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A staunch vegetable skeptic for much of my childhood, I was eventually convinced of broccoli’s appeal via cheesy soups like this Broccoli Cauliflower Soup.

A bowl of healthy and easy broccoli cauliflower soup with cheese

The bread bowl my mom let me order the soup in probably helped too (thank you, Panera!).

Now that I’m the one doing the cooking, healthy soup recipes appeal to me more than ever before. Soup tastes great leftover for lunches and dinners, and it stores and reheats like a dream. Be sure to indulge in some well-deserved back patting when you pull a container of this broccoli cauliflower soup from the freezer (assuming you have any leftover to freeze that is).

You’ll also feel accomplished knowing that the rich, comforting meal you are enjoying is primarily composed of vegetables, with some wisely selected additions (ahem, CHEESE!).

This hearty soup stars broccoli and cauliflower, along with a handful of carrots. It tastes wonderfully rich and creamy and is made of simple, wholesome ingredients. (Spoiler: if you are looking for a broccoli cauliflower cheese soup Velveeta recipe, this is not the one.)

If, however, you are looking for a homemade, healthy broccoli cauliflower soup that tastes like the real deal, this recipe has you covered! A few simple swaps keep it on the lighter side, and it doesn’t skip an ounce of flavor.

This recipe is first cousin to my Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup and second cousin to Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Like those two soup recipes, it’s a super satisfying vegetarian meal that you’ll devour by the spoonful. The difference here is that I’ve upped the cauliflower ratio, which makes it even thicker and creamier, and this recipe cooks directly on the stovetop, no special appliances required.

A bowl of healthy soup with vegetables, cheese, and slices of bread

How to Make Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

This lighter soup tastes anything but low-fat! The keys are using one fully flavored cheese (I like extra sharp white cheddar) to give yourself max flavor bang, then reinforcing it with a rich salty element, like Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

The Ingredients

  • Broccoli. The heart and soul of this easy, cheesy soup. Broccoli is a wonderful addition to soup because it’s rich in Vitamin-C, Vitamin-K, and fiber.
  • Cauliflower. Cauliflower adds delicious body and creaminess to the soup, but its flavor is almost imperceptible. Similarly to broccoli, it’s packed with fiber, Vitamin-C, Vitamin-K, and folate. Cauliflower makes a great soup texture, try it in my Cauliflower Soup.
  • Carrots. I love sneaking additional veggies into my recipes, and carrots are the perfect fit here. They bring a lovely flavor and tons of Vitamin-A and potassium.
  • Onion. Sautéing the onion until it’s nice and caramelized gives the soup a richer flavor; this is a tip I picked up from my Instant Pot Lentil Soup.
  • Milk. To help create a creamy, rich, and thick soup. If you want a more indulgent taste, you can use 2% or whole milk.
  • Thyme. The earthy flavor of thyme pairs nicely with the other ingredients in this soup.
  • Dijon Mustard. It wakes up and intensifies the cheesy flavors of the soup.
  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Hello, gooey cheesy wonderfulness! Sharp cheddar is flavorful enough to shine through in this soup.
  • Parmesan or Nutritional Yeast. Either of these gives the soup a bit of saltiness and more dimension. Nutritional yeast is a great vegan substitution for Parmesan, as it has a similar nutty and “cheesy” flavor. If you’re looking for more ways to use this versatile ingredient, check out all my nutritional yeast recipes.

A bowl of creamy broccoli cauliflower soup topped with Parmesan and bread slices

The Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Brown the onions with the carrots and seasoning, then stir in the flour.
  2. Once the flour disappears, stir in the broth, milk, broccoli, and cauliflower. Let simmer until tender.
  3. Stir in the Dijon. Blend to your desired consistency, and stir in the cheese. Serve warm with desired toppings, and DIG IN!

