Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup (Printable View)
Rich, creamy broccoli cheese soup loaded with cheddar and fresh vegetables, made easy in the slow cooker.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 5 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 2 medium heads)
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquid & Base
06 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Cheese & Dairy
09 - 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
10 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Flour & Seasoning
12 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Garnish (Optional)
18 - Extra shredded sharp cheddar cheese
19 - Fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
20 - Croutons
# How To Make It:
01 - Place the broccoli florets, diced onion, chopped carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
02 - Pour the vegetable broth over the vegetables and stir to ensure everything is evenly combined.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and flour until a smooth paste forms. Add this roux to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to incorporate.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 4 hours, or until all vegetables are fork-tender.
05 - Stir in the whole milk, heavy cream, softened cream cheese, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and nutmeg until well combined.
06 - Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the slow cooker until smooth or to your preferred consistency. Alternatively, carefully transfer half of the soup to a countertop blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the slow cooker.
07 - Add the shredded sharp cheddar and grated Parmesan cheeses. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the cheese is fully melted and the soup is creamy.
08 - Taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper, or other seasonings as needed to suit your preference.
09 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with extra shredded cheddar, fresh chives or parsley, and croutons as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The slow cooker does almost all the work while you go about your day, and the payoff is a velvety soup that tastes like it came from a restaurant.
- That combination of sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and a pinch of smoked paprika creates a depth of flavor that surprises people every single time.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can double the batch and have ready made comfort waiting for the next rainy Tuesday.
02 -
- Never add the cheeses during the initial four hour cook because prolonged heat causes cheese to separate and turn grainy instead of smooth.
- The flour butter paste must be whisked completely smooth before going into the slow cooker, or you will find floury lumps no amount of blending can fix.
03 -
- Let the cream cheese sit out for thirty minutes before you need it so it blends in without clumping, or microwave it for twenty seconds in a pinch.
- A tiny grate of nutmeg may seem odd in a cheese soup, but it is the kind of quiet detail that makes people wonder why your version tastes better than theirs.