High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup

High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup brings together the familiar comfort of a creamy broccoli cheddar soup with a protein-forward ingredient: blended low-fat cottage cheese. The cottage cheese joins milk and shredded cheddar in the finished base, while broccoli, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic build the vegetable foundation.

The soup has a straightforward 35-minute path from prep to finish. The vegetables cook first in butter, then flour and smoked paprika are stirred through before vegetable broth and broccoli are added. Once the broccoli is soft, milk, blended cottage cheese, and cheddar complete the pot.

You can leave the soup with some texture by blending only one cup and returning it to the pot, or use an immersion blender briefly. Either approach keeps the preparation simple while giving the soup a creamy consistency alongside the broccoli and other vegetables.

The recipe yields 8 cups, making it a useful pot of soup when you want a comforting vegetable soup with broccoli, cheddar, and a protein-rich addition. Salt and pepper are added to taste at the end, so the final seasoning can be adjusted to suit the ingredients used.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list combines vegetables, dairy, and a small amount of flour for the soup base. The cottage cheese is blended before it goes into the pot, while the cheddar is shredded so it can melt into the warm soup.

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 4 cups chopped broccoli

• 2 cups 1% milk

• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, blended

• Salt and pepper to taste

The vegetables provide the soup’s main vegetable components, with broccoli added after the broth. Milk, cheddar, and blended cottage cheese create the dairy portion of the recipe. All-purpose flour and smoked paprika are stirred with the cooked vegetables before the broth is added, and salt and pepper finish the seasoning.

How to Make High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Use a large pot for the soup. An immersion blender is optional; if you do not use one, the recipe gives you a separate way to blend part of the soup.

1. Melt the butter in the large pot. Add the diced onion, peeled and diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

3. Stir in the smoked paprika and all-purpose flour. Cook for 1 minute, coating all the vegetables.

4. Add the vegetable broth and chopped broccoli. Simmer for 8–9 minutes, until the broccoli is soft.

5. Stir in the milk and heat on low. Add the blended cottage cheese and shredded cheddar, stirring until the cheese has melted.

6. Blend 1 cup of the soup and return it to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender briefly. Season with salt to taste.

The order matters because each stage builds on the one before it. The vegetables are cooked before the garlic joins them, and the flour and paprika are stirred through the vegetables before the liquid is added. Broccoli then simmers in the broth until soft. The milk, cottage cheese, and cheddar come later, with the heat lowered before the dairy ingredients are incorporated.

The total time is 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The final blending step is flexible: blend one cup separately for a partly textured result, or use the immersion blender briefly in the pot. Once the cheese has melted and the soup has been seasoned, it is ready to serve.

Useful Techniques and Texture Guidance

Stirring is used throughout the early stages to keep the vegetables moving as they cook and to coat them when the flour and smoked paprika are added. The flour is cooked for one minute with the vegetables before the broth goes in, so the liquid enters after that coating step is complete. For another recipe idea, explore High Protein Loaded Potato Soup.

Blending gives you control over the final texture. For a soup that retains some of its vegetable character, blend 1 cup and return it to the pot. A brief pass with an immersion blender is the alternate method. The recipe does not require all of the soup to be blended, so the amount of blending can remain limited to the stated options.

The dairy ingredients are added after the broccoli has softened. Stir in the milk and heat on low, then add the blended cottage cheese and cheddar. Continue stirring until the cheddar has melted. This sequence keeps the final additions together in the low-heat stage rather than adding them during the broccoli simmer.

Serving, Storage, and Make-Ahead

Serve the soup after the cheddar has melted and the final seasoning has been adjusted with salt and pepper. The recipe yields 8 cups of soup. For another make-ahead idea, see HIGH PROTEIN MINESTRONE SOUP.

No storage, freezing, or make-ahead instructions are provided for this recipe, so the supported preparation is to complete the soup and serve it once the final blending and seasoning steps are finished. The yield is expressed as cups rather than a specified number of servings.

