Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Easy Dinner
By Liam Carter
Prep
15 min
Cook
240 min
Total
255 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
This slow-cooked broccoli and cheddar soup recipe makes eight servings. I cook the entire recipe when I want to eat some soup right away and have leftovers. Broccoli and other vegetables are cooked for several hours in a slow cooker and mixed with melted cheddar cheese at the end of cooking in a slow cooker (this is how I time the recipe).
I have a 6-quart slow cooker. I don't include dairy ingredients except just before serving. I stir a roux of butter and flour into a saucepan about 30 minutes before serving and slowly add evaporated milk and heavy cream during cooking, stirring and cooking for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken.
Chopped cheddar cheese is my favorite cheese topping for soup. I shred the cheddar fresh and add it at the end of the cooking process. Add small amounts of cheddar to cooked or heated soup and let it melt before adding more cheddar. Season separately without reheating.
An immersion blender changes the texture of soup in bowls. I use an immersion blender to partially puree some bowls of soup for a thicker texture. Other bowls of soup are not pureed and have a chunkier texture; I enjoy some chunks in my soup. Serve with crusty bread or a plain salad. Other side dishes include crumbled bacon, sour cream, chopped green onions, and saltine crackers.
What makes this special
- A full-size 6-quart cooking pot serves eight people.
- The vegetables can be cooked at the same time as other meal ingredients. The dairy products are added near the end.
- You will provide dinner tonight and a second helping of soup to dinner guests with the same quantity of food.
- Adding low or warm heat after cheese has been added to the dish prevents curdling of the dairy product.
- You could try serving the vegetables whole or partially blending the soup to include some vegetable pieces.
Ingredients
- •6 cups broccoli florets (fresh, about 1.5 lbs)
- •1 cup shredded carrots
- •1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- •4 tbsp unsalted butter
- •¼ cup all-purpose flour
- •12 oz evaporated milk (one can)
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded)
- •1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- •½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Add the broccoli, carrots, onion, garlic, and chicken broth to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- 2
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
- 3
About 30 minutes before serving, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- 4
Slowly whisk the evaporated milk and heavy cream into the roux until smooth. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
- 5
Partially blend the vegetables in the slow cooker with an immersion blender, if desired. Leave them unblended for a chunkier soup.
- 6
Pour the cream mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in the cheddar one handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding the next.
- 7
Season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste.
- 8
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
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