• About
  • Work with Me
  • Contact
  • Food Photography

Chef Janet

So good, they'll never know it's gluten-free.

  • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Cooking Basics
  • Gluten-Free Diet Tips
Home Β» Soup Β» Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup

July 30, 2021 (last updated March 12, 2022)

Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup

No ratings yet
Leave a Comment Jump to Recipe

This gluten-free broccoli cheddar soup is creamy, comforting and cheesy. Make this easy recipe in 30 minutes or less. Dairy-free options are included.

Be sure to check out more of my gluten-free soup recipes including my, gluten-free creamy mushroom soup, and hearty satisfying lentil quinoa soup. All of them are dairy-free or have dairy-free options.

close up of white bowl with gluten free broccoli cheddar soup topped with croutons. Spoon with soup over the bowl.

Smooth or Chunky Soup?

I have a texture snob in my house so I am very aware of this controversy. I personally love a thick, chunky soup. but this one can easily be pureed. If you plan to puree it, I recommend leaving some of the broccoli in bigger pieces. You’ll remove the bigger pieces before blending and save for garnish. The remaining will be pureed with the cooked soup,

close up of white bowl with gluten free broccoli cheddar soup topped with croutons. Spoon om left and small bowl with cheddar cheese on right..

Creamy Gluten-Free Soups

This soup is thickened with gluten-free flour to give it a creamy, silky texture. White rice flour is my preferred way to thicken gluten-free sauces and soups. It is the most consistent gf flour I have tested (brown rice flour is not starchy enough). Gluten-free flour blends can be used too but, I have found that different gluten-free flours (even different brands of white rice flour) will give varying thickening results. If the soup is not thick enough after stirring in the cheese in step 9, and you don’t plan to puree it, here is how to thicken it more:

Make a paste of equal parts of soft butter and flour, mixing them together until all of the flour is moistened. Use 1 Tbsp of each for a little extra thickening or 2 Tbsp each for a lot of thickening. This paste is called a “buerre manie” (burr man-yay) and it is my not so secret weapon when making gravy or creamy soups. Drop this paste into the warmed soup and stir over medium high heat until the liquid boils and thickens.

Dairy-Free And Vegan Substitutions

Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds or Epic Mature Cheddar Flavor Block are both good vegan cheddar cheese alternatives. You’ll have to shred the block, but it has a stronger, sharper cheddar flavor than the shreds. Both incorporate into the soup nicely and help add to the thick, creamy texture.

My preferred broth for any soup, vegan or not, is Imagine “No Chicken” broth. It has the best flavor of any vegan broth I have tried.

Vegan butter substitutes like Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter are good alternatives to butter. It can be difficult to find an unsalted one so be sure to taste your soup before adding any extra salt.

fresh broccoli florets, wood bowl with shredded cheddar cheese. dark wood bowl with gluten-free flour and small cheese grater in background. Blue weathered wood background

Ingredients

This soup uses a butter and gluten-free flour roux as part of the thickening. If you puree the soup it will be thickened further by the veggies.

The cheddar cheese also adds to the rich creamy texture. I prefer to use a sharp cheddar for the strong tangy flavor.

The liquid in this soup is a combination of milk (or milk sub) and low-sodium broth. Many recipes call for heavy cream but I prefer to skip all that extra dairy and allow the roux and cheese to add the rich, thickness to this soup.

A low-sodium broth with allow you to control the salt level best. I do not give an exact amount of salt. Between the varying saltiness of brands of broth, vegan butters and cheeses, it is best to taste and add salt according to your preference.

overhead view of white bowl with gluten free broccoli cheddar soup topped with croutons. small bowl with shredded cheddar on right, spoon on left and beige napkin underneath.

This soup would be perfect topped with my homemade gluten-free croutons or a thick slice of my gluten-free multi-grain bread.

overhead view of white bowl with gluten free broccoli cheddar soup topped with croutons. small bowl with shredded cheddar on right, spoon on left and beige napkin underneath.