Recipe Adaptations

  • Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup. Follow the recipe for my Cauliflower Chowder, swapping half of the cauliflower for broccoli.
  • Potato Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup. Add 1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced, to the recipe with the carrots.
  • Vegan Broccoli Cauliflower Soup. Use almond milk, non-dairy butter, and nutritional yeast; omit the cheddar. The soup won’t have as rich of a flavor. To thicken it up more, you could add a potato, following the suggestion above, or add raw cashews as in this vegan Instant Pot Carrot Soup and this vegan Potato Leek Soup.

Delicious and healthy soup served in a bowl with cheese and bread

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

  • Make Ahead. Chop all the veggies ahead of time, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in advance.
  • To Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • To Reheat. Gently rewarm soup in a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this recipe in the microwave.
  • To Freeze. To freeze cheesy broccoli cauliflower soup,  place it in an airtight freezer-safe storage container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

A bowl of healthy soup made with broccoli, cauliflower, cheese, and carrots

Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe

  • Immersion Blender. The easiest and least messy way to create creamy soups.
  • Classic Dutch Oven. If you love making homemade soups on the stove, this is a worthy investment piece.
  • Ladle. An essential tool for transferring soups to bowls and storage containers.

Cheesy broccoli cauliflower soup for the healthy meal win! If you try this recipe, please leave a comment to let me know how it goes. I love hearing from you!

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

4.89 from 100 votes
This easy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup tastes rich and comforting, but is lightened up with healthy ingredients! Packed with veggies and yummy, cheesy flavor!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Servings: 7 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 2 large carrots peeled and chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
  • 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk for a richer soup, use whole milk
  • 1 medium head broccoli chopped into small florets
  • 1 medium head cauliflower chopped into small florets
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese plus additional for serving
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast or finely grated Parmesan I love the nutritional yeast for its extra health benefits. You can also omit this and add an additional 1/2 cup shredded cheddar instead.

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Add the onion and cook until it is very brown and soft, about 8 minutes (this develops big flavor so be patient). Increase the heat to medium. Add the carrots, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix to combine.
  • Cook until the flour disappears, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the broth. Add the milk, broccoli and cauliflower. Bring to a simmer. Place a lid over the pot, leaving it partially uncovered, and let simmer until the broccoli and cauliflower are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the Dijon. With an immersion blender puree the soup until it is thick and creamy but still has some texture to it. (Alternatively, you can ladle a few scoops into a blender and puree a few batches. Be careful not to fill your blender more than halfway, as hot liquids like to splatter). Stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the chowder into bowls, and serve warm, sprinkled with additional cheddar as desired.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  • TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm soup in a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this recipe in the microwave. 
  • TO FREEZE: Place soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 
  • TO MAKE VEGAN: Use almond milk and a vegan butter. Omit the cheddar cheese, use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice with the almond milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 7); 1 generous cupCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgPotassium: 815mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3822IUVitamin C: 120mgCalcium: 257mgIron: 2mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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130 Comments

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  1. This soup is so delicious! We love your crockpot broccoli soup and this is equally good and in less time! I got a great loaf of bread to go with it and it was a perfect easy weeknight dinner! Thanks Erin!! :)5 stars

  2. The perfect soup for a rainy day and to comfort at this moment in our history. I love your recipies and am so looking forward to your book. I have already pre-ordered.5 stars

  3. Absolutely delicious!! I used a bag of frozen broccoli and bag of frozen cauliflower which made it even cheaper and easier as I didn’t have to wash or chop. Quick wholesome meal with leftovers!5 stars

  4. Very nice flavor,  and I enjoyed the addition of Nutritional yeast.  I wouldn’t have thought of that!  
       I did make a couple of slight tweaks- used coconut milk and added a jalapeño.  I used riced cauliflower  and chose not to blend it.  
       These changes made it Whole 30 compliant.5 stars

  5. Absolutely delicious and nourishing! Thank you for this healthy soup recipe. I was thrilled by the amount of broccoli and cauliflower that was “hidden” in my bowl of goodness. 5 stars

  6. What a hearty and flavorful soup! I added a small cubed sweet potato and didn’t mush it up, we like the chunks, will definitely make this again, thanks Erin!5 stars

  7. This was delicious and gave me an excuse to use my new immersion blender. It was rich and creamy and filling. Loved it and will make it again. (In fairness I should mention that I almost always at least double the garlic in any recipe.) Thank you! My newly vegetarian son was visiting and he was very happy.

