A cozy, creamy broccoli cauliflower soup with cheese, added carrot and a bit of potato for a lovely thick texture.

Creamy broccoli cauliflower cheese soup in a bowl with toast.

This creamy, cheesy broccoli cauliflower soup is a perfect, cozy, cooler-weather bowl. This broccoli cauliflower soup also adds some carrot and potato to the mix, for an extra bit of heartiness.

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Broccoli – You can use fresh or frozen broccoli. I recommend fresh broccoli if possible. If using frozen broccoli (and fresh cauliflower), add the broccoli later in the cooking process to avoid it becoming mushy.

Cauliflower – You can use fresh or frozen broccoli. I recommend fresh cauliflower if possible. If using frozen cauliflower (and fresh broccoli), add the cauliflower later in the cooking process to avoid it becoming mushy.

Carrot – A little shredded carrot adds great colour to this soup and the shredded carrot cooks quickly. You could also use matchsticks or finely diced carrots.

Potato – I highly recommend a Russet (baking) potato, as it breaks down a bit and helps to thicken the soup. A yellow-fleshed potato such as Yukon Gold would work in a pinch, but generally requires a bit more cooking time and never gets quite as soft as the Russet potato would.

Cheese – You can use any cheddar cheese but to really elevate this soup opt for a mature cheddar, such as 1 or 2-year-old aged cheddar. I’ve used a 2-year-old white cheddar here.

How to make broccoli cauliflower cheese soup

This is a walkthrough of the steps to make this soup. Always refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of the page for the complete instructions and ingredients list.

Adding onion to melted butter in soup pot.
1
Flour added to the melted butter.
2
  1. Start the soup by melting the butter in a soup pot, then add the onion. Cook the onion until softened.
  2. Add the flour to the butter/onion mixture, stir in and cook about 1 minute.
Adding milk to the flour and butter mixture.
3
Adding shredded carrot to the soup pot.
4
  1. Add the milk and chicken broth to the pot.
  2. Add the shredded carrot to the pot.
Adding the diced potato and chopped cauliflower and broccoli to the pot.
5
Seasoning the soup with salt and pepper, then simmering.
6
  1. Add the diced potatoes and the chopped cauliflower and broccoli to the pot.
  2. Stir together, season with a bit of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and vegetables are tender.
Blending the soup lightly with an immersion blender.
7
Adding the cheese to the soup pot.
8
  1. Using an immersion blender (or potato masher) lightly process the soup to break down any larger pieces of vegetables.
  2. Add the cheese to the soup and stir in to melt. Taste the soup and add salt as needed (it almost always needs it!).

Recipe tips!

  • As noted above, you can use fresh or frozen broccoli and/or cauliflower. If using both from frozen, simply reduce the simmering time so the frozen vegetables don’t become mushy. If using one frozen and one fresh, save the frozen one and add it later in the cooking process.
  • You don’t need to blend this soup if you prefer to leave it chunky. I like to process it with an immersion blender lightly or simply break it up a bit with a potato masher.
  • Be sure to taste the soup at the end of cooking and add salt to the pot as needed. Proper salting is the key to a great-tasting soup!
Creamy broccoli cauliflower cheese soup in a bowl with toast.

Making ahead, storing and freezing

This soup holds well in the refrigerator so it is a good soup for making ahead.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

This soup is not ideal for freezing as it has both milk and cheese in it, which may split during the freeze-and-thaw process. If you wanted a freezable soup, you could make it with just chicken broth, then add a touch of cream and then the cheese after thawing and reheating.

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Creamy broccoli cauliflower cheese soup in a bowl with toast.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup

A cozy, creamy broccoli cauliflower soup with cheese, added carrot and a bit of potato for a lovely thick texture.
4.50 stars from 2 ratings
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk, 2 or 3% milk recommended
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup Russet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces *see Note 1 below
  • 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped *see Note 2 below for using frozen broccoli and/or cauliflower
  • 1 cup fresh cauliflower, chopped
  • 1/4-1/3 cup carrot, shredded or matchstick carrots
  • 1 cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded *see Note 3 below
  • Pinch powdered mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed

For serving:

  • Additional shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the flour to the pot and stir together. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
  • Add the milk and chicken broth to the pot and stir in. Add the shredded carrot, diced potatoes and then the chopped cauliflower and broccoli. Stir together and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low (or a bit lower) and simmer the soup until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring regularly as it cooks.
  • Using an immersion blender or a potato masher, lightly process or mash the soup a bit to break up the largest pieces of the vegetables.
  • Add the cheddar cheese to the soup and stir in until melted. Stir in the pinch of powdered mustard.
  • Taste the soup and add additional salt as needed. If the soup tastes flat at all, it needs more salt!
  • Serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper and garnish with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

Notes

Note 1: Russet (baking) potatoes are highly recommended, as they break down well as they cook, which helps to thicken the soup. You could use a yellow-fleshed potato in a pinch, though they tend to remain firmer in the soup and may require more cooking time.
Note 2: If you would like to use frozen broccoli and cauliflower, simply reduce the simmering time to avoid the vegetables from becoming mushy. If you would like to use fresh together with frozen, start the fresh in the soup first, then add the frozen one later in the cooking process.
Note 3: An aged cheddar will bring the nicest cheesy flavour to the soup. Look for a 1 or 2-year aged cheddar. 
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This soup is not recommended for freezing.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe including substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you may find helpful.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Soup
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 391mg, Potassium: 483mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2425IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 378mg, Iron: 1mg
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