Keto broccoli cheddar soup
June 29, 2026 · 1 min read
Most broccoli cheddar soup leans on flour or a starchy roux to get thick. This one skips it — cream cheese and a heap of sharp cheddar do the body, so a bowl lands around 7g net carbs while tasting like the diner version. It comes together in one pot in about half an hour.
The one rule worth following: melt the cheese off the heat. Boiling shredded cheese is what turns a smooth soup grainy.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb broccoli florets, chopped small
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Steps
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium. Cook the onion until soft, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth and add the broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 10–12 minutes.
- Lower the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese until the cream cheese melts smoothly.
- Off the heat, add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more (high heat will make it grainy).
- Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. For a thicker texture, blend half the soup and stir it back in.
Notes and swaps
Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starch and melts less cleanly — shred a block yourself if you can. For a thicker bowl without flour, blend half the soup and stir it back in, or let it reduce a few extra minutes. Add cooked bacon or shredded rotisserie chicken to turn it into a meal.
Already eaten today? Copper Keto Companion keeps your running total, so you'll know whether a bowl fits under your carb ceiling before you ladle it.