  8. Delish! I put the cauli in the oven for 5 mins and it brought out the flavour nicely. Thanks for a great recipe for a cold night.5 stars

  9. Hi, this recipe looks great. I have just purchased all the ingredients (thanks for introducing me to nutritional yeast, by the way. I opted for this over the parmesan) and sorry for the silly question but I have assumed I add the nutritional yeast at the end, ie after I add the cheddar, and then blend it in? Thanks, Lyn

  10. I’m making this soup for the second time in two weeks! Our CSA is having a record year for broccoli and cauliflower so I’ll probably be making more before long.
    Thank you – it’s such a tasty, easy recipe, and I’m always happy for an excuse to use my immersion blender…5 stars

  11. This was great!  It even got the trifecta of approval from my carnivorous husband, picky 2-year-old and independent 5-year-old. Probably didn’t hurt that I served them in nice sourdough bread bowls from the bakery. Fingers crossed the left overs go over as well now that the bread bowls are demolished!5 stars

  12. This soup is perfect for a cool fall day.  I love that it has carrots, broccoli and cauliflower!  I added a 1/4 tsp of nutmeg which is a good complement to the Dijon mustard.5 stars

  13. The soup is amazing! Wondering if you’ve ever used almond flour in place of the whole wheat or white flour? I kind of want to try that, but I’m nervous!5 stars

    1. Hi Saundra! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so it would be a complete experiment. I don’t think it will thicken the soup as well as regular flour though. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!

      1. I made it again today and went for it! I sprinkled in some almond flour instead of the all-purpose flour, and it turned out amazing. I’ve already downed two bowls of it! Thanks for such a yummy recipe.5 stars

  14. This soup was so delicious and amazing!!! The only additions that I made was adding the 1/4 tsp of nutmeg (like someone had stated in previous comments) and adding some additional fresh thyme ( as I had some on hand). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!5 stars

  15. Just made this fo lunch. Delicious.Had to tweak it a little bit as my husband has to stay away from sugars and wheat.5 stars

  16. I knew this receipe was for me when I read the ingredients. I love garlic, thyme and vermont sharp white cheddar cheese. I omitted the mustard. I used frozen brocelli cauliflower mixture. I used a potato masher when the vegetables were soft. Didn’t have to buy a stick mixer or use a blender. So simple and delicious.5 stars

  17. Wow! This is really good. So I had people over and had a bunch of leftover stuff. To the carrots I added some celery. I didn’t have thyme. Then when the broccoli and cauliflower were done cooking, I added a bowl of roasted veggies—broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. It’s delicious! And I didn’t add cheese yet but I’m sure that will make it even better.5 stars

  18. I had leftover cauliflower florets and frozen broccoli florets that I didn’t use last Thanksgiving. I didn’t know what I can do with frozen broccoli florets so I thought I would try making soup. I tried this recipe and it actually worked! My daughter and her fiance raved about it. I’m sure it would even taste better with fresh broccoli. Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  19. Such a wonderful soup, THANK YOU! One noteworthy change… I grew up with a Mom that always replaced the flour in soups with instant potatoes to act as a thickener… so genius! I am gluten free as an adult because my body hates it, so this is perfect for me. I replaced the flour in this recipe with 1/2 packet of Idahoan baby red instant potatoes and the flavor was out of this world! So… added flavor to an already wonderful soup recipe… and, no gluten!
    Thank you again,
    Shannon Clark5 stars

  20. This is one of the best soups I have ever had. Simple to make too! I did not use blender, just a hand held potato masher in order to keep it a bit more clumpy.5 stars

