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This crockpot broccoli cheese soup tastes like the bread-bowl you love, except you made it in your slow cooker and you know exactly what went in it. The secret is cream cheese. It melts in silky and keeps the soup smooth without a lot of fuss. Sharp cheddar does the heavy lifting on flavor. Broccoli, a little carrot, and an immersion blender do the rest. I tested this one more times than I can count, and the cream cheese version won every single round.

Overhead photo of a white bowl of crockpot broccoli cheese soup sitting on a white blate with a soup spoon and three slices of baguette.

Crock pot broccoli cheddar soup is a comfort food dinner and provides leftovers for the week.

Every time I tested this recipe, I was absolutely delighted with how much flavor it had! (I feel the same way about my Crockpot Potato Soup.)

I tried this with a roux, with just cheddar, and with cream cheese. The roux version worked, but took extra effort. The cheddar-only version was grainy and too thin for my liking. The cream cheese version stayed smooth every time and did not ask me to babysit it.

Bread machine dinner rolls, quinoa bread, gluten-free focaccia, or bread machine brioche are all great options for serving.

Ingredient Notes

Overhead photo of onion, celery, and carrot, cheese, broccoli, broth, heavy cream, seasonings, garlic and cream cheese prepped ot make soup.

Butter: Olive oil would also work if you prefer.
Cream cheese: I use cream cheese to keep the soup thick without the work of a roux. I would recommend block cream cheese. If you only have whipped, that is ok, but make sure you spoon it out in small dabs and don't just dump it in.
Garlic: You could use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if you prefer.
Smoked paprika: If you don't have smoked paprika, you could also use sweet paprika. (But, in my experience, the kick of smoke really takes flavors to the next level.)
Broccoli: Frozen broccoli works. Add it for the last two hours of cooking so it does not go to mush, or if you like it very soft and fully blended, in at the start is fine too (one reader did exactly that and loved it).
Cheddar: sharp cheddar gives you the most flavor. Shred it off a block if you can. Pre-shredded doesn't melt as smooth.
Half and half: You could also use milk, but the soup will not be quite as rich and creamy. Want it richer? Feel free to use heavy cream.

Step by Step

For the full recipe with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.

Photo of onion, celery, and carrot sauteing in a slow cooker on the saute function. — First, start by melting the butter in a saucepan or using the sauté function of your slow cooker. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the melted butter.

Photo of onion, celery, and carrot that have cooked until tender. — Cook for 8 minutes.

Photo of seasonings sprinkled on top of sauteed onion, celery, and carrots. — Then add garlic and paprika and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Photo of seasoned onion, carrots , and celery in a slow cooker. — Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker (or hit cancel if you were using it to sauté).

Photo of a slow cooker with seasoned sauteed carrots, celery and onion that have had broth, broccoli and cream cheese added to it. — Add the broccoli, broth, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and cover with a lid.
Cook on low for 4 hours.

An immersion blender blending broccoli cheese soup in a slow cooker. — Then use an immersion blender to puree the soup in your slow cooker until it reaches your desired consistency (or blend in batches if you don’t have an immersion blender). In my kitchen I stop blending while there are still a few small broccoli pieces left. All-the-way-smooth is pretty, but I like a little texture.

Cheddar cheese being added to crockpot broccoli cheese soup. — Finally, stir in the half and half and cheese and cook for 30 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and serve with extra cheese, bread, croutons, or your favorite toppings!

A Few Things I've Learned

To cut the broccoli, place the head upside down on your cutting board and use a chef’s knife to trim the broccoli florets close to the head. Then, cut the florets into 1-inch pieces.
If you want to use the broccoli stalks, cut away the tough outer peel and then square the stalk off. Slice it into pieces about ¼’ thick.
If you have a Parmesan rind in the fridge, this is a great way to add depth of flavor to your soup without additional effort. Just put the rind in the soup as it cooks and remove it before serving.
I like the consistency of this easy crockpot broccoli cheese soup as is, but if you want your soup thicker, add in a couple of small slices of crusty bread. Let it soak up the liquid, and then puree the bread with a blender. Add it back to the soup and stir well. Alternatively, you could make a cornstarch slurry by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water. Add this to the soup after it has been pureed.

A Word About Reheating

I like to reheat the soup on the stove over low heat. You could also reheat it in short burst in the microwave. Either way, skip high heat. It can turn the soup grainy. If it looks too thick, add in a splash of milk or broth.

Overhead photo of a white bowl of slow cooker broccoli cheese soup sitting on a white plate that is on a blue cloth napkin.

Equipment

Crockpot OR
Ninja Possible Cooker
Immersion Blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 white or yellow onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 carrot peeled and shredded or diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 pound broccoli chopped
4 cups chicken broth
6 ounces cream cheese diced
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup half and half
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Melt the butter in a saucepan, or using the saute function of your slow cooker. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook for 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and paprika and cook for another 30 seconds.
Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker, or hit cancel if you were using your slow cooker to sauté.
Add the broccoli, broth, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir and cover. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to the desired consistency. (You could also use a blender, working in batches.)
Add the half and half and cheese, and cook for another 30 minutes. Whisk well and serve warm.

Nutrition

Filed Under:

Broccoli Fall Recipes Slow Cooker Recipes Soup Recipes

Comments

5 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup with Cream Cheese

Ingredient Notes

Step by Step

A Few Things I've Learned

A Word About Reheating