Why You’ll Love It

This High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup keeps the recognizable combination of broccoli and cheddar while adding blended low-fat cottage cheese to the dairy base. That gives the recipe its protein-forward direction without requiring a separate protein ingredient or a complicated method.

The cooking process stays compact: vegetables are sautéed in one large pot, broccoli simmers in vegetable broth, and the final dairy ingredients are stirred in on low heat. The optional immersion blender also means the soup can be finished with either a one-cup blend or a brief blend in the pot. Another recipe you may want to try is Healthy Veggie-Loaded Vegetable Soup.

With an 8-cup yield and a listed total time of 35 minutes, it is a practical choice when you want a creamy broccoli soup with a clear sequence and a substantial amount to serve.

Flavor and Texture

The flavor profile is built from broccoli, cheddar, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and vegetable broth. Cheddar supplies the defining cheese element, while smoked paprika is added with the flour and vegetables before the broth enters the pot. For more inspiration, see Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup.

The texture combines softened chopped broccoli and other vegetables with blended soup. Blending one cup and returning it to the pot creates a creamy element while leaving the rest of the soup outside that blended portion. Milk, melted cheddar, and blended cottage cheese complete the creamy base.

Serving Suggestions

The recipe produces 8 cups of High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Serve it after the cheese has melted, the selected blending step is complete, and the soup has been seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

Because the yield is given in cups rather than a stated serving count, portions can be measured from the finished 8-cup batch according to the amount desired. The soup’s supported serving format is the completed soup itself; no additional toppings, accompaniments, or garnishes are specified. For another recipe idea, explore Cheeseburger Soup (20-Min Recipe) – Wholesome Yum.

Troubleshooting

If the soup is not as smooth as you want, use the blending options provided in the method: blend 1 cup and return it to the pot, or use an immersion blender briefly. The recipe does not call for blending the entire pot. You can also browse Creamy Taco Soup for another option.

If the cheddar has not melted, continue stirring after adding the shredded cheese during the low-heat stage. If the broccoli is still firm, the stated doneness point has not been reached; the method calls for simmering the broccoli for 8–9 minutes, until soft.

If the final seasoning needs adjustment, add salt to taste at the end. Pepper is also listed for seasoning, while the recipe gives no separate fixed amount for either one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I blend the soup to a smooth texture and keep it creamy?

The recipe supports blending 1 cup of soup and returning it to the pot, or using an immersion blender briefly. It does not specify blending the entire pot.

What substitutions work for dairy or protein needs?

No dairy or protein substitutions are provided. The specified dairy ingredients are 1% milk, shredded cheddar, and 1 cup of blended low-fat cottage cheese.

Is this soup suitable for a low-sodium diet?

A low-sodium suitability claim is not provided. The recipe includes vegetable broth and adds salt and pepper to taste, but no sodium amount is listed.

Can I omit the cottage cheese or adjust the broccoli amount?

No omission or broccoli adjustment is specified. Use the listed 1 cup of blended low-fat cottage cheese and 4 cups of chopped broccoli for the stated recipe.

How long does High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup take to make?

The total time is 35 minutes: 10 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking.

What equipment do I need?

You need a large pot. An immersion blender is optional.

Background and Flavor Profile

This soup is a protein-forward take on broccoli cheddar soup because blended low-fat cottage cheese is included alongside milk and cheddar. The recipe’s ingredient combination keeps the familiar broccoli-and-cheese identity while adding a distinct cottage cheese component to the base.

Its flavor profile comes from the vegetables, smoked paprika, vegetable broth, cheddar, and garlic. The texture is shaped by both the softened broccoli and the selected blending method: blending only part of the soup leaves the recipe with a combination of creamy blended soup and the remaining cooked ingredients.

The recipe lists 250 calories. That figure is the supplied nutrition fact for the recipe and is presented without an additional serving-size claim, since the metadata gives the yield as 8 cups rather than a specific number of servings.

Nutrition Snapshot

Nutrition per serving:

• calories: 250 calories