  21. Wonderful soup. I made as directed, except skipped the salt and pumped up the fresh ground pepper, and froze in two equal portions. Thawed and had tonight with a spinach/mushroom/sliced egg/shredded parmesan salad. Soup is absolutely delicious! We ground some more pepper on top after thawing/heating, and I sprinkled a little salt on mine (no surprise since I’d omitted the kosher salt when preparing). This is a WINNER that will go on repeat, and SO EASY!5 stars

  22. We all loved this soup, even our grandson! It was not hard to make and turned out creamy, and delish:) Thank you for the recipe, we will be making this again and again!!!!5 stars

  23. I made this tonight and followed your recipe exactly… it was delicious and everyone agreed! I will certainly make it again. Thank you!5 stars

  24. So good! The Dijon mustard and nutritional yeast really add extra flavor you don’t experience in traditional broccoli cheese soup. This will definitely be added to my regular recipes list!5 stars

    1. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Rachel! Thank you for sharing this kind review!

  25. Wow! I rarely leave reviews on recipes, but this recipe is incredible. I blended it in our Vitamix and served it piping hot with some parmesan cheese. Wonderful! And so nutritious.5 stars

  26. Just finished making this:). I made it vegan as I can’t eat dairy. Used the nutritional yeast and some “Parmesan “ shreds from follow your heart. Also used oat milk in place of regular. Tastes very rich and delicious😀5 stars

    1. Excellent flavor and plenty of soup to freeze or have another day. Delicious since Were trying to go vegan. Keep looking at different vegan dishes to try.5 stars

  27. So delicious and creamy! Both kids loved it (as did the grown ups). It’ll be a regular mealtime dish now as the winter months approach5 stars

    1. Hi Kathleen! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!

  28. This soup is delicious! There are many levels of flavor. Its easy to make and so much better than anything you can buy.5 stars

  29. Possibly the best soup I have ever made…..even my husband who rarely eats soup is asking for me to make another pot right away! The only changes I made were to use almond milk instead of nonfat milk and almond flour instead of regular flour. For convenience I bought a bag of fresh broccoli florets and fresh cauliflower rice at Trader Joe’s. I used 6 cups of Better than Bouillon Organic Chicken stock. I chose an immersion blender to keep it a little bit chunky.5 stars

  30. Fantastic soup. I don’t have an immersion blender and didn’t want to bother with a blender or food processor, so I just used a handy potato masher and that worked fine.5 stars

  31. I came across your recipe this morning and can’t wait to try the Broccoli/Cauliflower soup. There was a study done at Penn State University that said eating soups made with the ingredients you listed in this and other recipes you have, will help cut cut calories and is extremely healthy. I do have a question though: do you think I could use almond flour instead of whole wheat flour? I have to keep an eye on my blood sugar levels and using almond flour will significantly cut carbs. If anyone can help me with my query, I’d truly appreciate it.

  32. Delicious. Would like to add more flavor, but don’t know what I would do differently . It is so nutritious which I appreciate

    1. Hi Susan! I feel like this soup has great flavor as is but if you are needing more, I would just play around with the spices that are already in the soup!

  33. Wonderful broccoli-cauliflower soup recipe! It’s a great thing to eat a vegetable-filled soup and feel satiated, ready for the next productive activity! I would like to really, really encourage you to include recipe sodium content with your nutritional information: a truly horrifying occurrence of life is being able to breathe and feeling unable to get enough air. One way some people have to express love for their bodies is being mindful of their daily sodium intake: I believe a more complete recipe nutritional breakdown will encourage even more people to encounter your recipes! Keep up the inspiration!5 stars

    1. Hi Michael! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!

  34. I made this soup yesterday – superb flavor and texture. I love when all I need to do to thicken is sprinkle veggies with flour, then add broth and voila! Thickened. It’s a wonderful tasting soup, now on my rotation.

