Craving comfort food? This easy Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is calling your name! You’ll love the thick, creamy texture, cheesy flavor & cozy feel of this delicious dinner.
Is there anything better when the weather cools down than a pot of soup? LONG LIVE SOUP SEASON! It’s basically the only thing I want to eat in cold weather!
This gluten-free broccoli cheese soup recipe is a homemade version of the famous Panera broccoli cheddar soup. It’s got all the things I’m looking for:
- Thick, creamy texture
- Quick & easy (done in less than 30 minutes!)
- Cheesy flavor
- Plenty of broccoli
Since it doesn’t need to simmer the day away, this delicious soup is a great recipe for busy weeknights, and it’s the ultimate comfort food when you need a cozy pick-me-up. But probably best of all is how simple the ingredients are.
Here’s what you need to make our easy broccoli cheese soup recipe…
Simple Ingredients For Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Butter. You’ll start with some butter. This will help you soften the onion, but will also provide the fat to make the gluten-free roux to thicken the soup.
- Onion & Garlic. A must! This will start the savory base of the soup.
- Grated Carrots. Not strictly necessary if you don’t want carrots, but I’m modeling this after the Panera broccoli cheese soup recip, which has grated/julienned carrots. I love what they add to this soup!
- Gluten-Free Flour. Now for the thickener! For a gluten-free roux made without wheat, I’m using measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill. If you prefer, you can check out the FAQ for using cornstarch instead. Do NOT substitute coconut flour or almond flour for this recipe, as they won’t work.
- Simple Seasoning. Salt, pepper, and a little paprika go a long way!
- Veggie Broth or Chicken Broth. For extra protein, I like to use chicken bone broth, but you can also use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version!
- Fresh Broccoli Florets. Many broccoli cheese soup recipes have you chop up only broccoli florets, but I like to include the broccoli stems too. You can do what you prefer!
- Half & Half. This will give this cheesy broccoli soup a delicious thick texture. I much prefer this for texture over whole milk or low-fat milk.
- Plenty Of Cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese will help give this soup its cheesy flavor. Even if you usually eat mild cheddar cheese or medium cheddar cheese, I recommend sharp cheddar for the best flavor in this recipe. The flavor of the others just doesn’t come through as well as sharp cheddar does.
- A Little Bit Of Hot Sauce. Just a touch! We won’t make this soup spicy by any means. The vinegar and warmth of the sauce just lighten up the flavor of this broccoli cheddar soup. Trust me! If you don’t have any hot sauce, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes for warmth instead.
Use Freshly Grated Cheese Please!
Pre-shredded cheese or bagged shredded cheese is usually coated in anti-caking agents that can make it harder for the cheese to melt and add grittiness to soup. Freshly grated cheese melts much better, which is crucial for the velvety smooth texture we’re going for in this gluten-free broccoli cheddar soup recipe. I promise it’s worth it!
How To Make Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Melt Butter. Start by melting butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Saute Onion. Add the onion to the melted butter and stir, 5-7 minutes, or until onion is softened and turning translucent.
- Add Flour & Seasonings. Next, sprinkle in the gluten-free flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, or until the flour has browned slightly and the mixture looks golden. (This helps remove any floury taste, so don’t rush this step!)
- Mix In Broth and Half & Half. Pour in the broth and half and half and stir to combine. Heat just until the mixture starts to bubble, then reduce heat to a simmer to thicken slightly, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Vegetables. Then, add the broccoli and carrots. Cook just 6-8 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender and the soup is quite thick.
- Mix In Cheese a little at a time, stirring to fully melt the cheese before adding the next handful. (I add mine in 3-4 increments)
- Finish The Soup by stirring in hot sauce. Garnish with a little more pepper and cheese, if desired.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy the broccoli cheddar soup right away, or store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. (This thick soup will get even thicker in the fridge, but will loosen back up when you reheat it.)
Make It A Meal: What To Serve On The Side
So what do you serve with broccoli cheese soup? All kinds of things! These are a few of my favorites:
- Gluten-Free Focaccia with Rosemary
- A Simple Side Salad – Go for a classic house salad, or go one step further and try our Gluten-Free Caesar Salad, Pear & Pomegranate Salad, or Wild Rice Kale Salad for serious soup and salad vibes.
