• About
  • Work with Me
    • Contact
  • Food Photography
  • Newsletter

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 December 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, df special

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

This gluten free red velvet cake is so moist and t This gluten free red velvet cake is so moist and tender they'll never know it's gluten free. Get the full recipe at chefjanetk.com
β™₯οΈπŸŽ‚β™₯οΈπŸŽ‚
#redvelvet #glutenfreecake #glutenfreeredvelvetcake #losangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreeblog
#glutenfreebaking #glutenfreedessert #glutenfreebirthdaycake #bestglutenfreecakes #glutenfreerecipes
Thanksgiving prep has started in my kitchen! Wheth Thanksgiving prep has started in my kitchen! Whether you need a gluten-free stuffing recipe, gravy or an easy side, I've got you covered. Need a delicious, decadent dessert? I've got that too. Link in my profile to my Thanksgiving recipes.
πŸ—πŸ₯§πŸ 
You'll find tips for perfect silky, smooth gravy, moist delicious stuffing, perfect pies, simple sided dishes and more.
🍠πŸ₯§πŸ—
#glutenfreethanksgiving #thanksgivingrecipes #thanksgivingdesserts #glutenfreestuffing #glutenfreegravy #losangeleschef #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreepiecrust #glutenfreedessert
Pie and cupcakes are my favorite desserts so I put Pie and cupcakes are my favorite desserts so I put them together in one. These gluten-free apple pie cupcakes make for an awesome autumn dessert. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🍎 πŸ₯§πŸ§
These cupcakes have a fluffy cinnamon spiced cake, traditional apple pie filling and an apple cinnamon buttercream frosting.
🍎πŸ₯§πŸ§
#glutenfreecupcakes #glutenfreedessert #glutenfreeapplepie #losangeleschef #cinnamonbuttercream #glutenfreelosangeles #holidaydessert #glutenfreeholidays #autumndesserts #applepiecupcakes
Nothing says holiday brunch more than cranberry or Nothing says holiday brunch more than cranberry orange muffins. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🎈🍊🎈
#cranberryorangemuffins #glutenfreemuffins #holidaybrunch #glutenfreebaking #losangeleschef #glutenfreechef #glutenfreeblog #cranberryorange
This Sweet Potato Frosting is the perfect holiday This Sweet Potato Frosting is the perfect holiday topping for cupcakes, cakes muffins and anything your heart desires. There's just four ingredients and no cane sugar. Link to the recipe in my profile.
 🍠 🧁🍠
Sweet potato puree, cream cheese, butter and maple syrup are all you need for this amazing frosting. Amazing on carrot cake, spice cake, vanilla cake and so much more.
🧁🍠🧁
#sweetpotatofrosting #cakefrosting #glutenfreeholiday #holidaydesserts #glutenfreeblog #losangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #sweetpotatodessert #sweetpotatorecipe #cupcakefrosting #glutenfreecupcakes
Do you like your gluten-free pumpkin bread slather Do you like your gluten-free pumpkin bread slathered in a rum icing or a straight up?? Get the recipe - link my profile.
πŸŽƒπŸŽƒπŸžπŸŽƒπŸŽƒ
This recipe is super easy and makes an incredibly moist and delicious pumpkin bread that is good enough for dessert, brunch or a little autumn snack.
πŸŽƒπŸŽƒπŸžπŸžπŸŽƒπŸŽƒ
#glutenfreepumpkinbread #pumpkinbread #glutenfreebrunch #glutenfreebaking #autumndesserts #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreechef #glutenfreeblog #pumpkindessert #fallbaking
I hope you didn't miss it last week! This gluten-f I hope you didn't miss it last week! This gluten-free lemon drizzle cake is too good! Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
#lemondrizzlecake #glutenfreecake #lemonloaf #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreechef #loasangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreelemoncake
This Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake is the cake of This Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake is the cake of my dreams. Link to the brand new recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
The combination of lemon and butter in a sweet dessert is about as good as it gets, if you ask me. This cake is super moist and somewhere between a pound cake and a fluffy layer cake.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
#lemondrizzlecake #lemonloaf #glutenfreelemoncake #glutenfreecake #lemoncake #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreeblog #prettycakes #lemondesserts #glutenfreelemondrizzlecake

Copyright © 2023 Chef Janet · Support by Foodie Digital · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Policy · Web Stories