  35. Excellent, superb flavor and texture. Interesting how the little touches of dijon and yeast upped the interest. Thank you!5 stars

  36. Thank you. I changed it a bit with what I had on hand, but my family was pleasantly surprised at how amazing it was xx5 stars

  37. This soup is so great! I made some minor changes because of the ingredients I had, or didn’t. I didn’t have dijon but added a pinch of cayenne pepper instead. I also used about a third of the flour. I sprinkled it on the onion and carrots a little at a time, adding broth slowly and, stirring constantly like making a roux before adding all the other ingredients. I also used 2% milk. Next time I will try it with skim.

    The amount of thyme Erin calls for is perfect. All of the ingredients blended well and made for a soup I will make again and again.5 stars

  38. This soup is the only way I can get my two year old to eat vegetables. The cauliflower adds a lot of flavor and gives it weight. He likes this soup better than the Panera broccoli cheddar. Some lessons learned: if you have it, an enameled Dutch oven seems to work best for this soup. Its slower, even heat helps prevent the dairy from burning. A nonstick pot is a next best option, but stainless steel seems to heat too intensely. I have also made this soup 4 hrs in advance and transferred it to a crockpot on the warm setting. It separated a bit and created a crust, but it re-integrated after a few stirs with no damage to texture or flavor. A great comfort food recipe full of veggies !5 stars

  39. Excellent. Did not purée mixture otherwise followed recipe except made half as there is only two of us. It’s good to make soups from scratch because you know what is in it.5 stars

  40. I had a bunch of fresh cauliflower and broccoli that needed used up. This soup was delicious! Exceeded my expectations!5 stars

  41. A big YUM! I was looking for a quick easy soup recipe one day- and here it is. And I customize it to fit what’s hanging out in the veggie bin is a bonus. Can’t say I’m sad about this at all.
    It’s a big bravo from me. Alina.5 stars

  42. This recipe was very delicious and will definitely be made again in my home. I think next time, though, I might try using pepper jack cheese instead.5 stars

  43. Soup tastes great. BUT prep time (for everything and not just the broccoli and cauliflower) much longer than 15 minutes. And there’s no mention of when to add the yeast.4 stars

    1. Glad it taste good Tommy! The nutritional yeast is mentioned in the NOTES sections at the end of the directions in the recipe card. Hope this helps!

  44. This was such a good, nutritious soup. The family loved it. I left out the garlic, (just don’t like it at all) It’s great for our all veggie night.5 stars

  45. Delicious! Will now be my go to! I used a large head of both broccoli and cauliflower so I added extra broth. I also used coconut milk and rice flour.5 stars

  46. I’ve never left a review before for anything, but this soup was sooo good, so here I am. I had most ingredients already except nutritional yeast which I have never used, and dijon which I don’t care for. Otherwise I followed the recipe fairly closely. I used 1% milk and it was fine, I’m trying to watch fat intake so I didn’t add cheese but have it if anyone wants to add it to their bowl.. cheese is probably a pretty important ingredient, but I can’t have it and I don’t know what it tastes like with cheese in it, so I’m happy with the results. One thing I did add was a sweet potato/yam and I thought that gave it a nice bit of sweetness so I’m adding that to my recipe. I also did not use evoo and butter for the sauté, I used 4 T of olive oil again to cut the fat a bit, and that worked for me. I love how you gave such specific instructions for the method ….I usually just dump everything in and away we go, but I really think it made a difference. I’m definitely going to make it again, it was filling but a guilt free delicious soup. I’m. Trying some more of your recipes for sure. Sorry I talk so much.5 stars

  47. Amazing! This is the 2nd time I’ve made it and the reactions in the house are equally as satisfied. This time I had to make substitutions not realizing I was out of ingredients. Added spinach in place of onion and used smoked cheddar instead of sharp. Really love this recipe!5 stars

  48. This is delicious and easy. I put a chopped potato in also. I was out of milk so used evaporated milk and was fine. I also used a bag of frozen broc and caul in place of fresh.5 stars

  49. This hit the spot! I happened to have all ingredients on hand. Broccoli and cauliflower from the garden that we had blanched and frozen and homemade chicken broth. My husband was not looking forward to soup for dinner and changed his mind when he tasted this. It’s going in the recipe box to make again.5 stars