Then added broccoli and all other ingredients. The key for the cheddar to incorporate is to add it last and stir constantly while adding the cheddar slowly! A winner

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Amy

Can you make this in a crockpot?

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
joscott

omg…delish…Just recently joined keto ..I was always afraid to cook using heavy creams and cheese soups love them but always feeling guilty..excited to get more of your recipes…thank you

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Linz

I love this soup recipe! I added cauliflower just to get in some more veggies. Absolutely delicious!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Maxi

This soup was AMAZING! Unfortunately, mine did NOT freeze well…bummer.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Jeanna

Love this soup! Used Kerry Gold cheddar cheese. Only change was I added the bacon to soup during last simmer instead of as a garnish. This is a keeper!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Jennifer

I made this soup last night and it came out absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe. Definitely will be making this soup again!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 month ago
Rachel N

Planning on making this tonight and doubling it. If I cook 10 slices of bacon, should I keep all the grease or remove some?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Julia

I would keep it all. Make sure that all of the ingredients are proportionally doubled, and it should come out great. Enjoy!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Linda

Great soup. I used vegetable broth rather than water. And, I put the bacon right in the soup.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Sandra

This recipe is so good. I added in mild salsa for a spicy taste. It turned out great.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Donna

Can I substitute sour cream for heavy cream?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Julia

Since there’s a significant amount of heavy cream used in this recipe (2 cups), I wouldn’t recommend completely substituting it with sour cream because it may make a big difference in the resulting taste. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, a closer substitution would be half-and-half.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Elaine

What can be used in place of bacon grease?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Julia

You can replace it with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Butter or any neutral-tasting oil that you have on hand would also work.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Sarah

Ghee should work well, too!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
danielflanagan7

great recipe!!! will make tonight. Former chef, Dan Flanagan

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Julia

Thanks Dan, hope you enjoy it!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Patricia

This was a easy recipe to make very delicious
One of my keepers

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Matty

I decided not to use bacon and opted in using about 4 tablespoon of olive oil. I was concerned it wouldn’t be as flavorful, but to my surprise it came it really good. Btw can I freeze this soup?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
5 years ago
Julia

Glad it came out well! I haven’t tried to freeze this so I can’t say for sure. My guess is no because of the cream.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
5 years ago
KP .

This is not keto if you add flour. Disappointed in your instructions. If you label the recipe keto, follow keto guidelines.

Vote Up-7Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

I’m not sure what you’re referring to. There is no flour in this recipe.

Vote Up7Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago

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