Creamy Potato-Thickened Broccoli Cheddar Soup (No Flour)
This broccoli cheddar soup is the cozy bowl I reach for when the weather turns gloomy and the leaves start falling. It’s thickened with potatoes instead of flour, blended silky-smooth, and loaded with sharp cheddar — a true one-pot broccoli cheddar soup that’s ready in 45 minutes, no roux and no fuss.
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A Gloomy Day, Yellow Leaves, and a Soup Idea
This recipe didn’t start as a meal plan or anything planned at all. I was just feeling cold, the weather looked gloomy, and looking at the yellow falling leaves outside added a little sadness, because you know they’re going to sleep very soon. I was looking at some of my favorite rose bushes and saw their flowers falling, too. While I was standing there, I thought it might be good to have some soup while staring at that sad view, lol.
So I checked my pantry inventory and realized, yes — I can make soup. I was still deciding what kind when I saw the broccoli on the list and thought, it’s time to feed my husband some veggies, lol.
If you’re like me and wondering what soup to make, I’ve included a reference book you can use — details are below. This recipe came about from what was available in our kitchen, so a few ingredients are intentionally omitted, like the Dijon mustard and nutmeg that other recipes use. Don’t worry, though — it still turns out really good. My husband keeps requesting it, and next time I’ll add the ingredients I skipped, since they weren’t in the kitchen and I didn’t want to make another grocery trip or order online.
I also included pairing ideas for this soup below, but for us, since I had just made some Puto cheese, that’s what we ate it with. Thank you for being here — I hope you try this recipe, and check the substitutions section if you need to swap anything.
Table of Contents
Why the Potato Trick Works So Well
Most broccoli cheddar soup recipes start with a flour-and-butter roux, but this one lets the potatoes do the work. As the potato cubes simmer and get blended, they release their natural starch and thicken the soup all on their own — no flour, no roux, no raw-flour taste. The result is a silky, full-bodied broccoli cheddar soup that also happens to skip the gluten, and the potato makes every spoonful feel extra hearty and satisfying.
What Goes Into This Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Everything here is a regular grocery-store staple: frozen broccoli florets, a couple of russet potatoes, onion, carrot, and garlic for the base, then chicken stock, half-and-half, and whole milk for the creamy body. Sharp cheddar cheese is the star, so grate it fresh from a block if you can — it melts so much smoother than the bagged kind. The seasonings stay simple: salt, garlic powder, black pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a tiny touch of brown sugar to round everything out.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Step by Step
Step 1: Soften the aromatics
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add everything and simmer
Add the broccoli, potatoes, chicken stock, half-and-half, milk, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are completely tender, about 15–20 minutes.
Step 3: Blend it mostly smooth
Transfer the soup to a countertop blender and blend until mostly smooth — leave some broccoli pieces if you like a little texture — then pour it back into the pot. (An immersion blender right in the pot works too.)
Step 4: Melt in the cheddar, low and slow
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time, letting each handful melt before adding the next, until the soup is smooth and glossy. Cheese is an emulsion, so gentle heat matters: never let the soup boil after the cheese goes in, or it can turn grainy.
Step 5: Season and serve
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle your broccoli cheddar soup into bowls and shower each one with extra shredded cheddar on top.
Ingredient Substitutions That Work
No need for an extra grocery trip — this broccoli cheddar soup is forgiving. Here are the swaps that actually work:
- No russet potatoes: swap in cauliflower florets or a can of white beans for the thickening — the texture changes slightly, but the soup still turns out creamy.
- Fresh instead of frozen broccoli: use about 5 cups of small fresh florets; they’ll soften right along with the potatoes.
- Dairy swaps: all whole milk makes a lighter soup; replacing part of the milk with heavy cream makes it richer. Keep at least some milk or half-and-half so the cheddar stays the star.
- Vegetarian version: use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and the soup is fully vegetarian.
- Cheese swaps: Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or Colby all melt beautifully. Whatever you choose, grate it fresh from a block — pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking powders that can make the soup grainy.
- Blender options: a countertop blender gives the silkiest result; an immersion blender is the no-transfer shortcut; or mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher for a rustic, chunkier soup.
- Next-time add-ins: the two ingredients I skipped this round — 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a pinch of nutmeg — are classic in broccoli cheddar soup and worth trying when they’re in the kitchen.
What to Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Soup
For us, this soup went straight onto the table with homemade Puto cheese — the soft, slightly sweet steamed rice cakes are wonderful next to a rich, savory bowl. It’s also perfect with crusty bread or sourdough for dunking, a golden grilled cheese sandwich (more cheese is never a problem here), garlicky toast, or a simple green salad on the side to keep the meal feeling fresh.
The Book Behind This Soup
This soup was inspired by the soup chapter in All Time Best Soups, the Cook’s Illustrated collection I reach for when I want a recipe that’s been tested every which way. Their soups are the kind you can trust on a gloomy day.
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Potato Thickened, No Flour)
A rich, cozy broccoli cheddar soup thickened with potatoes instead of flour — blended silky, loaded with sharp cheddar, and ready in 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 340 g frozen broccoli florets
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1.75 cups half-and-half
- 1.75 cups whole milk
- 15 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (plus more for topping)
- 2 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
- 0.25 tsp brown sugar
Method
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the broccoli, potatoes, chicken stock, half-and-half, milk, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are completely tender, about 15–20 minutes.
- Transfer the soup to a countertop blender and blend until mostly smooth — leave some broccoli pieces if you like a little texture — then pour it back into the pot. (An immersion blender right in the pot works too.)
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time, letting each handful melt before adding the next, until the soup is smooth and glossy. Cheese is an emulsion, so gentle heat matters: never let the soup boil after the cheese goes in, or it can turn grainy.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle your broccoli cheddar soup into bowls and shower each one with extra shredded cheddar on top.
Notes
- Grate the cheddar fresh from a block — pre-shredded cheese can make the soup grainy.
- Never boil the soup after the cheese goes in; keep it on low and stir gently.
- Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge. Reheat slowly over low heat.
- Optional next-time add-ins: 1 tsp Dijon mustard and a pinch of nutmeg.
- About $15.55 for the pot (about $2.60 a serving) at Denver prices. Calories are an estimate.
One Last Spoonful Before You Go
Gloomy days call for warm bowls, and this broccoli cheddar soup has officially joined our regular rotation — Mike keeps asking for it, which is the best review a soup can get. If you make it, tell me in the comments how yours turned out, and whether you paired it with bread, a grilled cheese, or Puto cheese like we did. Stay warm, and happy cooking! 💕
