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Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup is thick, creamy, cheesy, and delicious. This slow cooker soup is pure comfort food made with fresh broccoli and carrots, then finished with plenty of sharp cheddar for a rich, satisfying lunch or dinner.
If you love Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe, this easy slow cooker version has that same thick, creamy, cheesy appeal.
The vegetables cook right in the crockpot until tender, then part of the soup is blended to give it extra body. A simple roux and half-and-half make it thick and creamy, and the freshly grated cheddar is stirred in at the end so it melts smoothly.
Updated October 2026: I retested and completely updated this Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup with a thicker, creamier base, more cheddar flavor, and new photos.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup in the Crockpot
- Tips for the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- What to Serve with Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Storage
- Favorite Crockpot Soups
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Fresh broccoli and carrots give the soup plenty of vegetable flavor and texture.
- Freshly grated sharp cheddar makes it rich and cheesy without overpowering the broccoli.
- Partially blending the vegetables naturally adds body to the soup.
- A simple butter and flour roux makes the soup nice and thick.
- Most of the cooking happens right in the slow cooker.
- It’s a cozy, satisfying soup for fall and winter.
Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this thick and creamy broccoli cheddar soup.
For exact amounts, please see the recipe card below.
Fresh Broccoli, Carrot, Yellow Onion, Garlic, Low-Sodium Chicken Broth, Salt, Black Pepper, Dry Mustard, Paprika, Ground Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, Unsalted Butter, All-Purpose Flour, Half-and-Half, Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Dry Mustard: Helps bring out the cheddar flavor without making the soup taste like mustard.
Paprika, Nutmeg, and Cayenne: Add a little extra depth without making the soup spicy.
Freshly Grated Cheese: For the smoothest texture, grate the cheddar yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that can keep it from melting smoothly.
Variations & Substitutions
Frozen Broccoli: Frozen broccoli can be used instead of fresh. Since it softens much more quickly, add it later in the cooking time so it doesn’t become overly mushy.
Vegetable Broth: Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth to make a meatless broccoli cheddar soup.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the soup plenty of flavor, but medium cheddar can be used for a milder soup.
Half-and-Half: Whole milk can be substituted, though the soup may be slightly less rich. Heavy cream can also be used for an extra-rich soup.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup in the Crockpot
This broccoli cheddar soup recipe begins as a dump-and-start, then gets finished with a simple stovetop roux to thicken it. Easy to make and so delicious!
- Add the broccoli, carrot, onion, garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, dry mustard, paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook until the broccoli, carrots, and onion are very tender.
- Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup. Pulse it just enough to break down some of the broccoli and thicken the soup.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and cook until smooth and thickened.
- Stir the cream mixture into the slow cooker and let the soup continue cooking briefly so it thickens.
- Turn the slow cooker to Low or Warm and add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted before adding more.
Tips for the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Chop the broccoli fairly small. Smaller florets cook evenly and make the finished soup easier to eat.
- Blend only part of the soup. A few pulses with an immersion blender help thicken the soup while leaving plenty of vegetable pieces.
- Cook the flour briefly. Cooking the flour with the butter for about a minute helps remove the raw flour taste.
- Turn down the heat before adding the cheese. Gentle heat helps keep cheddar smooth and creamy.
What to Serve with Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This creamy soup is delicious with crusty bread, dinner rolls, biscuits, or garlic bread.
You can also serve it with a simple green salad or half of a sandwich for an easy lunch or dinner.
Storage
Store leftover broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave at reduced power.
- Avoid boiling the soup when reheating, as high heat can cause the cheese to separate.
- If the soup becomes too thick after chilling, stir in a splash of broth, milk, or half-and-half while reheating.
Freezing: Creamy cheese soups can sometimes separate after thawing, so this soup is best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.
Favorite Crockpot Soups
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
More Soup Recipes
If you make my Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup, let me know by leaving a comment with a star rating below! 😊
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 pound Fresh Broccoli Florets (about 5 cups, chopped small)
- 1 cup Grated Carrot
- 1 small Yellow Onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 3 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- ½ teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Dry Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
To Thicken
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups Half-and-Half
Finish
- 14 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Cook Veggies
- Add the broccoli, carrot, onion, garlic, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, dry mustard, paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low for about 4 hours, or until the broccoli, carrots, and onion are very tender.
- Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup with a few short pulses. Break down some of the broccoli to give the soup more body, but leave plenty of broccoli and carrot pieces for texture.
Thicken
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the half-and-half. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Stir the cream mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 15 minutes, or until the soup has thickened.
Finish
- Add the grated cheddar cheese a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until melted before adding more.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Frozen broccoli can be substituted for fresh broccoli. Add it later in the cooking time since frozen broccoli softens more quickly.
- The chicken broth does not need to completely cover the vegetables at the beginning of cooking.
- For the smoothest soup, grate the cheddar cheese from a block rather than using packaged pre-shredded cheese. Add the cheese over low heat and avoid boiling the soup after the cheese has been added.
- If the finished soup is thicker than you prefer, stir in a little additional chicken broth, milk, or half-and-half.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
