How To Thicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup Naturally
Believe it or not, the thickener in this gluten-free broccoli cheese soup is simply cheese. No flour, starches, or artificial thickeners are necessary for this one.
The heavy cream also reduces as it cooks, which helps very slightly with thickening. For this reason, I wouldnt recommend swapping out the cream with any kind of milk. It will work okay, but the result will be a lot less creamy.
Of course, the cheese does the majority of the work in thickening this broccoli cheddar soup recipe
When I discovered that shredded cheddar works so well, I honestly wondered why Ive never seen this before. Yes, its a teeny tiny bit thinner than a flour-thickened version, but its so much easier. And, its better for you, too.
No carbs, no fuss, and still creamy and delicious. Thats a win-win, and makes this top my list when it comes to broccoli and cheese soup recipes.
What Ingredients Are In Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Broccoli 4 cups of fresh broccoli chopped into small pieces. I use both the tops and the stalks.
Cheddar Cheese 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese. The more cheese you add the thicker and creamier it will make it.
Butter One stick of butter is melted down and used to cook the veggies.
Onion, Celery & Shredded Carrots ¼ cup of each is just enough to add some flavor. If you arent on keto then up the amount to ½ -¾ cup of each.
Chicken Broth 3 cups of chicken broth. If you need it to be completely vegetarian, then use vegetable broth instead.
Heavy Cream A small amount is needed, I only use about ½ cup. Now if carbs dont matter then use half and half or use milk to make it fewer calories.
Spices Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika
Xanthan Gum When using xanthan gum always start off with a small amount. Start with ¼ tsp then add more for a thicker consistency.
Unique Health Benefits Of Broccoli
Broccoli contains a handful of compounds that provide unique health benefits.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are a fantastic source of the antioxidant compound sulforaphane.
Sulforaphane gets activated when its precursor glucoraphanin comes into contact with specific enzymes. These enzymes are defense activated, and therefore only released when broccoli is chopped, cut, or chewed.
Just a handful of benefits that sulforaphane can boast include:
- Neuroprotective
- Antidiabetic
Broccoli is also a great source of the compounds lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known for their positive effects on eye health. These two antioxidants have an affinity for the retina of your eye where they combat radiation from blue light .
Lutein and zeaxanthin have been studied for their eye-protective activity, and may even provide prevention for age-related eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Heres the macronutrient breakdown of one cup of broccoli florets:
- Calories: 24 kcal
- Fiber: 1.85 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
In addition, that same cup of broccoli florets is rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, one cup of florets includes:
- 63.3 mg of Vitamin C 97% daily value
- 72.1 ug of Vitamin K 58% daily value
- 44.7 ug of Folate 11% daily value
- 224 mg of Potassium 6% daily value
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Making Keto Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Okay, now that youre sold on trying to make your own Panera Broccoli Cheddar soup, heres how to do it. To start, grab your favorite pot and get it ready. Once chopped, add your onion, garlic, and butter to the pot. Sauté them on medium-high heat until they become aromatic and the onions turn translucent.
Next add the chicken broth and chopped broccoli to the pot. Turn down the heat and bring the soup starter to a simmer. Cover and let the broccoli cook until its tender.
Intermission here for a note on broccoli: While fresh broccoli is obviously delicious, you may not feel up to chopping a head of broccoli into florets and then chopping them down to make this soup. Frozen broccoli is totally fine for this recipe! I recommend getting the chopped frozen broccoli so you literally just have to open the bag and pour it into your pot. Okay, back to the soup!
After youve cooked the broccoli until tender, its time to add the cheese . Add the heavy whipping cream, dijon mustard, and cheddar to the pot and stir until the cheese melts. Be sure to keep stirring so you dont end up with a bunch of cheese melted to the bottom of your pot.
Heres the recipe card to help you make it easily.
- Turmeric to taste
Other Keto Soup Recipes
Keto Summit
Ingredients: ground beef, avocado oil, carrot, celery, zucchini, onion, bone broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, basil leaves.
What to do with your leftover ground beef? Give this super easy and delicious Keto soup a try. Its nutritious, quick-to-make, and uses really simple ingredients for maximum flavor.
Keto Summit
Ingredients: ground chicken, chives, ginger, salt, pepper, avocado oil, chicken broth, star anise, fish sauce, green onions.
Meatball soup with a twist! This soup will fill you up and impress your family. The authentic flavors from the star anise and fish sauce will fill your house with Asian aromas. And if you prefer beef or pork meatballs instead, then just use those meats instead of chicken.
