Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

This easy broccoli cheddar soup recipe combines tender broccoli, creamy cheddar, and savory herbs for a rich, comforting homemade soup. Made with Frontier Soups Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mix, it's a cozy classic that's easy to prepare for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

You Will Need

Virginia Blue Ridge Broccoli Cheddar Soup
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (32 oz.)
1 cup heavy cream of half & half (8 oz.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
(optional vegetable additions: 2 cups chopped, fresh or frozen broccoli or cauliflower, or 5 oz package of fresh baby spinach plus 1 cup broth, as needed)

Instructions

Here's What You Do

In a 3 or 4-quart pot, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat. Stir in soup mix and optional vegetable additions plus 1 cup broth as needed.
Return to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in cream and cheese. Return to stovetop, cover, and cook on low for 10 minutes.
For thicker soup use a hand immersion blender to puree the soup, or gently mash the vegetables with a fork, stir well, and serve.

Got leftovers? Learn how to cool, store, and reheat soup safely in our guide to soup storage and food safety.

Cooking & Nutrition Tips

Use the tips below to customize nutrition, boost flavor, or stretch the soup to fit your needs.

Reducing Sodium

Broth:

To reduce sodium, use an alternative broth such as: low-sodium, organic, stock, bone broth, unsalted, or try making a homemade broth. See chart below to compare.

All our mixes contain no added salt, only what occurs naturally in the ingredients. In the interest of transparency, we use regular (full-sodium) store-bought broth to create our recipes and calculate the nutrition panels — which is why the sodium levels may appear higher than you desire.

While we don’t like it from a health standpoint, salt is a major flavor booster. If you are using reduced sodium broth and looking to enhance flavor, try adding these depending on your preferences: fresh ground pepper, herbs & spices, lemon juice, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, hot-sauce, flavored vinegar.

Variety (1 cup)	Sodium (mg)	% Daily Value
Standard Broth	860 mg	37%
Low-Sodium Broth	570 mg	25%
Organic Broth	550 mg	24%
Stock	510 mg	22%
Bone Broth	400 mg	17%
Organic Low-Sodium Broth	100 mg	4%
Unsalted Broth	35 mg	2%

Boosting Protein

Instead of 1 cup heavy cream, use 1 cup cottage cheese (ideally full fat 4%). If using cottage cheese, we highly recommend you: 1) liquify/smooth entirely in blender or with immersion blender before adding, and 2) turn off the heat and let the soup cool slightly before adding so it does not curdle and/or lose its silky texture. See chart below for nutritional info.
Add shredded (or diced) cooked chicken (8-16 oz.).
Swap standard broth for bone broth.
Top soup with hemp hearts and/or nutritional yeast.
Use sprouted and/or whole grain bread for croutons.

Nutrient	Heavy Cream per 1 cup	Full-Fat Cottage Cheese (4%) per 1 cup
Protein	~5 – 6 g	~23 – 25 g
Calories	~800 – 820 kcal	~220 – 240 kcal
Total Fat	~88 – 90 g	~9 – 10 g
Sodium	~90 – 95 mg	~820 – 850 mg

Nutritious Options/Swaps

In addition to the above-mentioned cottage cheese swap, you can also try with Greek yogurt (ideally full fat). Remove soup from heat and let cool slightly before adding.
Add 2 cups chopped, fresh or frozen cauliflower or broccoli in the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Throw in nutrient-dense greens such as spinach or kale for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Toss in whatever vegetables you have in the fridge and simmer with soup mix.
If adding additional vegetables, try blending the veggies with 1 cup of broth before adding to soup to enhance the creaminess and texture.
Instead of heavy cream and cheese, try blending together 1 cup of low-fat milk with one avocado.
Add cannellini or navy beans for a creamy texture boost.
Replace the cream with evaporated milk for a lighter but still creamy texture.

Recipe Variations

Looking to switch things up? A few simple tweaks can make this recipe your own.

Chicken & Broccoli Cheddar Soup:
Begin recipe as normal and add boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8-16 oz.) to broth when you stir in the soup mix. Cover and simmer chicken for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and let it cool, then shred or dice and add back to soup. Have cooked chicken on hand? Add 2–3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken during the final few minutes of cooking for an easy way to turn broccoli cheddar soup into a heartier meal.

Turn Broccoli Cheddar Soup Into a Meal:
Prepare your favorite grain (white/brown rice, farro, quinoa, barley, etc.) and ladle soup on top!

Chilled Summer Soup:
Prepare the soup as directed, leaving out the cheese and simmering about 10 minutes longer. Chill overnight, then puree with an immersion blender or potato masher. Serve cold with diced cucumber and a dollop of sour cream.

Cheesy Biscuit Pot Pie:
Transfer prepared soup to oven-safe crocks, top with thick slices of provolone, then cover with biscuit dough (like cheddar biscuit mix). Bake until the biscuits are golden for a cozy pot-pie-style finish.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Serving & Garnish Ideas:
Top with crispy bacon bits, extra shredded sharp cheddar, chives, croutons, or a drizzle of chili oil for heat. Serve in bread bowls, with crusty baguette slices, garlic bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, or a simple side salad to make it a complete, hearty meal.

Inspired by our customers. Thanks to Chris, Joni J., Evelyn O., Shelley, and DD for sharing their ideas.
Have a favorite twist of your own? Send us an email or leave a review on the product page.

Dietary Adaptations

These mixes are flexible by design. Use the adaptations below to meet your dietary needs or cooking preferences.

Vegan/Vegetarian

You Will Also Need:

6 cups vegetable broth (48 oz.)
1 large white potato, peeled and diced or 1 crown broccoli, well chopped.
1 cup shredded non-dairy cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
Optional: ½ cup of Walnuts, chopped)

Here’s What You Do:

In a 3 or 4-quart pot, bring broth to boil. Reduce heat. Stir in soup mix and vegetable addition (potato or broccoli) plus 1 cup broth, as needed.
Simmer, covered for 25 minutes.
Stir in non-dairy cheese, cover and keep on low heat for 10 minutes longer.
Garnish each serving with walnuts, if desired.

*For a creamier version add 1 cup cream or non-dairy cream substitute for the last 10 minutes of cooking

Gluten Free

This soup is naturally gluten free when prepared as directed. No special substitutions are needed.

Dairy Free

For cream-based soups: use lower-fat dairy, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or preferred dairy replacement.

Cooking Methods

Slow Cooker

We do not recommend using a slow cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

We do not recommend using a pressure cooker due to the short cooking time on the stovetop.