In this soup recipe broccoli and cauliflower combine to make a flavorful soup base, then we add a smooth white sauce, and finish it all off with a generous amount of cheese.
This creamy, cheesy soup is made with broccoli, cauliflower, onions garlic and spices. Then there’s the cheese, two types actually, cheddar and parmesan. It’s wholesome, easy to make and totally satisfying!
This is a take on the restaurant classic, broccoli cheese soup but with plenty of vegetables and spices. I love making hearty soup recipes and like this broccoli and cauliflower soup this sausage tortellini soup and this cabbage sausage soup are family favorites.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Butter, divided
- 1 Small White Onion, diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Dash of Cayenne Pepper, optional
- 12 ounces Broccoli Florets, plus 3-4 ounces extra florets to prepare for garnish if desired
- 6 ounces Cauliflower Florets
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Half & Half
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (use medium or mild cheddar), plus extra for garnish if desired
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for garnish if desired
- Salt, if needed at the end
Prep work
Making this soup at home is easy, but there is a bit of prep work involved. Save some time on prep by purchasing pre-cut broccoli and cauliflower florets instead of breaking down the bunch yourself. But keep in mind that the less work you do the more you pay. Basically, we’re trading money for convenience, sometimes it’s worth it.
- Break down the broccoli and cauliflower removing large, tough stems and keeping only the florets for the soup.
- Dice the onion – the soup is going to be processed so a medium dice will do
- Chop the garlic
- Shred the cheddar and parmesan cheese. It’s best not to take a shortcut here. The pre-shredded stuff contain additives to prevent clumping (cellulose and potato starch are common). The cheese melts better and is less grainy when you shred it yourself.
- Measure out the remaining ingredients
How to parboil broccoli florets for garnish
If you want to garnish the soup with some broccoli florets we need to parboil them first. Parboiling is the process of partially cooking food. In this case it will make the broccoli crisp-tender and will turn it a vibrant green color.
- Prepare a large bowl with ice water, set aside.
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the broccoli to the boiling water.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli and immediately plunge it into the bowl of ice water.
- Remove the broccoli from the water and place them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain.
- Reserve for garnish.
Start the soup
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the onions. Cook the onions for about 3-4 minutes until they’re translucent and start to soften. Stir frequently.
Next, add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and cayenne pepper (if using); cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Finally, add the chicken broth and raise the heat to high. When the broth comes to a boil lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes or until the broccoli and cauliflower is fall-apart tender. Stir occasionally and keep it simmering; lower the heat a little if it’s boiling too vigorously.
Make a white sauce
While the vegetables cook make a white sauce. We’re going to start by making a roux. A roux is a mixture of equal parts fat (usually butter) and flour. It’s used for thickening gravies, sauces and soups. Learning to make a roux is easy. Once you get the hang of it, it will become a useful tool in your cooking arsenal. Making dishes like steak and mushrooms, meatballs and gravy and broccoli cheese casserole super easy to make.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir until combined. Gently cook the mixture for 2 minutes to get the raw taste out of the flour. Use a whisk or large fork and stir almost constantly.
Slowly add the half & half and stir until smooth. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thickened, stir occasionally. If it’s boiling too vigorously reduce the heat a touch but keep it at a simmer.
The sauce will thicken as it warms and comes to a simmer. It will happen, be patient, don’t crank up the heat. Also, it’s important to never leave milk/cream on the stove unattended. Keep an eye on it and don’t leave the stove’s side.
Take the saucepan off the heat and give the sauce a stir every so often while you wait for the broccoli soup.
Finish the broccoli cauliflower cheese soup
Take the pot with the broccoli and cauliflower off the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes. Process the soup in the pot with an immersion blender. Immersion blenders are a fantastic tool for blending hot liquids right in the pot they were cooked in. If you’re a fan of creamy pureed soups, then you should definitely invest in one.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a blender to process the soup. Do not fill it to the top with hot liquid, process in small batches. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) of the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if necessary.
Slowly add the prepared white sauce to the broccoli soup, stir well until incorporated. Return the broccoli soup to low heat and add the cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Stir well until the cheeses melt and the soup is smooth.
Don’t overheat the soup once the cheese is in so it doesn’t get grainy. Don’t let the soup come to a boil, or even a simmer.
Taste the broccoli cauliflower soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
Garnish the soup with a few of the prepared parboiled broccoli florets and a pinch of shredded cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
You may also like these soup recipes:
- Sausage White Bean Soup
- Chicken Egg Noodle Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Tuscan Soup
- Cuban Split Pea Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Butter divided
- 1 Small White Onion diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Dash of Cayenne Pepper optional
- 12 ounces Broccoli Florets plus 3-4 ounces extra florets to prepare for garnish if desired
- 6 ounces Cauliflower Florets
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Half & Half
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese use medium or mild cheddar, plus extra for garnish if desired
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese plus extra for garnish if desired
- Salt if needed at the end
Instructions
Parboil broccoli florets for garnish (if using)
- Prepare a large bowl with ice water, set aside.
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the broccoli to the boiling water.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli and immediately plunge it into the bowl of ice water.
- Remove the broccoli from the water and place them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain, reserve for garnish.
Start the soup
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the onions. Cook the onions for about 3-4 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and cayenne pepper (if using); cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken broth and raise the heat to high. When the broth comes to a boil lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are fall-apart tender. Stir occasionally and keep it simmering; lower the heat if it’s boiling too vigorously.
While the soup cooks, make a white sauce
- Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir until combined. Gently cook the mixture for 2 minutes. Use a whisk or large fork and stir almost constantly.
- Slowly add the half & half and stir until smooth. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thickened, stir occasionally. If it’s boiling too vigorously reduce the heat but keep it at a simmer.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and give the sauce a stir every so often while you wait for the broccoli soup.
Finish the broccoli cauliflower cheese soup
- Take the pot with the broccoli and cauliflower off the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes. Process the soup in the pot with an immersion blender (or use a blender- see notes section).
- Slowly add the prepared white sauce to the broccoli soup, stir well until incorporated. Return the soup to low heat and add the cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Stir well until the soup is smooth.
- Don’t overheat the soup once the cheese is in so it doesn’t get grainy. Don’t let the soup come to a boil, or even a simmer.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Garnish the soup with a few of the prepared parboiled broccoli florets and a pinch of shredded cheese, if desired.
