This Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup is full of delicious flavors, tender broccoli, and cheesy goodness, plus it doesn’t exceed your carb counts.
» You might also like Keto Orange Chicken and these 10 Homemade Keto and Low-Carb Soup Recipes.
I’ve seen many supposedly keto broccoli cheese soups that either pack way too many carbs in one serving, or are full of calories. This soup aims to squash both of those concerns. It’s one of our all-time favorites, along with this Sausage & Kale Soup, Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup and Low Carb Sausage & Mushroom Soup.
You can enjoy this soup without the worry, as it only has 4 net grams of carbs per serving, and just 277 calories.
I always add broccoli to my grocery cart, but once I get it home I’m not quite sure what to do with it, aside from just plain roasted broccoli (which I do love, but also get bored of). This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one of my favorite ways to use up all that broccoli.
It has a nice creamy broth and is packed with tender broccoli, for a satisfying and filling soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter
- Broccoli – Cut into 1″ sized pieces.
- Onions, garlic, and celery – You can use red or white onion for this recipe and 1 clove of freshly minced garlic.
- Salt and ground black pepper – To taste
- Chicken broth
- Heavy cream
- Cheddar cheese – I always shred my own cheese from the block to avoid the added flour that’s dusted onto pre-shredded cheese.
- Xanthan Gum – Optional. It is used as a thickener.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
Grab a medium to large soup pot and get that heating up over medium heat on the stove top. Add the butter and let it melt while you chop the broccoli, onions, and celery.
You want a pretty small chop on these veggies. I go with very small cubes for the onions and celery, and about 1″ sized chop on the broccoli.
Add all of those veggies to the soup pot and stir it around. Season it with salt and pepper. You can adjust the seasoning at the end, if necessary.
Saute the veggies for about 8 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. You don’t want to fry the veggies. They shouldn’t be getting any color.
Add the garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. It will start to become fragrant and your mouth will surely start watering in anticipation.
Next, stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream. You want to make sure the soup is just simmering, not high enough heat to boil. Boiling would cause the cream to break.
Sprinkle in the shredded cheddar and stir until completely melted. I always shred my own cheese from the block to avoid the added flour that’s dusted onto pre-shredded cheese.
Now you can just let the soup simmer for about 5-10 minutes to meld together and thicken slightly. It will still be fairly liquidy. If it’s too thin for you, it can be thickened with a little bit of xanthan gum.
Thickening the Soup
If you want to thicken the soup, I suggest mixing the xanthan gum in a small bowl with some hot water, until gummy and fully dissolved. This will prevent added a clump of undispersed xanthan gum to your soup. Once it’s gummy, you can add it to the soup and whisk to combine.
Then simmer for 5-10 minutes on medium low heat. The soup will thicken as it simmers.
If you don’t want to use xanthan gum, you can thicken the soup with additional shredded cheese (which will obviously increase the calories). You can also use a small amount of corn starch mixed with cold water to thicken the soup if you don’t mind the extra 2 grams of carbs this will add to the overall total.
Can I Freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Due to the cheese and cream in this soup, it doesn’t freeze well. When you reheat it, the cream will separate and may or may not be able to reincorporate into the broth. I think the soup is best enjoyed right away. You can keep left overs in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What Type of Cheese to Use
This recipe is made with cheddar cheese. You can add medium or vintage cheddar. I use a medium white cheddar.
You can use other cheeses, if you want to try something different. The best cheeses for melting in soup are cheddar, fontina, Gruyere and swiss. You can also use Monterey Jack.
I don’t recommend a mild or stringy cheese, like mozzarella, because it doesn’t incorporate into the soup very well. It will end up being a glob of cheese at the bottom of the pot, or so stringy that it doesn’t mix in.
Tips and Notes
- To thicken the soup, if desired, mix 1/4 tsp xanthan gum in a small bowl with some hot water, until gummy. Add to soup and whisk to combine.
- You can also thicken the soup with 1 tsp of cornstarch mixed with cold water. It will add 2 grams of carbs to the total, which adds .5 grams to each serving.
- You want a pretty small chop on these veggies. I go with very small cubes for the onions and celery, and about 1″ sized chop on the broccoli.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbs does broccoli cheese soup have?
You can enjoy this soup without the worry, as it only has 4 net grams of carbs per serving, and just 277 calories.
What cheese is best to use for broccoli cheese soup?
You can add medium, white or vintage cheddar. You can use other cheeses, if you want to try something different. The best cheeses for melting in soup are cheddar, fontina, Gruyere and swiss. You can also use Monterey Jack.
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Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli chopped
- 1/4 cup onions chopped
- 1/4 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3.5 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the broccoli, onions, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 8 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Add the cheddar and stir until completely melted.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes on medium low heat. Serve.
Notes
- To thicken the soup, if desired, mix 1/4 tsp xanthan gum in a small bowl with some hot water, until gummy. Add to soup and whisk to combine.
- You can also thicken the soup with 1 tsp of cornstarch mixed with cold water. It will add 2 grams of carbs to the total, which adds .5 grams to each serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Laura is dedicated to a low-carb lifestyle after losing 52 pounds on the keto diet. As many of us do, she struggles with her weight and has found that one of the only diet lifestyles that allows her to maintain a healthy weight is a low-carb diet. She shares her favorite low-carb recipes here that are both easy to make and full of flavor, so you don’t even miss the carbs.
Yum! Such a comforting soup for the season! I love how the prep time is only 10 minutes too.
YUM! I love broccoli cheese soup – it’s one of my guilty pleasures to get it in a bread bowl from Panera. But I am salivating over my computer right now this looks so good. Thanks for sharing – always love a healthier spin on comfort recipes. 🙂
Mm sounds perfect for fall! Keto AND not full of calories, can not wait to try.
A delicious and comforting meal for Dinner. Looks super creamy and cheesy. I love it.
I’ve been looking for new soup recipes to try out this winter, and this looks like just the one! Thanks for sharing!
I hate to say this, but my experience was a disaster. I must have used the wrong kind of shredded cheddar cheese. I did add some at a time and not all at once, but it totally clumped together. Even used a whisk while adding. Any thoughts?
I’m sorry to hear that Lin. There are a few reasons why cheese doesn’t melt well. Perhaps one of them applies. Sharp cheese doesn’t melt as well. Pre-shredded packaged cheese can contain preservatives and starches that prevent melting. It’s best to shred your own from a block. If the soup was too hot when you added it or the cheese wasn’t shredded finely enough.
Delicious!! I made it using Monterey Jack and Swiss Cheese and topped it with shredded cheddar, crispy bacon and green onions. We have made it 3 times and I’m making it again today. Absolutely the best recipe around. Thank you!!