Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
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My keto broccoli cheese soup recipe makes velvety smooth, cheesy soup in only 30 minutes. I swear it’s even better than Panera Bread! 2 grams net carbs.
Craving more keto soup recipes? Try my keto taco soup, keto French onion soup, and keto chicken soup.
When it comes to hearty soups and stews, nothing quite curbs my craving like a massive bowl of broccoli cheddar soup.
Of course, being keto means I have to sacrifice–but not when it comes to this recipe. Made with tender broccoli and an ultra-creamy broth, the word “compromise” has no meaning here.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Everyone (yes, everyone!) will love it. Make this for the whole family, and I guarantee even the carb-lovers will be coming back for seconds or thirds.
- Made in one pot. So clean-up is done in minutes.
- Ready in 30 minutes. So you can whip this up on a hectic weeknight.
- Multiple cooking methods included. I think the stovetop method yields the best results, but I tested this recipe on the Instant Pot and slow cooker, too.
Ingredients needed
- Butter. I prefer unsalted butter since we’re adding salt to the soup.
- Onion and garlic. Essential aromatics for any good soup.
- Chicken broth. Homemade or store-bought. If you go the store-bought route, make sure it doesn’t have any added sugar. Use vegetable broth to make this soup vegetarian-friendly.
- Heavy cream. Gives the soup an extra rich and creamy texture without affecting the flavor. For even creamier soup, you can use softened cream cheese.
- Fresh broccoli. Finely chopped broccoli. Avoid using frozen broccoli, as it will yield a thinner soup.
- Smoked paprika. Adds some smokey flavor that complements the cheese.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Cheddar cheese. The highlight of this soup is the cheese, and I prefer freshly grated cheddar because it’s salty and easy to melt. If you want a more intense cheese flavor, swap half of the cheddar cheese for vintage or extra sharp cheddar.
- Parsley. Optional, for garnish.
How to make keto broccoli cheese soup
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Cook onions and garlic. Add butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Step 2- Build the soup. Add all of the ingredients except for the cheese and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
Step 3- Add the cheese. Add the cheese half a cup at a time until combined. Remove from the heat and serve with extra cheese and parsley on top.
Alternative cooking methods
While I prefer the stovetop, if you’d rather make keto broccoli soup using a pressure cooker or slow cooker, you certainly can. Here’s how:
Instant pot method. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and add the butter and aromatics. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the cheese). Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook mode for 8 minutes, then natural pressure release for 5 minutes. Slowly stir in the cheese until combined.
Slow cooker method. Omit the butter and the ingredients (except the cheese) into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. After 6 hours, slowly add the cheese, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. So they cook evenly.
- Add the cheese a little at a time. Don’t rush it! If you add the cheese too quickly, it’ll clump up and become grainy.
- Shred your own cheese. I hinted at this earlier, but it bears repeating. Shredding cheese from a block makes for smoother cheese that melts (and tastes) much better than pre-shredded cheese.
Variations
- Thicken the soup. If you want your soup to be extra thick, you have options. Either add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum or 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. Just note that arrowroot powder will increase the carb count slightly.
- Or blend it instead. This soup is designed to have chunks of broccoli throughout, but if you prefer a silky smooth soup, you can puree it using an immersion blender.
- Add extra vegetables. Bulk up the soup with low-carb veggies like cauliflower, broccoli florets, or kale.
- Toss in some protein. Like shredded rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, or my keto meatballs.
- Add some flavor. While optional, I find a little Dijon mustard or hot sauce adds a ton of flavor.
Storage instructions
To store: Store your cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze: Let your soup cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat over low-medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth if the soup is too thick. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
Frequently asked questions
This soup is designed to have chunks of broccoli throughout, but if you prefer a silky smooth soup, you can either puree it (using a hand mixer) or put it in a blender.
Thicken the soup by adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum or 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. The arrowroot will add some extra carbs to the overall carb count.
This recipe yields six 1 1/2 cup servings. Each serving contains 2 grams of net carbs.
More keto comfort food recipes
Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups broccoli finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a deep pot, add the butter and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and finely chopped broccoli, smoked paprika, pepper, and salt and bring it to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
- Add the cheddar cheese in half a cup at a time until combined. Remove from the heat and serve with extra shredded cheese and chopped parsley on top.
This was amazing! I am already excited to make it again. I did double the broccoli because there was plenty of sauce and served it with grilled chicken breast chopped in the sauce.
Love that, Jennifer!! When I made this regularly, I’d often add rotisserie chicken to chicken breast to it too for extra protein and staying power 🙂
Great
Great soup, need more ideas
Delicious soup! I’ve made it a few times now and this is a keeper for my Keto folder. My family also enjoys it made with “extra sharp” cheddar and for me it’s an easy recipe to double up and freeze for individual meals (we leave out the cream until serving it). Thank you!
I love to hear this, Jim. Extra sharp cheddar is my absolute favorite and would work so well in this soup. 🙂 I appreciate your kind review and recipe rating!
What a delicious recipe! I shared to my followers on Ig. Thank you. I added bacon! YUMMMMM
Aw, Jessica- that is so kind of you. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and LOVE the addition of bacon!!
This is THE BEST brocc/cheddar soup I have ever had….low carb or other. I just add a couple of ounces of cream cheese, but with or without the cream cheese it is very hardy, filling and AMAZING. I love a lot of Armin’s recipes. I have lost 78 pounds eating them!!! He has made it easy to make KETO a way of life and I NEVER feel deprived!!! Keep up the great work Armin!!!
Aw, Linda- this is so inspiring. Thank you so so much for your kind words. What an achievement- 78 pounds!!! I appreciate your lovely words.
Meh, kinda bland, I’ll church out up a bit. I followed the recipe to the T and it was pretty watery up top and thick at the bottom. Never blended well.
Hi John- thanks for the feedback, it’s super helpful. I’m wondering if it is the cheese you’ve used which has affected the texture of the soup- it should be silky smooth once blended.
A weekly go-to in the winter! Easy and delish
Love to hear that, Christine- love that it is a weekly staple 🙂
This soup was not only extremely easy to prepare but tasted absolutely delicious! It’s really cold outside today so a nice, hot, creamy, comforting soup like this just hit the spot! The only tweak I made to the directions was to have the amount of cheddar cheese and add Monterey pepper jack for the remaining cheese to give it a little bit of a spicy kick.
Hi Sheryl, thanks so much for sharing this and your cheese alteration sounds perfect for the cooler months! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Just starting out trying to fix low carb alternatives due to health issues. I have to say this is an amazing soup. I thought I would have to give them up for good.
I have 📌 a few of your other recipes. If they are half as good, I’m on my way to a good start. Thank you 😊
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words, Sandra- I’m so glad you’ve given my recipe a go and enjoy it- it’s one of my go-to’s.
Please do try my other keto recipes- I have a ton of them, so you’ll find something you like 🙂
What is a serving? (Grams, cups, etc)
Hi Kierston- it’s in the recipe card. One serving is 1 1/2 cups.
Delicious! I will double the recipe next time. Looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome, Judye- thanks for the lovely comment and star rating 🙂