This Crockpot Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is made using cheddar cheese, fresh vegetables, and is served creamy. Make your favorite soup from Panera right at home!
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Key Ingredients
- Broccoli
- Carrots, Celery, and Onions (I like to use the Mirepoix chopped veggies)
- Garlic
- Cheese
- Broth
- Half and Half
- Salt and Pepper
What Type of Cheese to Use
I like to use sharp cheddar cheese. You can use whatever cheese you wish. For cheddar cheese, you have options, mild, medium, sharp, extra sharp, etc. Aging is the only difference between mild and sharp cheddars.
The longer cheese is aged naturally, the sharper and more pronounced the cheddar flavor becomes. Mild Cheddar cheese is generally aged for 2 to 3 months, whereas an extra sharp might be aged for as long as a year.
Mild cheddar has a creamy, subtle taste.
Medium cheddar has a little more flavor in comparison to mild, but it lacks the distinct bite found in sharp cheddar.
Sharp cheddar has a distinct and prominent flavor.
Extra sharp cheddar has a very pronounced and sharp taste. (I typically don’t cook with it and use it for wine pairings and Charcuterie Cheese Boards.)
Be sure to buy cheese in block form and shred it yourself. If you use pre-shredded cheese it’s coated in potato starch and preservatives. It does not melt the same and will alter the texture of the soup. Grate your own cheese. It makes a huge difference.
How to Make Crockpot Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add broccoli, onions, celery, carrots, broth, and garlic to the slow cooker.
- Slow cook.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add cheddar cheese, half and half, salt, and pepper to taste to the soup.
- Stir and place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook until melted.
Can You Use Frozen Broccoli
You can use frozen broccoli, but will likely have to add a little additional cook time. When the broccoli melts it will also emit moisture which will then out the soup some.
Do You Have to Blend and Puree the Soup?
No, the soup texture is your preference. I prefer chunks of broccoli in my soup so many times I do not puree this soup at all. Sometimes I puree it enough to leave some broccoli pieces throughout and sometimes I puree the whole thing. It depends on my mood.
If you want smooth soup you will need to use an immersion hand blender or an actual blender. Blend the soup until smooth. Broccoli florets are springy in texture. Even if you blend the soup you can still expect some of the texture from the broccoli to remain.
How to Thicken the Soup (Watery Soup)
The soup is thick enough on it’s own that I don’t add anything additional to thicken it up. If you find it needs thickening you can use a flour slurry which is 1 part flour and 1 part water. Combine the two separately in a bowl and add it to the soup once it’s cooked. 1 part means start with 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of water. If you need additional thickening add another serving of each.
How to Thin Out the Soup
If you find the soup is too thick for you, you can add additional broth to thin it out.
How to Substitute Half and Half
Half and half can be substituted for heavy whipping cream or any milk. In fact, my original Keto Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup uses heavy whipping cream and it’s delicious. Half and half is a combination of milk and heavy cream as opposed to just one. It’s fewer calories than heavy cream, but more calories than standard milk.
If you use a milk substitute like coconut milk, almond milk, etc these aren’t as thick. Your soup will be thinner in texture.
Topping Ideas
- Shredded Cheese
- Fresh Broccoli
- Croutons
- Crackers
- Tortilla Strips
- Bacon
- Avocado
How to Store Leftovers/How Long it Will Last in the Fridge
It will last tightly covered for 3-4 days.
Freezer Tips
I love to use these soup freezer molds from Amazon to freeze the soup. I reheat it using the slow cook function or you can thaw and microwave. It will freeze up to a few months.
More Soup Recipes
Creamy Chicken Alfredo Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
Roasted Creamy Poblano Soup
Ham and Vegetable Soup
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
Chicken Lasagna Soup
Sweet Potato Soup
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Ramen Soup
Buffalo Chicken Soup
Lasagna Soup
Pork Belly Ramen
Bread Bowl Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
More Slow Cooker and Crockpot Recipes
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Slow Cooker Crockpot Turkey Breast
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chili Mac and Cheese
Slow Cooker Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Pulled Pork Sliders
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Sugar-Free Apple Butter
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
Crockpot Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1/3 cup chopped onions I used white onions.
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup chopped carrots
- 2-3 garlic cloves Minced.
- 4 cups broth I used chicken broth, any broth works.
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese I used sharp.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Crockpot Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the broccoli, onions, celery, carrots, broth, and garlic to the slow cooker.(If you want to saute the vegetables first you can. It's optional).
- Cook on High for 2-3 hours (I needed 3 hours) or Low for 4-6 hours until the broccoli and other vegetables are tender.
- If you plan to puree the soup, remove the lid and puree the soup using a hand immersion blender, or pour it into a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add the cheddar cheese, half and half, salt, and pepper to taste to the soup.
- Stir and place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on High for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Instant Pot Instructions (requires olive oil if sauteeing the vegetables first)
- If sauteed vegetables are preferred, Place the Instant Pot on the saute function. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and broccoli florets to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Cook for 4 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking.
- When the pot indicates it has finished, quick release the steam and place it on the saute function.
- Open the pot and puree the soup if preferred.Add the half and half, shredded cheddar, salt and pepper to taste to the pot.
- Place the Instant Pot on saute for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic to a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the broth and broccoli to taste to the pot. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
- When the broccoli is tender, open the pot and puree the soup if preferred.Add the half and half, shredded cheddar, salt and pepper to taste to the pot.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Allow a few minutes for the cheese to melt and the soup to thicken.
Notes
- Be sure to buy cheese in block form and shred it yourself. If you use pre-shredded cheese it’s coated in potato starch and preservatives. It does not melt the same and will alter the texture of the soup. Grate your own cheese. It makes a huge difference.
- You can use frozen broccoli, but will likely have to add a little additional cook time. When the broccoli melts it will also emit moisture which will then out the soup some.
- The soup is thick enough on it’s own that I don’t add anything additional to thicken it up. If you find it needs thickening you can use a flour slurry which is 1 part flour and 1 part water. Combine the two separately in a bowl and add it to the soup once it’s cooked. 1 part means start with 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of water. If you need additional thickening add another serving of each.
- If you find the soup is too thick for you, you can add additional broth to thin it out.
- I prefer chunks of broccoli in my soup so many times I do not puree this soup at all. Sometimes I puree it enough to leave some broccoli pieces throughout and sometimes I puree the whole thing. It depends on my mood.
- If you want smooth soup you will need to use an immersion hand blender or an actual blender. Blend the soup until smooth. Broccoli florets are springy in texture. Even if you blend the soup you can still expect some of the texture from the broccoli to remain.
- Half and half can be substituted for heavy whipping cream or any milk. In fact, my original Keto Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup uses heavy whipping cream and it’s delicious. Half and half is a combination of milk and heavy cream as opposed to just one. It’s fewer calories than heavy cream, but more calories than standard milk.
- If you use a milk substitute like coconut milk, almond milk, etc these aren’t as thick. Your soup will be thinner in texture.