This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This keto broccoli cheese soup is velvety, smooth, and made in just 30 minutes! Better than Panera bread, this easy recipe is low in carbs but full of flavor! 2 grams net carbs per serving.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
When it comes to keto soup recipes, my favorites include chicken soup, taco soup, and this broccoli cheese soup.
During my college years, one of my favorite takeout foods was Panera bread. While their sandwiches and salads were never anything to brag about, their soups, especially their broccoli cheddar soup, were something else.
Their broccoli cheddar soup (in the bread bowl, obviously) was something I enjoyed on a regular basis, so much that my local Panera bread knew me on a first-name basis. Since starting a keto diet, I’ve tried making a homemade version and I must admit… it tastes even BETTER than the original!
This keto broccoli cheese soup recipe comes together in under 20 minutes and is all made on the stovetop. It’s made with just 5 main ingredients (spices don’t count!) and is perfectly thick and creamy. It’s full of tender broccoli pieces and full of cheesy flavor, and is the kind of soup that sticks to your ribs!
What I love about this delicious soup is that even those who don’t follow a low carb diet will fall in love with it- It’s just THAT good!
Ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe
- Butter– Unsalted butter to sautee the onions and garlic in.
- Onion and garlic– Both these vegetables add extra flavor to the soup.
- Chicken broth– Also known as chicken stock. You can use a homemade chicken broth or store bought. I like using organic chicken stock as it has no additives or added sugar.
- Heavy cream– Gives the soup an extra rich and creamy texture, without affecting the flavor.
- Broccoli– Finely chopped broccoli. Avoid using frozen broccoli as it will yield a much more thinner soup.
- Smoked paprika– Adds some smokey flavor which works very well with the cheese.
- Salt and pepper– To taste.
- Cheddar cheese– A flavorful and easy melting cheese. You can swap out half of it with red Leicester or vintage cheddar if you’d like a more intense cheese flavor. Try to shred your own cheese, as it is cheaper to do and melts into the soup seamlessly.
How do you make keto broccoli and cheese soup?
Start by adding the butter into a deep saucepan and placing it over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, broccoli, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Now, once the soup starts boiling, reduce it to a low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. After this time, add the cheese, half a cup at a time, until fully immersed in the soup. Remove it from the heat and serve immediately.
Pro tips to make the best broccoli cheddar soup
- Be sure to chop your broccoli into fine, bite-sized pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly and are that there are no large florets throughout.
- To prevent a grainy soup, be sure to slowly add the cheese into the saucepan, not all at the same time.
- For a creamier soup, shred your own cheese. It will mix into the soup so much easier and taste that much better!
How many carbs are in broccoli cheddar soup?
This low carb broccoli cheese soup has just 2 grams of net carbs per serving. Compare that to Panera bread’s version that has over 40 grams of carbs per serving!
Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
- To store: Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Be sure to give it a stir before reheating.g
- To freeze: Place batches of the soup in a sealable container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw the soup at room temperature before reheating.
- Reheating: Either microwave the soup in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over medium heat.
What to serve with low carb broccoli and cheese soup
While I am partial to enjoying soups with crackers, this particular one is PERFECT when paired with bread or buns, to dip! Here are some of my favorite keto bread options to try!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this soup in a slow cooker. Simply omit the butter and add all the ingredients, except for the cheese into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. After 6 hours, slowly add the cheese and cover the pot and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Cheddar cheese is preferred, but you can use any flavorful cheese, like Colby, Tillamook, and Gouda.
For a healthy broccoli cheddar soup, replace the heavy cream with light cooking cream and replace half the cheddar cheese with reduced-fat (25%) cheddar cheese. Do not use non-fat or low-fat cheese or else it will leave your soup grainy and clumpy.
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 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 net carbs.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
Video
Ingredients
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.
I am making this right now and it sounds amazing. Can you please tell me if the broccoli is 4 cups “after” it’s finely chopped or before?
I am 42 and would consider myself a great cook.
I have NEVER (over 200 easily) commented on a recipe because i always have to “dr” them with a ton of stuff. It isnt fair to rate a recipe on my own add ins.
We are keto in my home. This recipe is AMAZING. I mean AMAZING!!!!!!
The only thing i did different was added 1 tsp xantham gum to thicken. I honestly dont think it was needed though. I added it before the cheese, which totally thickened it up.
Fantastic, fantastic recipe.
Will make this weekly.
Delicious! I added 4 oz cream cheese for thickening and a dash of red pepper flakes for an extra flavor layer. This is a keeper!
A very easy recipe to make this tasty rich soup. Definitely a recipe I will use often, whenever a tasty comfort food is desired.
Creamy and delicious! I added a chopped up chicken breast to make it more hearty….doesn’t add to the carb count.
Ok, so I usually never leave comments. But OH CRAP. I just made this, with a few mods from what I didnt have (more butter, milk since no cream & added some shaved parm & had no paprika), but let me tell you. This is the most amazing soup. Its already saved in my pinterest to make again. I messed up and added the cheese and it got curdled, so I threw the soup in 2 batches into my vitamix (with the lid cracked for steam vent) and blended it smooth. SOOOO GOOOD!!! Make this asap
Extremely delicious recipe. I had to make it a second time immediately after the first because I wanted more!
The only thing that needs adjusting is the time estimates. Finely chopping 4 cups of broccoli, half an onion, and garlic is simply not possible to do in 2 minutes. Ten is probably more reasonable.
It was fabulous! Best recipe I’ve had on keto. I love the creamy texture and all of the cheese!
This is delicious and so easy. My crew (kids included) loved it AND it’s Keto friendly!! Thank you!!! I made some easy keto cheddar biscuits to go with this.
Excellent soup! Thick and creamy. Thank you
It’s beautiful and easy to make.
This is delicious! We ended up doing some substitutions for things we didn’t have on hand; we substituted the broccoli for riced cauliflower and chopped white mushrooms. Also, we did cajun seasoning and celery salt instead of the paprika. The cheddar we added was freshly grated and the soup tasted amazing. Will try it with broccoli next time ^_^
I did, I’ll try shredding it myself next time and lowering the heat, thanks!
Did you use pre-shredded cheese? That often won’t melt the same as block cheese because of what they add to keep the pieces from sticking together. Also is shut off the heat before adding cheese. It will stay hot enough to melt, especially if you shredded it before you start cooking and leave it out to come to room temp. Hope that helps.
This was so good, thank you x
I don’t know why it took me so long to look for a keto version of this!
Quick question, a lot of my cheese kind of sunk to the bottom and stuck to the broccoli and never really melted well, do you have any advice to get it to combine? (I added pretty small amounts at a time)