Potato Broccoli Soup with Cheese

A bowl of broccoli cheese soup with truffled croutons.

This recipe will change your notion of broccoli potato cheese soup. It’s made with fresh veggies, simmered in broth with a splash of white wine and herbs. Grated Gruyere cheese (in place of the traditional cheddar) gives this creamy potato broccoli soup richness and depth that your family will LOVE!

Ingredients for the broccoli cheese soup.

You’re in for a treat today! This French-inspired version of the ever-popular broccoli potato cheese soup is one of our favorite creamy vegetable soup recipes and I’m betting it will be a hit in your house too.

In my experience, most potato broccoli and cheese soups are very bland and one-note. A thick potage that can stand your spoon upright in the bowl, usually loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon, leaving you in a food coma for hours afterward.

So instead of asking how to improve a bland potato soup? Make this recipe instead. It has layers of flavors that keep you returning for another spoonful.

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Why you’ll love this soup recipe:

  • It’s super-flavorful without being too heavy or cloying.
  • It uses everyday vegetables like broccoli, carrots, onion and potatoes.
  • Only half a cup of cream in the whole pot.
  • Only 30 minutes of prep and it’s ready to eat in about an hour.
  • Instead of cheddar cheese, I use Gruyere, which has a nuttier, more complex flavor akin to Emmenthaler.
  • A splash of white wine adds a slight acidity and tang, which balances the richness of the cheese and cream making the flavors dance on your tongue.
  • Topping the creamy broccoli soup with simple baked croutons adds an irresistible texture and crunch.
Chopping broccoli florets and stems.

Ingredients:

  • Olive Oil
  • Butter
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Garlic
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Dry White Wine (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc)
  • Homemade Vegetable Broth
  • Broccoli (I use the florets as well as the stem portion, peeled and chopped)
  • Potatoes (you can use red or white waxy potatoes, peeled russets or Yukon Gold potatoes)
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Parmesan Rind (optional)
  • Cream
  • Gruyere Cheese
  • Stale Bread (for croutons)
  • Truffle Oil (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Adding flour to the sauteed vegetables for a thickener.

Directions:

  1. Sauté the onions, carrots, garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil and butter until tender.
  2. Add flour and stir to coat the vegetables, cooking for about a minute.
  3. Deglaze the pan with white wine and stir until thick and bubbly.
  4. Cook the wine mixture for 1-2 minutes before adding the vegetable broth a little at a time, stirring constantly so it blends without clumping.
  5. Add the potatoes,  broccoli, thyme bundle and a rind of parmesan cheese (optional) to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender.
  6. Stir in the cream and simmer for five more minutes.
  7. Remove the thyme bundle and parmesan rind from the pot and discard.
  8. Move the broccoli potato cheese soup from the heat and add finely grated gruyere cheese, about half a cup, stirring until the cheese is melted before adding more.
  9. Blend the creamy broccoli soup until smooth and serve with truffled croutons, additional cheese and truffle oil for garnish.

Pro-Tips:

  • If you’re using fresh broccoli, don’t discard the stems. Just cut off the tough woody end and use a vegetable peeler to scrape away the skin. The interior of the stems are tender and delicious. Chop them and add to the soup to simmer (waste not-want not).
  • Add a leftover Parmesan cheese rind to the broccoli potato soup while simmering. This is a chef’s trick for adding extra umami flavor to soups, stews or sauces. The skin softens but doesn’t melt as it simmers, infusing the broth with an extra layer of umami goodness. Please be sure to discard the parmesan rind before you puree the potato broccoli soup in the blender.

Swaps and Variations:

  • If you don’t have Gruyere, use Emmenthaler or grated Swiss cheese instead.
  • You can use any dry white wine or a dry, fortified white wine like vermouth for this recipe. (You won’t need as much because it’s concentrated; about ⅓ to ½ cup).
  • You can make this soup with broccoli and cauliflower by using ½ pound of each vegetable, cut into florets. (Note: the cauliflower shouldn’t replace the potato, as it adds body and a velvety smoothness to the dish).
Adding gruyere cheese to the broccoli soup.

