This thick and hearty potato broccoli soup is easy to make with simple wholesome ingredients and ready in about one hour. Potatoes, broccoli, onions, celery, and garlic simmer in a flavorful broth, then we finish each bowl with cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and green onions for the ultimate comfort meal.
What's great about this recipe
- Easy one-pot meal - Everything cooks in a single pot for maximum flavor and minimal cleanup.
- Vegetable-packed - A delicious way to get everyone eating their vegetables without complaints.
- Quick to make - Ready in about one hour, including the prep time.
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Ingredients you'll need
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Dairy - Butter (regular or unsalted) for sauteing.
Produce - Russet potatoes (or substitute Yukon gold, yellow, or red), fresh broccoli florets, onion, celery, garlic, and green onions (or chives) for garnish.
Seasoning - Salt (we use kosher salt) and black pepper.
Pantry - All-purpose flour and chicken broth. Use reduced-sodium broth if you're sensitive to salt. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit the bacon.
Meat - Bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped (or use store-bought bacon bits).
Toppings - Shredded cheddar cheese (or gouda, Swiss, Monterey jack), crumbled bacon, and chopped green onions or chives.
📖 See the recipe card below for quantities and preparation.
How to make potato broccoli soup
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring continuously until the flour mixture is fully dissolved and smooth.
Add the diced potatoes. Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli florets. Stir well, bring back to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours. If you are topping the soup with cheese and bacon, keep that in mind before adding extra salt.
Serving suggestions
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top generously with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled crispy bacon, and chopped green onions or chives.
Serve with crusty bread, garlic bread, or a simple side salad with creamy homemade ranch dressing for a complete and satisfying meal. This soup also pairs beautifully with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Recipe tips and notes
- Cut the potatoes into small, even pieces (about ½ to 1 inch) so they cook at the same rate.
- The potatoes should be very tender so a fork or knife slides in and out easily. They won't cook much more after the broccoli is added, so make sure they're ready first.
- The broccoli will continue to cook in the residual heat even after you remove the pot from the burner. Keep this in mind so you don't overcook it.
- Use reduced-sodium chicken broth, low-sodium bacon, and unsalted butter if you are sensitive to salt. Taste at the end and adjust as needed.
- For a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes right in the pot with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools.
Storing and reheating
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze, cool the soup quickly, then transfer it to airtight freezer-safe containers. Leave 1-2 inches of headspace at the top for expansion. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Gently reheat the soup in a saucepan or the microwave until it reaches at least 165°F throughout. The soup may thicken after cooling, so add 2-3 tablespoons of broth (per serving) to loosen it as needed.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you enjoy this potato broccoli soup, you'll also love our potato corn chowder, another creamy potato favorite. Our broccoli cauliflower soup is a great option when you want more vegetables, and the simple white bean soup is perfect when you want something hearty but a little lighter. All three are easy, budget-friendly one-pot meals that are wonderful for soup season.
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📖 Recipe
Potato Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 1 medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Celery Rib diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Flour all purpose
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 pounds Russet Potatoes peeled and diced into ½ -1 inch cubes (yellow, Yukon, or red potatoes can be substituted)
- 12 ounces Broccoli Florets cut into small pieces
- ¾-1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese for serving (or use your favorite cheese)
- 4 Bacon Slices cook crispy and chopped or crumbled
- 1-2 tablespoon Green Onions or Chives
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Next, add the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring.
- Add the flour to the vegetables and stir well. Cook for 1 minute to get the raw taste out of the flour. Stir almost constantly.
- Slowly add the chicken broth to the flour mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon or whisk. Move around the pot in small circles. Continue stirring until the flour mixture dissolves in the liquid.
- Next, add the diced potatoes to the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil (will take about 4-5 minutes).
- Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. They should be so tender that a fork or knife slides in and out easily without any resistance. Stir occasionally to make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the broccoli. Stir well and raise the heat to get the broth simmering again. Then lower it to medium-low, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the broccoli reaches the desired tenderness. Keep the broth at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Also, keep in mind that the broccoli will continue to cook in the hot soup even if you take it off the heat.
- Taste the potato broccoli soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours. If you are topping the soup with cheese and bacon keep it in mind before adding extra salt.
- Serve in individual bowls and top with the shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives or green onions.
Notes
- Keep the potato pieces small, about ½ inch to 1 inch and make them roughly the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
- Use reduced sodium chicken broth, low sodium bacon, and unsalted butter if you are sensitive to salt. Add salt at the end if needed.
- If you want to make the soup thicker use a masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes right in the pot. However, keep in mind it will thicken further as it cools.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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