This Broccoli Potato Soup is thick, creamy, and cheesy, and there’s no heavy cream in sight! Instead, Yukon gold potatoes create that hearty, satisfying texture. Sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and Dijon mustard add lots of depth to the flavor.
The mashup of broccoli cheddar & potato soup you didn’t know you needed.
Imagine this: everything you love about Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Potato Soup combined into one bowl.
Now stop imagining, and run to the kitchen. You’re going to want to make this recipe ASAP!
What I really, really love about this soup is how the two components complement each other and make up for each other’s weaknesses. (And doesn’t that describe any good relationship?)
- Broccoli cheddar soup typically gets its thick, creamy consistency from heavy cream and loads of cheese. Potatoes give you that texture with no cream and a more reasonable amount of cheese.
- Potato soup is comforting, but it’s not exactly big on flavor. Broccoli and cheddar help zhuzh it up.
Make sure you have some crusty No-Knead Bread or No-Knead Focaccia on hand for sopping up every last bit!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Unsalted Butter. Although you could use oil, when soups contain dairy, I prefer sautéing the aromatics in butter for a richer flavor.
- Yellow Onion. This forms the backbone of flavor for the soup.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Seasoning from the beginning gives the potatoes and broccoli flavor as they cook.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes. Cut them into even 1/2-inch pieces so they’re all tender at the same time.
- Garlic. Measure the minced cloves, rather than just going by number. Some cloves are bigger or smaller than others!
- Low-Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Broth. Using low-sodium broth gives you more control over the final flavor.
- Broccoli. I buy broccoli crowns, but you can use pre-cut florets to save on prep time.
- Milk or Half-and-Half. Two-percent or whole milk keeps the soup lighter, while half-and-half makes it richer.
- Dijon Mustard. The punchy flavor of Dijon pairs well with cheddar; it also helps keep the cheese from splitting because it’s a natural emulsifier.
- Cayenne Pepper. Optional, but a pinch gives the soup a little cozy warmth without it being ooh, hot hot hot!
- Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese. Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that can prevent it from melting smoothly.
- Cornstarch. Tossing the cheddar with cornstarch helps the cheese incorporate smoothly into the soup and provides a little additional thickening.
- For Serving. Crumbled bacon (try my Air Fryer Bacon!), sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Soften the Onion (photo 1). Melt the butter in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. You really don’t want the onion to brown; just soften it to coax out its flavor.
Add the Potatoes and Garlic (photo 2). Stir in the diced Yukon gold potatoes and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring to coat everything in the butter. Here, too, you don’t want the garlic to brown. When it’s browned, it gets bitter!
Simmer the Potatoes (photo 3). Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat and maintain a gentle simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
Add the Broccoli (photo 4). Add the broccoli, cover the pot, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Blend (photo 5). Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to partially purée the soup. For a regular blender, carefully transfer part of the soup and pulse it a few times before returning it to the pot. You want some texture!
Make It Creamy and Cheesy (photo 6). Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk, Dijon, and cayenne. Toss the cheddar with cornstarch, then add it to the pot of soup a handful at a time. Stir constantly and wait until each addition has completely melted before adding another. After adding the cheddar, stir in the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Broccoli Potato Soup
- Bread. I love these Homemade Dinner Rolls with soup, and this Crock Pot Bread is a favorite too!
- Sandwiches. You can never go wrong with an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese.
- Salad. Spinach Salad and Apple Walnut Salad are perfect salads for pairing with soup.
Broccoli Potato Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ pound Yukon gold potatoes about 2 medium, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced, about 1 tablespoon
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 large broccoli crowns cut into florets (about 1 ½ pounds)
- ½ cup 2% milk whole milk, or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded (about 1 cup), plus additional for serving, do not use pre-shredded cheese, which does not melt as smoothly
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan
- Optional for serving: cooked and crumbled bacon, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent, adjusting the heat as needed so it becomes tender but does not burn, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the potato and garlic. Stir to coat in the butter and cook for 1 minute, just until the garlic smells fragrant.
- Add the broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the broccoli. Cover the pot and cook, stirring once or twice, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. At this point, it will look like a lot of vegetables and not enough broth, but trust the process.
- Purée the soup, either with an immersion blender directly in the pot, or by ladling part of the soup into a regular blender and pulsing it a few times (be careful, hot soup spatters!). Do not over blend—you want some bits of texture.
- Warm the pot over low. Stir in the milk, mustard, and cayenne.
- Place the cheddar in a bowl and sprinkle the cornstarch on top. With your fingers, toss to coat the shreds evenly.
- Working 1 small handful at a time, add the cheese very slowly to the soup, stirring constantly and allowing the cheese to melt completely before the next addition. Stir in the Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Ladle into bowls and top with more cheese, along with bacon and sour cream/Greek yogurt as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover broccoli potato soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup is likely to get grainy or even split if frozen, so I don’t recommend it.
- TO REHEAT: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Avoid bringing it to a boil, which can cause the cheese to separate. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, add water or broth, then adjust the seasonings before serving.