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How To Choose The Best Broccoli
- Choose bright green broccoli with strong, firm stalks.
- Avoid the woody Stems. They will become hard and chewy when cooked.
- Avoid yellowing florets. Yellow florets are a sign that the broccoli is gone past the stage of a desirable texture.
- Choose tight clusters in the florets of broccoli. The more space or gaps in the florets, the older it is.
The Benefits Of Eating Broccoli
We all know Broccoli is healthy. I bet you didnt know just how healthy though
Broccoli is a good source of vitamins B6, E B1, and A. Its also a good source of not only fiber but phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, iron, and niacin. And thats just to name a few!
Needless to say, I try to eat a lot of broccoli.
Recommended Reading: Canned Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
Keto Panera Bread Salads
When in doubt at any chain or fast food restaurant, check out salads. However, make sure to watch out for things like croutons, raisins, and especially sugary dressings. Panera used to carry the Seasonal Greens Salad, but it was taken off their menu last year and their fans are literally in tears. So are we.
But there are still a few salads to choose from. Check out our keto, low carb picks:
How To Make Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
Step 1. Start by sauteing garlic and onion in butter over medium-high heat. You’ll want to saute until the garlic and onion is fragrant.
Step 2. Add broccoli, chicken broth, heavy cream, and seasonings to the pot. Stir everything together, and bring it to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. You’ll want to simmer until the broccoli is nice and tender.
Step 3. Turn the stove off, and add in the cheese stirring in one hand full of cheese at a time.
Step 4. Serve in small bowls, and top with extra shredded cheese if you’d like!
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How To Make It Smoother
I like my cheddar broccoli soup to have small chunks of broccoli in it. But some of you might prefer their soup to be on the smoother side and not as chunky. So if thats the case, then what you need to do is puree it.
You can transfer it to a blender, or the easier option is to use an immersion blender to puree it until it becomes smoother.
How To Thicken A Low Carb Soup
To me, this soup has the perfect thickness. If you want a way to thicken your soup that doesnt involve tons of carbs, here are few ways:
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Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt Sandwich
Make it keto friendly and pass on the focaccia. This sandwich contains smoked, pulled chicken, smoked Gouda, avocado, cilantro, peppers and chipotle sauce. Although it has a bit more carbs than other low carb options at Panera Bread, well give it extra brownie points for the taste.
Nutrition info: 490 calories 37g fat 29g protein 11g total carbs 7g net carbs
How To Make Keto Cheese Soup
The key to a thick, creamy soup without xanthan gum or flour is a slow simmer. In the video I show how to make it perfectly. Chop up the broccoli as fine as youd like. I roughly chopped the broccoli due to personal preference.
Then, dice half and onion. You can use minced garlic or fresh. I originally chopped the garlic but I actually recommend grating it over the simmering broccoli.
Now, add two tablespoons of butter and sauté diced onion until fragrant and translucent. Add in garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Allow it to simmer never let it boil.
Next, toss in the broccoli and the optional shredded carrots. Cover, allow it to simmer, reduce and the broccoli to cook until tender.
Then, add in freshly shredded cheddar cheese and stir it in. Lastly, add into bowl and serve.
Crockpot and instapot instructions below in recipe notes.
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How To Make Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup In The Crockpot
The Crockpot process for this low carb keto recipe isnt too different from the stovetop.
As previously mentioned, sautéing the aromatics in salted butter is the key to getting that dynamic flavor that makes this soup so fantastic.
Youll want to do that before adding the rest of the ingredients in.
Then its just a matter of throwing those into the Crockpot with everything else and setting it to cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
This is an excellent option for a weeknight dinner or meal prep because you can just leave it and come back to a pot of warm and creamy keto broccoli cheese soup in a few hours!
Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement
Randy and I came to the keto diet looking at it from a Christian perspective. As believers, we live our lives supported by Gods grace.
So when the Holy Spirit led us to combine our Christian faith and the keto diet, we did so in hopes of finding lasting transformation.
To say we needed Gods intervention is putting it mildly. When we followed the Holy Spirits prompting to we got on the path to real transformation.
Knowing firsthand the benefits of this decision we have created a closed Christian group that is using the keto diet to transform their lives. We invite you to join our and see if its not the key you have been missing.
