A creamy, hearty, recipe for low carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup made with fresh broccoli, extra sharp cheddar and flavorful aromatics. Just a few quick substitutions make this comfort food favorite low in carbs and high in flavor.
Soup with Speed
This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is low in carbs, packed with flavor and comes together in less than 30 minutes. I had it in my mind that broccoli cheddar soup should be some sort of long, involved thing. But, really, it’s a matter of sautéing some onions, adding in some aromatics, milk and a thickener, simmering some broccoli, blending and then adding cheese at the end.
Fresh Ingredients for the best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This recipe does call for fresh prepared ingredients, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of time doing prep work for it. I used a 1lb bag of fresh broccoli florets from the produce department so that I didn’t have to hassle with breaking down a whole stalk.
You’ll notice that I include half & half as the creamy component in this recipe. It’s totally up to you if you’d rather use milk or heavy cream instead. It’s all based on if you want to go full fat or lowfat.
Also be sure to shred your own cheese. It is an extra step, but pre-shredded cheese is treated with potato starch to prevent clumping. Potato starch adds carbs and impacts the meltability. So, be sure to shred your own. I used Tillamook’s Extra Sharp Cheddar.
Substitutions
I didn’t deviate too far from what standard recipes call for in broccoli cheddar soup. However, most call for flour to be used as a thickening agent. Instead of the standard white flour, I went with low carb almond flour. It helps thicken and adds protein and a slight nutty flavor.
Mushrooms
You’ll also see that I incorporated mushrooms into this recipe. These are 100% optional. I have lots of friends who strongly dislike mushrooms, so for them, leave ’em out. But for me and Ryan, mushroom obsessed freaks, we included it in the soup and then also sauteed some off for serving on top as garnish.
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The Recipe
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup Low Carb
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
An easy recipe for a low carb broccoli cheddar soup with fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar.
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 Tbs butter
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 Tbs almond flour
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup half & half
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 16 oz fresh broccoli
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter and add in the onion, sautéing until softened.
- Add in the sliced mushrooms and thyme and sauté another minute then add in the almond flour and allow the mixture to bubble to cook the paste that forms from the almond flour.
- Pour in the broth, half and half and cream cheese into the pot and stir to combine. Once it’s all combined, reduce heat to medium (do not let it boil as the cream will separate).
- Add the broccoli into the pot and stir to combine and cover, allowing to simmer 8 minutes until the broccoli is softened.
- Transfer soup to a blender or blend with an immersion blender until smooth then add in the shredded cheddar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with broccoli sprouts and sauteed mushrooms.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
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