Cauliflower Broccoli Cheese Soup

When it comes to hearty, wholesome meals, it doesn’t get better than a warm bowl of soup. We love this broccoli cauliflower soup because it’s thick, creamy and packed with cheesy flavor. Better yet, it’s quick and easy enough to pull together on a busy weeknight.

The simple recipe for broccoli cauliflower cheese soup starts with a base of sautéed vegetables in butter, then we layer in milk, chicken bouillon, flour and creamy Velveeta cheese. It thickens up on the stovetop with the help of a little flour until all the components are melty and tender. It’s a versatile dish that can be modified in many ways with crumbles of bacon, cubes of ham and even a dash of chili flakes for extra heat. Perfect for a last minute dinner, this is a great soup to prep in advance and store in the freezer.

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup Ingredients

• Cauliflower: This mild, versatile vegetable gives this soup body and flavor. It helps thicken the soup while making it nutritious and chunky.
• Broccoli: Broccoli is packed with nutrients, so it’s a great vegetable to add to warm and cozy dishes like this one. It also packs a powerful punch of vegetal flavor. Be careful not to overcook it as broccoli can get soggy and mushy when cooked in liquids for a long time.
• Onion: Every soup needs just a bit of oniony flavor! The sweet and vibrant allium gets cooked in a knob of butter until tender, which creates a base for building flavor throughout the whole dish.
• Carrot: We cook carrots with onions and butter in the pan before adding any liquid. A key component to classic mirepoix, carrot helps add sweetness, color and tender texture to soups and stews like this one.
• Butter: Butter isn’t just a fat source here, it’s also a great way to add rich, savory flavor to this dish. We start by cooking onions and carrots in melted butter to establish flavor. Next, the butter in the pan combines with chicken bouillon and milk to create a thick soup base, similar to a traditional roux.
• 2% Milk: When mixed with butter, bouillon and flour, milk creates a thick and creamy base for this hearty soup. While you could use half and half or heavy cream, 2% milk offers the optimal texture because it’s not too thick or thin.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the key to thickening this soup to creamy perfection. It brings all the components together into a velvety consistency when simmered at a low heat. Be sure to whisk it thoroughly to avoid any unwanted lumps.
• Velveeta: We love using Velveeta cheese in soups because it melts so easily. Thanks to the high moisture content, it remains gooey and runny throughout the soup, rather than clumpy or stringy. Try grating it to help it melt even quicker.
• Chicken Bouillon: These powdered packs of dehydrated broth act as a flavor enhancer and thickener in this broccoli cauliflower cheese soup recipe. It’s a fantastic base for soups like this one because it adds deep, nourishing chicken flavor without needing to deal with bones, skin or meat.

Directions

Step 1: Start a vegetable base

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

In a large saucepan, cook the cauliflower, broccoli, onion and carrot in butter until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about five minutes.

Step 2: Add the milk and season

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Stir in 1-1/4 cups milk, bouillon, salt and pepper. Bring that to a boil and then reduce the heat. Let it simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Thicken and serve

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Combine the flour and the remaining 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Add it to the saucepan. Bring the soup to a boil and stir until thickened, between one to two minutes. Reduce the heat and add cheese, stirring until it’s melted. Serve immediately.

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup Variations

• Add diced ham: Our version of this creamy soup is meatless, but it doesn’t have to be! You could easily add some cubed ham to offer a more sweet flavor and dense, hearty texture. If you do, add a few cubes of diced ham in step one and let it simmer with the vegetables and butter.
• Top with cheddar cheese: This broccoli and cauliflower soup is already packed with cheese from the Velveeta, but if you’d prefer something a little sharper, try topping with cheddar. Velveeta is a really mild cheese so adding something with a bit more complex flavor is a great way to punch up this recipe.

How to store broccoli cauliflower soup?

To store broccoli cauliflower cheese soup, let it come to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Using a container with a secure lid is essential when storing soups to avoid unwanted spills. The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days.

Can you freeze broccoli cauliflower cheese soup?

Yes! Alternatively, you can store this soup in the freezer for up to four months.

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup Tips

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Can you use frozen vegetables?

You can absolutely make this soup with frozen vegetables. However, keep in mind that the soup won’t taste as fresh. Frozen broccoli and cauliflower have a higher moisture content, which could result in your soup tasting watery or soggy. Before incorporating frozen vegetables, let them thaw ahead of time. Once thawed, squeeze out any excess moisture with a paper towel or cheesecloth before adding them to the soup.

What can you serve with broccoli and cauliflower soup?

This soup is a complete meal on its own, but it’s delicious when served with a hunk of crusty bread to soak it all up. Better yet, serving this dish in a bread bowl makes the hearty soup even more nourishing. If you’re looking for a lighter dish to pair with it, a simple side salad is an easy way to round out the heavy soup.

Can I make it spicy?

This is a mild soup so adding a bit of heat is a great way to punch up the flavor. Dried chili flakes are an easy addition to soups because they offer lots of flavor with minimal effort. Try shaking some chili flakes into this recipe in step two. They add just a bit of noticeable heat with some pretty flecks of red color.