- Gluten-Free Baguettes – Udi’s, MyBread & Schar all make good ones! There’s just something special about crusty bread & creamy soup! It’s the next best alternative to a bread bowl!
- A Good Sandwich – I love a toasted or grilled sandwich with a cup of soup!
- Gluten-Free Biscuits. The hearty flavor of biscuits is great with a cozy gluten-free broccoli cheese soup!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
Can I Use Frozen Broccoli For Broccoli Cheese Soup? Yes! I love the texture of fresh broccoli, but you can absolutely use frozen broccoli.
Turn Up The Protein! Want to add more protein? Use chicken bone broth and add some cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken works great!
Can You Freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup? I don’t recommend it. Cream-based soups have a tendency to separate after thawing, which can give them an uneven, unappetizing texture.
Don’t Want To Use Flour? Try Cornstarch! If you don’t have gluten-free flour or hand or simply want an alternative, you can use cornstarch instead, though the method will be slightly different. Combine the cornstarch with cold half-and-half and whisk well to fully dissolve the cornstarch before adding it to the soup as directed. You won’t sprinkle the cornstarch directly into the soup.
Yummy Variation: Add Potatoes! One of my favorite variations is to add potatoes to cheddar broccoli soup. I peel and dice them very small, then cook them with the onions (before you add the flour & chicken stock, etc.) It’s always a huge hit! (Or, you can use a mix of cauliflower and broccoli instead of just broccoli!)
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Easy Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced onion 1 small onion
- 1/4 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour 30 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cups half & half*
- 3 cups chopped broccoli I use mostly florets & some finely diced stems
- 1 cup grated carrots or julienned carrots
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese grated (2 heaping cups)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon hot sauce like Frank’s (optional)
Instructions
- Melt Butter. Start by melting butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Saute Onion. Add the onion to the melted butter and stir, 5-7 minutes, or until onion is softened and turning translucent.
- Add Flour & Seasonings. Next, sprinkle in the gluten-free flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, or until the flour has browned slightly and the mixture looks golden. (This helps remove any floury taste, so don’t rush this step!)
- Mix In Broth and Half & Half. Pour in the broth and half and half and stir to combine. Heat just until the mixture starts to bubble, then reduce heat to a simmer to thicken slightly, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Vegetables. Then, add the broccoli and carrots. Cook just 6-8 minutes or so, until the broccoli is softened and the soup is quite thick.
- Mix In Cheese a little at a time, stirring to fully melt the cheese before adding the next handful. (I add mine in 3-4 increments)
- Finish The Soup by stirring in hot sauce. Garnish with a little more pepper and cheese, if desired.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy the broccoli cheddar soup right away, or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 3-4 days. (This thick soup will get even thicker in the fridge, but will loosen back up when you reheat it.)
Notes
- Half & Half. I prefer the texture of half and half in this soup. If you want it even thicker and richer, you can absolutely use heavy cream. If you want thinner soup, you can use whole milk. I don’t recommend low-fat milk here since it makes the soup a bit watery.
- Use Freshly Grated Cheese! Pre-shredded cheese or bagged shredded cheese is usually coated in anti-caking agents that can make it harder for the cheese to melt and add grittiness to soup. Freshly grated cheese melts much better, which is crucial for the velvety smooth texture we’re going for in this broccoli cheddar soup. I promise it’s worth it!
- Sharp VS Medium Cheddar. I love the more pronounced cheese flavor of using sharp cheddar cheese, but if you’re nervous, medium cheddar cheese is a great option. I find mild is just too, well, mild. If you want an even more assertive cheese flavor, try extra sharp white cheddar!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-broccoli-cheese-soup/
Can this soup be made a day before and reheated …like in a Dutch oven…and served or will it separate
Thanks
Hi, Charlene! It will have the best texture the first day, but can definitely be reheated the next day on the stove. I recommend keeping the heat low so you don’t overcook the broccoli or separate the soup.
