Cold weather and a bowl of broccoli cheddar needs very little convincing. What usually puts me off is the thickener. Restaurant broccoli cheddar soup leans on flour to get its body, and the cheese often arrives pre-shredded, which melts unevenly and leaves the bowl grainy. This no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup drops both shortcuts.
The creaminess comes from the vegetable itself. Half the cooked broccoli gets blended right in the pot, softened Neufchâtel and a splash of milk get whisked smooth, and 98g of freshly grated Tillamook extra sharp cheddar melts in over low heat. One 3-quart saucepan of no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup gives you eight small bowls, each serving landing at about 4g net carbs.
Why You’ll Love This No-Added-Sugar Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- No flour anywhere. The blended broccoli is what thickens this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup, so the texture is creamy without a roux.
- Real cheddar, grated by hand. Extra sharp Tillamook melts smoothly and gives you that sharp, slightly tangy flavor instead of a flat processed-cheese taste.
- Chunky, not strained. Half the florets are reserved, so every spoonful has something to bite into.
- One pot, one blender, about 40 minutes from cutting board to table including the 5-minute rest.
- Four grams of net carbs per small portion, which makes it easy to sit alongside a heavier fall dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Broccoli is doing two jobs in this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup. Chopped florets simmer in the broth until tender, and about half of them get pureed in the pot to give the finished bowl its body, so there is no starch or flour on the ingredient list. Fresh, bright green florets matter here because that is what shows on top.
The dairy is split for a reason. Philadelphia Neufchâtel melted into milk gives a smooth, tangy base that does not split, and the 98g of grated sharp cheddar goes in later, in handfuls, with the heat turned down. Every bit of cheese is grated from the block rather than bought pre-shredded, because anti-caking agents on bagged cheese are what make melted cheese go grainy. Both shortcuts are easy to skip in this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup.
For the broth, use Swanson unsalted chicken broth so you control the salt yourself. Generic entries in USDA FoodData Central are useful for a rough nutrition estimate, but the label on your carton is the number that actually applies.
How to Make This No-Added-Sugar Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Start with the onion and garlic
Melt 1 tbsp of unsalted butter in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Add 3½ cups of chopped fresh broccoli and 2½ cups of chicken broth, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 12–15 minutes until the broccoli is tender enough to cut easily with the back of a spoon.
Blend half, keep half
Lift out ½ cup of cooked broccoli florets and set them aside. Take the immersion blender into the saucepan and blend about half of the remaining soup until creamy, leaving small broccoli pieces visible. That blended half is what gives this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup its thickness.
Drop the reserved florets back into the pot and keep the heat on low from here.
Finish with the dairy off the boil
Whisk the softened Neufchâtel with ½ cup of Organic Valley 1% milk until mostly smooth. Gradually whisk ½ cup of the warm soup into that cheese mixture, which brings its temperature up, then stir the loosened mixture back into the saucepan and keep whisking until this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup looks uniform.
Add 98g of the grated cheddar in small handfuls, stirring until each one melts before the next goes in. Do not let it boil, then warm gently for 2–3 minutes. If the soup looks tighter than you like, stir in warm water 1 tbsp at a time.
Take the pot off the heat and rest it 5 minutes. The starch in the reserved florets keeps setting during that rest, so the bowl thickens slightly as it stands.
Ladle and top
Divide this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup into 8 small bowls and top each one evenly with the remaining 14g of grated cheddar. Serve warm.
Success Tips for No-Added-Sugar Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Blend only part of the broccoli. The rest of this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup is what keeps it chunky instead of purée-like.
- Grate the cheddar right before it goes in. It melts faster and smoother, and you avoid the anti-caking coating that comes on pre-shredded cheese.
- Keep the heat low once dairy is in the pot. A boil is the fastest way to a grainy bowl, and the soup only needs 2–3 minutes of gentle warmth to come together, and that low heat is what keeps this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup smooth.
- Do not skip the ½ cup of warm soup whisked into the cheese mixture. Tempering it that way is what stops the milk and Neufchâtel from curdling.
- Expect 8 small portions rather than 8 full bowls. The portion size is deliberate, so a bowl plus a roll still fits a normal dinner.
- Thin with warm water, not cold. Cold water drops the temperature and makes the melted cheese tighten again.
Storage
Let any leftover no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup cool, then refrigerate it airtight for up to 3 days. Reheat gently, and stir now and then, because the broccoli pieces settle toward the bottom of the container.
FAQ
Do I need flour or cornstarch to thicken this soup?
No. About half of the cooked broccoli is blended in the pot, and that purée is the thickener. Blending all of it would give you a smooth purée-style soup instead of the thick, chunky bowl this recipe is aiming for, which is why the blended half matters so much in this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup.
Why did my broccoli cheddar turn grainy?
Almost always heat. Turn the burner to low before the dairy goes in, add the cheddar in small handfuls, and let each one melt before adding the next. Boiling melted cheese is what makes it break into oily granules.
Can I use bagged shredded cheddar instead?
You can, but the texture will not be as smooth. Bagged shredded cheese carries an anti-caking coating that stops the shreds from melting together properly, and the bowl ends up slightly grainy. Grating the 4 oz block yourself takes a minute and the difference is obvious.
How long can the soup stay in the fridge?
Up to 3 days in an airtight container, reheated gently. Cool it before it goes in, and take the pot off the heat well before you expect to eat.
Is the soup meant to be thick or thin?
Thick, closer to a stew than a drink, because it is served as 8 small portions. If yours is tighter than that, stir in warm water 1 tbsp at a time until it loosens.
If you are building a full fall dinner around a bowl, this pairs easily with no-added-sugar green bean casserole, classic homestyle meatloaf, or eggplant parmesan. For another savory lunch, try the crustless spinach and mushroom quiche.
Every serving of this no-added-sugar broccoli cheddar soup comes out at about 127 calories, 4g net carbs, 6g protein, 9g fat and 1g fiber. Print the card below and keep the heat off the boil.
No-Added-Sugar Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add broccoli and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook 12–15 minutes until broccoli is tender.
- Reserve ½ cup cooked broccoli florets. Blend about half the remaining soup until creamy, leaving small broccoli pieces.
- Return reserved florets to the saucepan.
- Reduce heat to low. Whisk softened Neufchâtel with milk until mostly smooth.
- Gradually whisk ½ cup warm soup into the cheese mixture, then stir it into the saucepan.
- Add 98g grated cheddar in small handfuls, stirring until melted. Do not boil.
- Warm gently for 2–3 minutes. Add warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, only if too thick.
- Remove from heat and rest 5 minutes.
- Divide into 8 small bowls. Top evenly with reserved 14g cheddar and serve warm.
Notes
- Blend only part of the broccoli for a thick, chunky soup.
- Freshly grate cheddar for smooth melting.
- Keep heat low after adding dairy to prevent graininess.
- The 8 servings are small soup portions.
- Refrigerate airtight up to 3 days; reheat gently.