FAQs

How do you thicken potato broccoli soup?

The roux (flour and butter cooked to a paste), starchy potato, and finely grated cheese give the soup its satiny texture and body.

Should I soak potatoes for soup?

There’s no need to soak them. The potatoes will simmer in the broth until tender.

Why is my broccoli cheese soup curdled or grainy?

This can happen if the soup’s temperature is too high when adding the cheese (over 150° F) – Excess heat can coax out the proteins in the soup and cause them to clump together instead of melting gently.

To avoid this, remove the pan from the heat before adding the cheese  ½ cup at a time and stirring after each addition.

Additionally, use the finest rasp on a box grater for grating the gruyere cheese. The smaller the strands of cheese, the more easily they’ll melt into the potato and broccoli soup.

Blending the soup until smooth and creamy.

Best blender for pureeing soups

You can use an immersion blender to puree this soup, but frankly, to me, it’s more work than it’s worth. I prefer a good stand blender for this task. I have a Vitamix (expensive, but worth the investment to me), however, there are plenty of mid-priced blenders that will do the job.

Safety tips for blending hot soup

The key to blending a hot soup safely is NOT to fill the blender more than half full.

Why? It’s HOT... and when you blend, especially at high speed, the soup will froth and expand in the container. Fill it too high, and it will shoot hot soup out the top and all over you and your kitchen.

I am always extra cautious here, and besides limiting the amount of liquid I blend at a time, I always cover the top with a dish towel… just in case. This is especially important if you have small children or animals who like to “help” in the kitchen.

Making truffled croutons with a bit of bread and truffle oil.

Garnishing the creamy broccoli soup

This luscious dish is velvety smooth — and my favorite way to finish a creamy soup is with texture and CRUNCH… Hello, croutons!

Avoid using store-bought croutons — they’re too hard, dry and flavorless! Instead, use 1-2 slices of sturdy sourdough bread and olive oil (or truffle oil if you have it). Here’s how:

Making truffle oil croutons

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
  2. Remove the crusts from the sourdough bread.
  3. Rip the bread into chunks and transfer to a mini food processor.
  4. Pulse several times to break the bread into uneven and jagged shreds.
  5. Transfer the croutons to a baking sheet and drizzle with truffle oil (or olive oil) toss the bread to coat and spread the crumbs into a single layer.
  6. Bake for 8 minutes.
  7. Stir the crumbs well, then spread into a single layer again.
  8. Return the pan to the oven and bake another 8 minutes until truffled croutons are golden and very crispy.
  9. Sprinkle liberally over the potato and broccoli soup.
Toasted truffled croutons to garnish the creamy broccoli cheese soup.

You’ll love the toasty crunch with every spoonful of broccoli, potato and cheese soup. Any leftover croutons are also great on top of salads.

The final flourishes

  • A light drizzle of truffle oil makes a big impact; you won’t need much to add an earthy vibe to the potato broccoli soup. If you don’t have truffle oil, use good olive oil or croutons.
  • I like to hold back a few small broccoli florets and grated cheese for garnish (so you know what kind of soup it is).
A pot of broccoli soup, ready to eat.

Leftovers and storage:

  • Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Store croutons at room temperature in a sealed airtight container.
  • You can freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 2 months—Defrost before reheating.
  • Reheat on the stovetop on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the soup is hot.
A bowl of creamy broccoli cheese soup.

This is the ultimate cheesy broccoli potato soup! It’s velvety and smooth with rich, balanced flavors and delicate crunch from the crispy croutons.

Spooning up some of the creamy, cheesy soup.

