Is broccoli cheddar soup good or bad for you?

Is broccoli soup good for you? Most of the time, broccoli cheese soup isn't the healthiest option since it has lots of cheese and heavy cream. This version is lightened up with evaporated skim milk and less cheese. It also uses extra vegetables that are blended to create some of the creaminess in the soup.

How do I thicken my broccoli cheese soup?

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

Why isn't my cheese melting in my broccoli soup?

If you are using pre-shredded cheese it has been coated with an anti-clumping agent, which may mean it melts more slowly or needs more heat . If you are adding cold cheese to the soup, adding too much at once will lower the temperature of the soup.

What does broccoli soup do to your body?

Rich Source of Good Carbs Salads and soups with broccoli are a delight to many diners. Broccoli is one of the richest sources of good carbohydrates which aid digestion maintaining low blood sugar . And because it has the right amount of fibrous roughage it also helps in preventing constipation.

Is tomato or broccoli cheddar soup healthier?

Compared with the broccoli cheddar, the tomato version saved us 80 calories, 3 grams saturated fat and 100 milligrams sodium .

Is Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup healthy?

The Unhealthiest Panera Soup: Broccoli Cheddar Soup But things head in a surprisingly poor nutritional direction with the Broccoli Cheddar Soup at Panera. Besides its 11 grams of saturated fat, this soup is suffused with sodium. In a 1-cup serving, expect 46% of the daily recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams.

How many calories should I eat a day?

On average, women need about 1,600 to 2,400 calories each day, and men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day -- based on age and activity level. If you figure out that you need 2,000 calories per day, then you need to keep your calorie intake about equal with that number.

Why does broccoli cheddar soup make my stomach hurt?

Vegetables high in fructans , can cause difficulty tothose with sensitive digestion issues, contributing to bloating, gad and pain . Cruciferous veggies like brussels spouts and broccoli can cause bloating and excess gas for some people.

How do you make broccoli cheddar soup less salty?

Add a small amount of fresh herbs to the soup and stir until well combined . Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup. Add a small amount of acid to the soup and stir until well combined.

Is cheddar good or bad for you?

Cheese is a good source of calcium : a 30g portion of cheddar provides over a quarter of an adult's daily requirements. However, other dairy products, such as yoghurt and milk, are just as good for the bones and much lower in fat and salt.

Is vegetable soup the healthiest soup?

Vegetable soups offer an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and flavor . Serve as a side or make them the main course – these nutrient-dense dishes are low in calories and carbs but high in satisfaction.

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup {30 Minutes}

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup is easy, cheesy, creamy with lots of vegetables. Make copycat broccoli cheddar soup at home without heavy cream or flour in 30 minutes.

Cozy soups like this broccoli feta soup and creamy butternut squash soup are our favourites when it’s cold and dark outside.

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup {30 Minutes} - iFoodReal.com (1)

Healthy broccoli cheese soup made silky smooth using only whole foods like vegetables. Fresh veggies make the best soups, from butternut squash chicken soup to Instant Pot butternut squash soup. Oh, the colors and nutrition!

Once blended this soup looks at tastes just like any fast food joint broccoli cheddar soup. Just so much healthier and better for you! Not that I’m against flour, butter, cheese and heavy cream. But the fact that we can replace them with 8 cups of vegetables is mind blowing to me.

Ingredients for Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli: Broccoli for soup can be fresh or frozen, no need to thaw.
Butternut squash: This bright orange coloured vegetable makes healthy replacement for 2 cups of artificially coloured neon cheddar cheese.
Potatoes: Starchy potatoes eliminate the need for cups of flour, butter and heavy cream to make world’s best, silky smooth and delicious cream of broccoli soup.
Onion and garlic: Sauteed in butter for a major flavor boost.
Liquids: Stock or broth and milk. Use low sodium stock from a carton or I like to dilute organic bouillon cubes with hot water. Milk can be any and I used unsweetened almond milk.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar, Dubliner, gruyere or gouda are great choices. Since we are using such a small amount, cheese has to be flavorful.

How to Make Healthy Broccoli and Cheese Soup

I like to use Dutch oven or a heavy bottom stainless steel pot when making soups. It makes it a one pot meal.

Sauté onion and garlic in melted butter in well preheat pot on medium heat. Do so for about 5 minutes or until fragrant and softened a bit.
Add cubed butternut squash, potatoes, stock, milk and cook covered for 7 minutes: Just until veggies have softened to puree easily. You don’t want to cook milk too long otherwise it will curdle.
Add broccoli and salt, and cook for 4 more minutes: This time results in perfectly cooked broccoli that is softer but still has a bite to it.
To thicken and make creamy soup without flour or heavy cream, you have 2 options:
- #1 Chunky soup: remove broccoli into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth and silky. Return broccoli, add cheese and stir until cheese has melted.
- #2 Silky soup: Add cheese and blend with an immersion blender right in a pot until desired consistency.
Serve hot sprinkled with remaining cheese, a side of kale and quinoa salad or healthy tuna melt.

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup {30 Minutes} - iFoodReal.com (2)

Tips and More Substitutions

Frozen veggies: You can use frozen broccoli and/or butternut squash, convenient if you freeze your garden bounty or buy frozen. Add them just like you would fresh broccoli. No need to thaw or rinse.
Butternut squash substitutions: You can use acorn squash or sweet potato in place of butternut squash.
No need to dice veggies small: Cut squash and potatoes into large chunks, since we will be pureeing them.
Make it dairy free and vegan: You can omit cheese and use nutritional yeast to taste. Also make sure to use dairy free milk. For vegan version, use any oil or plant-based butter for sauteing.
Pureeing soup: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour soup into a regular blender and blend in batches. Just make sure you have an opening in the lid open otherwise hot soup will explode all over the kitchen and you. Food processor would work too.

Can I Make Broccoli Cheese Soup in Instant Pot?

Yes. Saute onion and garlic right in Instant Pot, then add remaining ingredients, except milk and cheese, and pressure cook on High pressure for 2 minutes with 5 minutes NPR and then release remaining pressure by turning valve to Venting. After follow the recipe. Or try this Instant Pot broccoli cheese soup recipe.

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat

As a mom, I love hearty soups because they refrigerate very well for days. If I have soup in the fridge, I have an answer to the kid’s “I’m hungry” right away. They might not always like it but often I don’t care about that haha.

Storing and reheating: Soup will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in a small pot over low-medium heat.

Freezing: You can freeze soup for up to 3 months. Because all vegetables are blended and the base is not heavy on dairy, once thawed it will look and taste just like fresh.

Healthy food is amazing! Enjoy this healthy broccoli cheese soup!

More Favorite Broccoli Recipes

Healthy broccoli quiche
Broccoli and penne pasta
Broccoli quinoa salad
Beef and broccoli stir fry
Sauteed broccoli recipe
Buffalo cauliflower soup