Warm up with The BEST Spicy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup — rich, cheesy, and creamy with a kick from Thai chilis and cayenne! Loaded with nutritious broccoli, carrots, and garlic, then made luscious with heavy cream and lots of sharp cheddar, this cozy soup is ready in just 35 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for the ultimate comfort meal on a cold day!
At the time I write this, it is winter, and a large part of the mid West is suffering from extreme temperatures due to a Polar Vortex. Here in San Antonio we'll be in the 50's over the next couple of days. This is t-shirt weather compared to up North! I'm really praying that our neighbors in the mid West suffering through this weather stay safe and warm!! One soup that is guaranteed to warm you up anytime is this Spicy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup!
Cold winter days call for warming soups and stews. I've been cooking quite a few of these lately, and one of my favorites is also quite spicy, which ups the "warming" factor.
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Why You Will Want To Make This Soup!
This Spicy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup is absolutely delicious at any time of year, but really hits the spot on a cold day. The addition of a few Thai chilis (use serrano or jalepeno if you prefer) along with some cayenne pepper, really gives this soup a kick.
Rich with nutritious broccoli, onion, carrots, and garlic, it is also good for you. However please allow for a little decadence by the addition of cream and lots of sharp cheddar as well. This results in a luscious cheesy flavor which you won't be able to get enough of!
So, let me tell you what ingredients you will need to make this delicious soup!
🥘 Ingredients
You will need the following simple ingredients to make this easy broccoli cheese soup:
- Thai chilis (you can sub serrano or jalapeno if you prefer)
- Carrot
- Fresh broccoli crown
- Fresh garlic
- Onion
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Chicken bouillon (I used Maggi; omit to make a vegetarian soup)
- Chicken broth or chicken stock (can sub vegetable broth or vegetable stock to make this a vegetarian soup)
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Green onion (as garnish)
Once you've gathered your ingredients, be happy that you are only about 35 minutes away from enjoying a bowl of this delectable creamy soup!
🔪 Easy Instructions
This soup is SOUPER easy to create! (Please forgive the pun 😃)
Begin by cutting the peeled carrot and onion into bite sized pieces and the broccoli crown into broccoli florets. Keep the broccoli to the side.
Throw your carrot, garlic, onion, and chilis into a food processor and process until finely minced.
Melt butter on medium heat in a large Dutch oven or large pot, and then add your finely minced carrot, garlic, onion, and chilis, along with the broccoli florets, into the pot once the butter has melted. Saute for 7-10 minutes (or until vegetables are softened) over the medium heat, stirring often.
Now add chicken broth (or vegetable broth), salt, pepper, cayenne, and chicken bouillon seasonings, stir, and bring to the boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, and then add the cheddar and allow to melt. Taste and adjust seasonings and add additional salt if you like.
This recipe does not call for use of an immersion blender, but if you want you can use one to blend the soup to your liking.
Yay! Now it's time to grab some beautiful soup bowls and fill with this delectable spicy cheesy soup!
How To Serve This Spicy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I recommend adding some additional shredded cheddar to the soup, along with sliced green onions as garnish.
Serve this spicy, cheesy, and creamy soup with a healthy side salad, and some crusty bread. You'll have a delicious, warming and absolutely satisfying meal.
I hope that this will become your favorite way to make broccoli cheese soup!
The full printable recipe card for this comforting soup can be found below!
FAQ
You'll want to store any leftover soup in an airtight container and place it in your refrigerator. This cheesy broccoli soup is best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
You can make this vegetarian by subbing vegetable broth for the chicken stock or chicken broth. You may also want to omit the chicken bouillon as well.
If your soup is too thin for your liking, you can add a cornstarch slurry or equal parts of softened butter and flour into simmering soup until thickened.
Other Soups You May Enjoy!
You may also enjoy these other delicious soups:
- Creamy Cauliflower, Potato, and Cheesy Ham Chowder
- New England Clam Chowder
- Easy Cauliflower, Potato, and Cheesy Ham Chowder Recipe
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Cheers!
Grace
The BEST Spicy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor makes mincing the carrot, onion, and garlic fast and easy
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven for cooking the soup
Ingredients
- 3 Thai chilis use serrano or jalapeno if you prefer
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 medium sized broccoli crown cut into florets and bite sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 green onion sliced as garnish
- ¼ ts salt plus more to taste
- ¼ ts pepper plus more to taste
- ¼ ts cayenne pepper plus more to taste
- ½ ts chicken bouillon I used Maggi; omit to make a vegetarian soup
- 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock can sub vegetable broth or vegetable stock to make a vegetarian version of this soup
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4-6 oz sharp shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cut peeled carrot and onion into bite sized pieces and the broccoli into florets. Keep the broccoli to the side.
- Throw your carrot, garlic, onion, and chilis into a food processor and process until finely minced.
- Melt butter on medium heat in a large pot.
- Add your finely minced carrot, garlic, onion, and chilis, along with the broccoli florets, into the pot once the butter has melted. Saute for 7-10 minutes (or until vegetables are softened) over the medium heat, stirring often.
- Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, cayenne, and chicken bouillon seasonings, stir, and bring to the boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream, and then add the cheddar and allow to melt. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- This recipe does not call for use of an immersion blender, but if you want you can use one to blend the soup to your liking.
- Serve and enjoy garnished with a few more shreds of cheddar, and green onions!
Notes
Nutrition
Vigdis
Get hungry when I see this great food.
Grace
Thank you so much for commenting! You have made my day! I truly hope you will try out some of the recipes and let me know what you think. Thank you again!!
June Barrera
This is literally the Best spicy broccoli soup! Unfortunately my hubby can’t eat anything spicy so I used only one Thai chili and even took out the seeds so he would be able to eat it. He said it was still a little spicy but he did say “ it was the best broccoli soup he has ever had “ so he still had a small bowl. This was easy to make and will definitely make it again on a cold day!
Grace
I am so happy that you and your husband both enjoyed the soup and wowed by your comments! Thank you so very much for trying it out, and if you decide to leave out the chilis the soup is still delicious! Thanks again!!
Jenny
I love your simple cooking. Especially when the ingredients are easy to find in Singapore. I love the simplicity of your recipe layout too, clean and with pictures.
May i suggest that cooking time column be narrower because i would like to print bigger fonts to read and preferable all in a page to save paper and ink. Of course this is just my suggestion.
Thank you for reading. Please travel more and enjoy food all long the way.
Your sincerely,
Jenny
Grace
Hi Jenny! Thanks so much for stopping by here and for your comments and suggestions! I will have a look into the recipe card issue...I know what you mean about saving paper and ink and hopefully I can figure that out thanks for this! I'm truly grateful for your comments you made my day! Take good care in Singapore!! 🙂 Grace
Eric
Thanks for the recipe, I was looking to make something fresh with the cheyenne and cayenne peppers we have an abundance of this year. I put cauliflower and broccoli in with the other veggies in the food processor, then added some finely chopped before simmering in the broth. I quadrupled the recipe (we love freezing soups for later) and blended some 1 to 1 flour to thicken a bit.
This had just the right spice for the 2 of us but many wouldn't want it that spicy, I used 1 cheyenne and 2 cayenne peppers with seeds and ribs... thanks again
Grace
Hi Eric! Thanks so much for your comments and feedback! I absolutely love that you added some cauliflower to this and yes...this soup may be a bit spicy for some people! I'm so so happy that you gave it a try and that you will have some for later! Take good care and stay safe!! Grace 🙂
Grace
This is one of my favorite soups which I turn to time and time again! Easy to make, spicy and warming, perfect for these super cold days!