More creamy vegetable soups to try:

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A bowl of creamy broccoli cheese soup.
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4.91 from 10 votes

Creamy Potato Broccoli Soup with Cheese

This is not your average broccoli cheese soup. It’s smooth and creamy with layers of flavor you wouldn’t expect. A decadent option uses truffle oil to finish the soup and flavor the crunchy croutons.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword alphabet soup, broccoli, cheese, truffle
Dietary Restrictions Vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE POTATO AND BROCCOLI SOUP:

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium carrot diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup dry white wine (or substitute ⅓ cup vermouth)
  • 4 cups homemade vegetable broth (can also use chicken broth)
  • 1 pound broccoli trees stems and florets
  • 1 large red skinned potato peeled and diced
  • 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme tied with kitchen string
  • parmesan cheese rind optional
  • ½ cup cream
  • 2 cups finely shredded gruyere cheese
  • drizzle truffle oil optional

FOR TRUFFLED CROUTONS

  • 2 slices sturdy sourdough bread
  • 1 teaspoon truffle oil or olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE TRUFFLED CROUTONS

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Trim the crust from the bread and transfer it to a mini food processor. Pulse several times until the bread is broken down into bite-sized, shaggy bits.
  • Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with truffle oil (if using) or olive oil. Toss well to coat and arrange croutons in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 8 minutes and stir the croutons. Return the bread to the oven and cook for another 8 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

FOR THE BROCCOLI POTATO CHEESE SOUP

  • Prep the broccoli by removing the florets and setting aside. Trim the tough end of the broccoli stems. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough outer skin. Discard the peelings. Chop the stems into ½” pieces
  • Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir in the onion and carrot and cook for 3-5 minutes until the onion is softened and slightly translucent, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat down if the vegetables start to brown.
  • Add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for one minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir into the vegetables until all the flour is absorbed by the oil and butter. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in the wine a little at a time, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any fond. Bring to a low bubble and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the broth a little at a time until the soup stock is well blended.
  • Add the broccoli florets, stems and potatoes, thyme bundle and parmesan rind (if using) to the soup stock and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. When it just reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with the lid slightly askew so the steam can escape. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and use a pair of tongs to remove the parmesan rind and thyme bundle. Discard.
  • Add the grated gruyere cheese, about half a cup at a time, stirring after each addition until the cheese is melted before adding the next handful.
  • Blend the soup until smooth. You can use an immersion blender for this or a regular blender. For a regular blender, fill the container no more than halfway, secure the lid tightly and cover the top with a dish towel to avoid any splatters—Pureé in batches.
  • Process the soup until smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.

TO SERVE:

  • Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with truffle oil and crispy croutons over each bowl. Sprinkle on additional gruyere cheese and mini-blanched broccoli florets, if desired.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3364IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 526mg | Iron: 2mg

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love your process photos. This soup looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Pinned!

  2. Heidy L. McCallum says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for all the tips and tricks it made this recipe for soup a cinch. The flavor was outstanding.

  3. Taylor Kiser says:

    5 stars
    I am swooning over this bowl of deliciousness!! Definitely a must make for dinner!

  4. 5 stars
    The truffled croutons really elevate this dish, turning this into a restaurant worthy dish! I make this for special occasions and always get rave reviews!

  5. Haley D. Williams says:

    5 stars
    Gruyere cheese is my favorite in soups. Tastes delicious!

  6. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says:

    5 stars
    I seriously want a HUGE bowl of this today! We’ve had so much snow already so alllll the comfort food is in order! This broccoli soup looks super warming and sounds so good! Love the truffle twist – such a lovely way to make this one extra special. Thanks a million for the shout out, Lisa! XO

  7. Mahdiya -Madz's Kitchen- says:

    Wow, this looks creamy and yummy…..

  8. Sonya Matejko (@SingleStrides) says:

    5 stars
    OMGosh yum!! Anything truffle is usually a winner for me. Will have to try this ASAP.

  9. Very good idea for this winter days!

  10. itsapashion says:

    This sounds delicious! I will definitely be trying this recipe at home. Thank you for sharing!
    XO, Ashley Sondon