Fantastic recipe! Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 flour. Goat milk because I can’t have regular milk, and it needed a little extra. No Frank’s, Sriracha instead. And shallot (I didn’t have onion, which was weird). Absolutely delicious.
How much cornstarch should I use if I don’t want to use gluten-free flour?
Hi Maddie! Here’s what I wrote in the FAQ about using cornstarch: “If you don’t have gluten-free flour or hand or simply want an alternative, you can use the same amount of cornstarch instead, though the method will be slightly different. Combine the cornstarch with cold half-and-half and whisk well to fully dissolve the cornstarch before adding it to the soup as directed. You won’t sprinkle the cornstarch directly into the soup.”
Wonderful recipe! I used Bob’s red mill flour, a great choice for a savory dish. I also used thawed, frozen broccoli. That shortened the cooking time. This will be a staple in my recipe collection!
So glad it was a win for you!
I have Celiac Disease and I made this, it was delicious and so creamy. My husband also liked it.
This came together so quickly! I used frozen broccoli which made it even faster. My husband loved it for his lunches. I like the addition of the carrot to brighten it up.
Thank you so much for your review, Robin!!! I love the carrot, too! It adds that perfect little something!
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! Even my toddler approved and asked for more! ❤️
There’s no better endorsement in my book than toddler approved!!!
I have a gluten allergy and a dairy allergy, however the dairy allergy seems to only be wrapped around straight milk, half and half, heavy cream. Anything like that, cheese doesn’t seem to be an issue. What would be the best advice to use instead of the half and half without using anything that would have too strong of a flavor of coconut or something else so my husband would eat it 😆 ( he can’t stand any flavor of coconut)
Hi! I haven’t made this soup without the half-and-half yet, so none of these ideas is tested but a few things you can try:
1. If you have lactose intolerance rather than a dairy allergy, you can use lactose-free half-and-half.
2. You can use more like 1 1/2 cups or 1 3/4 cups of a thick dairy-free alternative like Elmhurst Cashew Milk. It will still be thinner than using half-and-half, but it has a neutral flavor that works well in recipes like this. Doing this and potentially adding additional cheese or 1 Tablespoon extra flour may give you the thickening power you’re looking for. (I haven’t tested this, but this might be a place to start)
3. You could also try using dairy-free milk (like cashew milk) and adding some potatoes (maybe 1-2 cups?) to the soup then pureeing them like we do in our Chicken Pot Pie soup or our Potato Soup recipes. Sauteeing potatoes with the onion and simmering till tender, then blending in a blender before adding the grated carrots and broccoli may be another way to get that creamy texture.
Made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and no salt as the cheese is salty enough for us. I did lightly steam frozen broccoli florets & then added them as I didn’t want to scorch the soup while they cooked. Will make again.
Yum! So glad it was a hit for you, Glo!
Could you use almond flour ?
No. Almond flour doesn’t have any thickening properties and doesn’t dissolve, so it would be gritty and wouldn’t thicken the soup.
Should the broccoli be steamed first?
Hi, Heather! No, I don’t steam it first. You’ll cook it in step 5: “Then, add the broccoli and carrots. Cook just 6-8 minutes or so, until the broccoli is softened and the soup is quite thick.” Hope that helps!
Fresh broccoli? Can you use frozen?
Hi, Eric! Yes! I love the texture of fresh broccoli, but you can absolutely use frozen broccoli.
I did a little bit because I was using frozen.
This broccoli cheddar soup is delicious!!
My Mom and I cooked this soup and my family loved it!
I’m SO GLAD you loved it Maria!
Better than Panera!
I used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half and my gluten intolerant daughter LOVED it, as well as the rest of the family!
SO, so good. Doesn’t taste gluten-free!
How would you make this low carb? I love broccoli cheese soup, but have to cut way back on carbs. (Incipient type 2.)
Hi, Karyn! You’d probably be best off looking for a low-carb broccoli cheese soup recipe (I recommend searching “keto broccoli cheese soup”). My recipe would need to be adapted too heavily, since the carbs mainly come from the onions and carrots.