Pioneer Woman Broccoli Cheese Soup

Pioneer Woman broccoli cheese soup is a thick, creamy soup with fresh broccoli, sharp cheddar and half-and-half that comes together in 40 minutes. Save this cozy comfort food soup for snow days, weeknight dinners or Thanksgiving spreads, because it's an easy one-pot recipe that feeds a crowd.

Cook the onion in the butter before the flour goes in, because that quick sauté builds the flavor base the whole soup rests on. Skip it and the milk and cheese taste flat and bland.

Stirring the cheese in off a hard boil keeps it silky, and a potato masher lets you decide how chunky the soup gets. Grating a block of cheddar yourself also beats the bagged kind, which can turn the soup grainy.

Pioneer Woman Broccoli Cheese Soup

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

488

kcal

Thick and velvety, this soup simmers broccoli in a milk and half-and-half base until tender. Once the cheese melts in, you can mash it for a hearty bowl or blend it completely smooth.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. butter
  

• 1 whole onion, diced
  

• 1/3 c. flour
  

• 4 c. whole milk
  

• 2 c. half-and-half
  

• 1 pinch nutmeg
  

• 4 heads broccoli cut into florets
  

• Dash of salt, plus more as needed
  

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  

• 3 c. grated cheese (mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, jack, etc.)
  

• 2 c. chicken broth, if needed for thinning
  

Directions

• Sauté the onion: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add 1 diced onion. Cook it for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to soften.
• Make the base: Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the onion and stir for about 1 minute. Then pour in 4 cups whole milk and 2 cups half-and-half, stirring as you go.
• Add the broccoli: Add a pinch of nutmeg, 4 heads of broccoli cut into florets, a dash of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything together so the florets sit in the creamy liquid.
• Simmer until tender: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
• Melt in the cheese: Stir in 3 cups grated cheese a handful at a time. Keep stirring until it melts into the soup.
• Adjust and thin: Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper if it needs it. If you blend it, return it to the heat to warm up, then splash in up to 2 cups chicken broth to thin it.
• Choose your texture: Serve it as is for a chunky soup, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli. For a smooth soup, blend it in two batches until completely pureed.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO Good Grips nylon potato masher, Braun MultiQuick 7 immersion blender. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What can I use instead of half-and-half?

Use more whole milk, or stir in a little heavy cream if you want it richer. The soup will be a bit thinner with milk alone, so let it simmer a few extra minutes.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it a day ahead and warm it gently over low heat. It thickens as it sits, so thin it with a splash of milk or chicken broth when you reheat it.

Do I need a blender to make it smooth?

No, a potato masher gives you a creamy soup with small bits of broccoli. An immersion blender also works and saves you from moving hot soup into a blender.

Why did my soup turn out grainy?

Boiling the soup after the cheese goes in can make it separate and turn grainy. Keep the heat low while the cheese melts, and stir it in gradually.

What is the most common mistake with this soup?

Rushing the roux is the usual problem, since raw flour leaves a pasty taste. Give the flour its full minute in the pot before the milk goes in, and stir so it doesn't clump.