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Carbs In Jasons Deli Broccoli Cheese Soup
Eating at Jasons Deli here are the nutrition facts for their Broccoli Cheese Soup. This nutrition data is for 1 bowl of soup.
how many carbs in broccoli cheese soup at Jasons Deli : jasonsdeli.com
There are 11 net carbs in 1 bowl of Jasons Deli Broccoli Cheese soup.
11 net carbs for eating out isnt terrible for a meal! If you want to go even lower, order a cup of broccoli cheddar instead. A cup only nets 9 net carbs.
Tips For The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
Im thrilled that so many of you are making this easy broccoli cheese soup recipe! Along with my bacon wrapped asparagus, low carb cheesecake, and fathead pizza crust, its one of the most popular ones on the blog.
That being said, I also want to address any issues some people may be having. I truly want this to be your ultimate go-to broccoli soup recipe. So if youre having trouble , read these tips for best results.
For anyone that has problems with clumping during the cheese melting process in their broccoli cheddar soup, I have a few tips!
And if you want a super thick broccoli soup, see the section above on ways to achieve that.
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Is This Recipe Similar To Paneras Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Yes!!! This recipe is just like Paneras cheddar broccoli soup, actually maybe even better.
One of the best things about this homemade soup is that its so much healthier than Paneras but you arent sacrificing the great texture and taste.
There isnt any flour in this keto broccoli cheddar soup, just a very small amount of xanthan gum which is a low carb thickener. Its made with all fresh ingredients and no hidden additives or fillers.
Can I Freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup
Freezing soup is easy to do as long as you have the proper containers. You have two options for freezing. The first option is to use a plastic Tupperware container with a lid. Place the soup inside a large container or two smaller ones and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Then secure the lid on top and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also add your soup to large heavy-duty freezer bags.
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Need More Keto Diet Tips
For Keto dessert ideas, make sure you try some of these easy Keto Desserts as well. With so many delicious recipes, it is hard to believe this is a diet.
Need dinner ideas? Find 40 Easy Keto Dinner Ideas here. There is something for everyone!
And lets not forget about breakfast! We have over 20 Easy Keto Breakfast Ideas to try.
You might also like 5 Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget. Its helped our family cut costs while still eating healthy!
These should keep you busy for awhile and you definitely wont go hungry eating Keto! With so many yummy recipes to try, the entire family might want to jump on board with Keto!
Serve With Your Favorite Toppings:
This is totally optional but I love a little extra cheese on top. It is so good!
Some people also like to add a little cream cheese to the soup while cooking. Just use what you prefer in this Broccoli Cheddar soup.
I also like to add a little garlic. The onion and garlic blends so well together and smells divine in this low carb Broccoli Cheese soup.
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What Makes Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup So Good
- Keto broccoli cheese soup is thick, rich, and incredibly cheesy. While it may be a little thinner than a traditional broccoli cheddar soup because it doesnt use a roux for a base, the puréed cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and broccoli make it thick and creamy.
- There might not be many carbs, but theres a ton of flavor. Onion, cheddar, paprika, garlic, mustard powder yall, this soup is GOOD.
- Its so easy to make! All you need is a big pot and an immersion blender. If you dont have an immersion blender, you can use a standard blender just make sure to read the tips below so you do it safely.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and theyll keep up to a week! Perfect for a low carb, gluten free, keto meal prep. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave! This recipe also freezes well, so feel free to make a double batch and stock up! Just cool it completely, then freeze it in airtight, freezer-safe containers or flat in sealable freezer bags. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
Broccoli Cheese Soup In An Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
You could also convert this stove top recipe into a recipe for your Instant Pot.
For a pressure cooker: Add the olive oil, onion, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and broccoli to the slow cooker. Stir, place on the lids, and set the pressure cooker on manual, high pressure, for 5 minutes. Release the pressure naturally, then open the lid.
Add the heavy cream, cream cheese and shredded cheese, and stir until smooth.
If desired, puree part of the soup, or add the optional xanthan gum.
Hmm, sorry about that. Here are my recommendations:1. Make sure the soup isnt too hot. Temperatures over about 150 F break down the protein bonds in the cheese which can lead to clumps.2. Add in small handfuls of cheese at a time. Just bit by bit. Whisk or stir the soup until each handful of cheese is thoroughly melted and incorporated before adding the next.3. If you still have clumps, try using blocks of cheese that you shred yourself. iSometimes pre-shredded cheeses can contain stabilizers that might make them harder to melt.
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