Gluten-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Author: Janet Harlow
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
This gluten-free broccoli cheddar soup is creamy, comforting and cheesy. Make it in 30 minutes or less, Dairy-Free options included.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins

Recommended Products

  • Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavor Block (vegan option)
  • Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds (vegan option)
  • Imagine No-Chicken Broth
  • White Rice Flour

Ingredients
  

  • 5 oz fresh or frozen broccoli fresh or frozen
  • ΒΌ of a medium – large brown or white onion
  • 1 small (or 1/2 large) stalk celery optional
  • 6 Tbsp butter or vegan butter Earth Balance or Miyoko's vegan butter
  • 6-7 Tbsp white rice flour or gluten-free flour blend
  • 2-2ΒΌ c milk or dairy-free milk substitute (almond, soy, oat or coconut milk subs)
  • 2 c low sodium chicken or vegetable broth Imagine "No Chicken" broth is an excellent vegan broth
  • 1Β½ c shredded cheddar cheese or vegan cheddar sub Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavor Block or Just Like Cheddar Shreds are excellent vegan options
  • salt to taste
  • 2 pinches ground black pepper optional

Instructions
 

  • NOTE: White rice flour is my preferred way to thicken gluten-free sauces and soups. Gluten-free flour blends can be used too but, I have found that different gluten-free flours (even different brands of rice flour) will give varying thickening results. If the soup is not thick enough after stirring in the cheese in step 9 and you don't plan to puree it, here is how to thicken it more:
    Make a paste of equal parts of soft butter and flour, mixing them together until all of the flour is moistened. Use 1 Tbsp of each for a little extra thickening or 2 Tbsp each for a lot of thickening. Drop this paste into the warmed soup and stir over medium high heat until the liquid boils and thickens.
  • If leaving the soup chunky, cut the broccoli into very small bite-sized pieces. If using frozen, let it thaw at room temp on an absorbent kitchen towel for 5-10 minutes. Then cut while partially thawed.
    If you plan to puree the soup, I recommend leaving some larger pieces of broccoli. This way you can easily pull them out before pureeing and chop up for a garnish.
  • Mince the onion and celery.
  • Heat a 2 quart pot over a high flame for a minute or two. Add about 2 teaspoons of the butter and melt.
  • Turn the flame to medium and add the celery and broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the onion and cook, stirring, for another 2-3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent, Do not brown, Turn the heat down if the onions start to brown.
  • Add the remaining butter and melt. Add the flour and stir with a wire whisk, The mixture will turn thick and pasty. Keep cooking and stirring until it loosens up a little, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour in 2 cups of the milk and all of the broth and turn the heat to high. Stir every 30 seconds or so until the liquid boils and thickens. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly for another minute,
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and black pepper, if using. Stir until it is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • If you want your soup less chunky or completely smooth, pull out the larger pieces of broccoli (if you want some for garnish) and blend with an immersion blender or in a high powered blender.
    **When using the blender, be sure to remove the center piece from the lid (or open the spout) to allow steam to escape.
  • Because different cheeses and broths will add varying level of saltiness, I have not given an exact amount of salt. First take a taste of the soup. Is it a little blah? Are the flavors not POPPING? Start with 1/8 tsp salt. Stir it in and taste again. I usually use between 1/8 and 3/8 tsp salt.
  • If you are serving immediately and the soup is too thick, stir in the remaining 1/4 c milk.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was! Tag @chefjanetk on Instagram.
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Posted In: Soup · Tagged: broccoli, dairy-free

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and review when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me.

Thank you!
Janet

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me
Hi, Welcome! I'm Chef Janet and I create gluten-free recipes that everyone will love, gluten-free or not.

Set up a customized lesson with me to learn basic cooking techniques, gluten-free, menu planning and kitchen tips to make your life easier. Follow me on instagram to keep up with my latest and let me know how I can help.

