Easy slow cooker broccoli cheddar soup is a creamy and delicious classic. It is the perfect soup to serve with a lighter entree such as a sandwich or a salad.
If you love cheese, you have come to the right place! Broccoli and cheddar are always a classic pairing. This slow cooker soup is filled with cheesy goodness that the entire family will love!
I know my whole family can not get enough of this cheesy soup. What they don't know is that it has some hidden veggies. Perfect for feeding those picky eaters!
There is nothing quite like a warm homemade soup in cold weather. But, this one is especially wonderful on warm days too.
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To make this amazing slow cooker broccoli cheese soup you will need these simple ingredients:
- Broccoli
- Parsnips
- Onions
- Vegetable broth
- Garlic powder
- Mustard powder
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Half and half - heavy cream works well too.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Non-stick cooking spray
🔪How to make this delicious soup
Start by cutting your broccoli into small florets, dicing your onion, and shredding your parsnips. Next, spray with a non-stick cooking spray. This will always help make clean up just a little bit easier.
Add all ingredients, except half & half and shredded cheese to your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4). Once broccoli is fully softened, use an immersion blender to blend veggies into the broth. If you prefer to keep it a little chunky, keep the blending to a minimum. For a thicker, creamy soup, fully blend.
Pro tip: mix a few tablespoons of the hot soup into your half & half to temper it. This will bring the temperature of the half & half up enough to keep it from separating when you add it to your soup.
About 30 minutes prior to serving, add tempered half & half and shredded cheese into your slow cooker. Turn your slow cooker to high heat. This will allow the cheese to fully melt into the soup. Once fully melted, stir soup to fully combine all ingredients and serve.
🍲Serving suggestions
While we love this great soup on a cold day, it is one of my favorite soups in warmer weather too. On warm days it is great paired with a crunchy green salad, some turkey salad, or a tuna salad sandwich. This thick soup is heavenly served in bread bowls.
When served in colder weather, it makes a great side dish for brisket, turkey breast, or chicken.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers of this perfect comfort food should be stored in an airtight container or zipper-top bag.
It's always great to have some leftover soup for a rainy day (or a cold winter day). This cheddar soup recipe will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 3-4 months in the freezer.
🔄Substitutions
- Chicken stock can be used in place of vegetable soup if you aren't concerned with keeping the soup vegetarian.
- Mild cheddar cheese can be substituted for sharp cheddar based on your preference.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender or food processor can be used. Just be very careful transferring and blending hot soup.
- Fresh broccoli and onion are great in the recipe. However, frozen broccoli florets and frozen chopped onion work well too.
If you love this recipe, please let me know in the comment section below!
😉Hints and hacks:
- Not a fan of cutting onion? Stay lazy like me and skip this step by buying frozen chopped onion in the frozen veggie section of your market. It is very inexpensive and saves a lot of tears!
- The cheddar cheese used in this recipe was purchased already shredded. Some people have commented that cheese melts better into soup when it is freshly shredded. I have only made this soup with pre-shredded cheese and it has worked perfectly well for me.
- This easy recipe is great for busy nights when your diners won't all be eating at the same time. You can leave it on the warm setting for several hours so that everyone can have a hot meal.
- I generally recommend using a slow cooker liner for easy clean up. However, if you are using an immersion blender, it is best to skip the liner. If the immersion blender blades get caught on the liner, you will have shredded liner in your soup.
- In the market for a new slow cooker?? I love mine!
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📖 Recipe
Lazy Slow Cooker Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Equipment
- 3.5 quart or larger slow cooker
- Grater/spiralizer (optional)
- cutting board and knife
- non-stick cooking spray
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli cut into smaller florets
- 2 parsnips shredded or cut into match stick sized pieces
- 1 cup onion diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth Chicken broth would work too if you aren't concerned with keeping it vegetarian
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup half and half
- salt and pepper to taste, if needed
Instructions
- spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray
- cut broccoli into small florets and add to slow cooker4 cups broccoli
- shred or cut parsnips into match stick sized pieces and add to slow cooker2 parsnips
- chop onion and add to slow cooker1 cup onion
- add spices and broth, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours)4 cups vegetable broth, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- after the broccoli pieces are fully soft, remove lid and use an immersion blender to blend veggies into the broth.*
- half an hour before serving, temper half & half by mixing it with a few spoonfuls of hot soup. This will help to avoid curdling. After tempering, stir half & half into soup in your slow cooker.1 cup half and half
- switch slow cooker from low to high and add cheese. stir and return cover to allow cheese to melt into liquid. This should take 15-20 minutes. Once fully melted, stir to fully combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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