Follow along on Instagram

These Peanut Butter Whiskey Cookies are the new fa These Peanut Butter Whiskey Cookies are the new favorite of my taste testers. They were begging for more the second they took the first bite. If you like sweets with your cocktail, then this is the cookie for you! Link to the brand new recipe in my profile.
πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒπŸͺ
I found that the whiskey flavor faded a little bit in baking so I created a peanut butter whiskey icing to make sure that they taste boozy.
πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒπŸͺ
#peanutbutterwhiskey #glutenfreecookies #peanutbuttercookies #glutenfreepeanutbuttercookies #boozydesserts #boozycookies #thefeedfeed #losangeleschef #glutenfreechef #boozydessert #glutenfreebaking
Spring means berries, so get ready for new recipes Spring means berries, so get ready for new recipes with berries. These Gluten-Free Fresh Strawberry Muffins are first up! Link to the new recipe in my profile.
πŸ“πŸ“πŸ“
I normally make my baked goods dairy-free too, but I wanted a buttery tasting muffin. So these muffins start with creamed butter and sugar for a muffin with a beautiful texture and flavor. I used Namaste Gluten-Free flour, but the recipe works well with other gluten-free flour blends.
πŸ“πŸ“πŸ“
#glutenfreemuffins #strawberrymuffins #glutenfreebreakfast #muffinrecipe #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreelosangeles #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreechef #muffinrecipes #glutenfreestrawberrymuffins
These buttery Gluten-Free Drop Biscuits are my new These buttery Gluten-Free Drop Biscuits are my new favorite comfort food. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🧈πŸ₯›πŸ₯„
The recipe includes real butter and buttermilk and just a few more simple ingredients. It is super easy and makes it to the oven in less than 10 minutes if you use a food processor.
πŸ₯„πŸ₯›πŸ§ˆ
#glutenfreebiscuits #dropbiscuits
#buttermilkbiscuits #glutenfreerecipe #biscuitrecipe #losangeleschef #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreebreakfast #glutenfreebaking #thefeedfeed #easyglutenfreerecipe #glutenfreebreakfastideas
These Gluten-Free Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes are These Gluten-Free Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes are a sweet and tart spring treat. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸ§πŸ‹
This recipe is super easy and mixes up in just a few minutes. I include tips for making sure that the raspberries don't all sink to the bottom. I top them with my vanilla buttercream frosting but they'd also be amazing with my pipeable cream cheese frosting.
πŸ‹πŸ§πŸ‹
#glutenfreecupcakes #raspberrylemoncake #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreedesserts #thefeedfeed #losangeleschef #glutenfreetreats #beautifulcupcakes #prettydesserts #raspberrylemonadecupcakes #raspberrylemonade #glutenfreeblog #creamcheesefrosting
These Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes combine These Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes combine 2 of my favorite flavors. They are moist, fluffy and super easy to make. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ«πŸ‹πŸ«
Top them with my vanilla buttercream frosting or tangy cream cheese frosting. Add a tiny bit of blueberry juice to either one for this pretty purple frosting.
πŸ‹πŸ«πŸ‹
#glutenfreecupcakes #lemonblueberrycupcakes #lemonblueberry #glutenfreedessert #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #glutenfreechef #glutenfreebaking #purplefrosting #blueberrydessert #lemondesserts #springcupcakes
Lemon week continues with this 5 Minute Lemon Basi Lemon week continues with this 5 Minute Lemon Basil Dressing. No chopping, no slicing, the blender does all the work. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸƒπŸ‹πŸƒ
I may post a lot of baked goods on my insta, but I am really a salad person. I live on them year-round. So coming up with new and interesting dressings is key. The combo of sweet basil, tangy lemon and a small amount of sweet and salty, makes for a perfectly balanced dressing. The recipe includes instructions on how you can easily turn this into a creamy dressing if you prefer.
πŸƒπŸ‹πŸƒ
#lemonbasil #saladdressings #lemonsalad #5minuterecipes #losangeleschef #freshbasil #glutenfreeblog #5minuterecipe #saladdressingrecipe #saladdressing #thefeedfeed #buzzfeedfood #saladrecipe
This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake is like a bite of suns This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake is like a bite of sunshine. It is one of my all-time favorites. If you ask me what cake I would want for my birthday this would be it. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
The cake gets a double dose of lemon flavor from lots of lemon zest and lemon extract. I tried lemon juice and found that I had to use way too much to get the lemon zing that I wanted. So I leave it out and rely on the zest and extract.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
The recipe is super easy and can be made dairy-free with the use of your favorite dairy-free milk sub. I like soy milk for baking the best.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
#lemoncake #lemondesserts #glutenfreecakerecipe  #glutenfreelemoncake #glutenfreedairyfreecake #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #easyglutenfree #glutenfreecakes #glutenfreebirthdaycake #glutenfreeblog #kingarthurglutenfree
Happy Friday! These 2 Peanut Butter Whiskey Milksh Happy Friday! These 2 Peanut Butter Whiskey Milkshakes are perfect for a sunny happy hour. Which would you choose? Raspberry peanut butter or cookies & cream and PB? Link to the recipes in my profile.
πŸ₯ƒπŸ₯œπŸ«
Both of these boozy milkshakes start with a base of vanilla ice cream, a big spoonful of peanut butter and a shot or two of peanut butter whiskey. And good news, these can easily be made dairy free and gluten-free. My blog post provides info on the best dairy-free ice cream and creamers to use for a shake as well as gf cookies.
🍫πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒ
#boozymilkshake #peanutbutterwhiskey #peanutbuttermilkshake #milkshakerecipes #happyhourideas #dairyfreemilkshake #veganmilkshake #veganmilkshakes #losangeleschef #veganicecream #boozyicecream #whiskeymilkshake

Copyright © 2022 Chef Janet · Support by Foodie Digital · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Policy