The Blond Cook

Serving Up Cooking Simplicity

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Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Sometimes you just need to be comforted with a big bowl of hot, creamy, cheesy broccoli soup but don’t want (or need) all of the fat and calories.  I recently made a lower-fat version:  Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

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Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup - a lower fat version... you'll never miss the fat!

During our recent cross-country road trip, I noticed my clothes getting a little tighter about half-way through the trip.   All of that eating and sitting while traveling was starting to take it’s toll on my butt waistline!  I started watching what (and how much) I ate and have lost a few pounds so far.

Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup - a lower fat version... you'll never miss the fat!

I want to be able to still enjoy the foods I love with a little compromise.  I used lower-fat ingredients in this recipe, but one thing I did NOT do is use margarine instead of butter.  That is not an option for me… I just used a little over half of the butter that my original recipe calls for.  Guess what?  I hardly noticed a difference overall!

So going low(er)-fat in this recipe bought me a few extra calories for sopping that soup up with a crunchy and soft french baguette… my all-time favorite way to enjoy Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

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Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: About 6 servings
Print Recipe

Description

A lower fat version of traditional Broccoli Cheddar Soup… you’ll never miss the fat!

Ingredients

  • 1 (24 ounce) bag frozen baby broccoli florets
  • 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1–1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 2–1/2 cups low-fat 1% milk
  • 8 ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1–1/2 teaspoons salt (more or less, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper (more or less, to taste)

Instructions

  1. Place frozen broccoli florets and carrots in large pot, cover with water.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 3 minutes.
  3. Drain vegetables in a colander and set aside.
  4. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.
  5. Add onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
  6. SLOWLY add in flour, about a tablespoon at a time, while stirring with a whisk constantly.
  7. Once all of the flour is added and there is a nice paste formed, slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly with whisk.
  8. Add milk slowly, continuing to stir.
  9. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  10. Once mixture reaches a boil, slowly add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.
  11. Add broccoli and carrots, salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
  12. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup ~ Creamy & cheesy without the guilt!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Amy @ The Blond Cook says

      Thank you so much, Vanessa for the nice words. Having it again for lunch today! 🙂 Hope you enjoy it if you try it.

      Reply

  7. Kim says

    Great recipe! Love the low-cal version! I used my immersion blender to make it a little less chunky (hubby’s preference) and it was delicious. Paired with a chopped salad, made for the perfect “resolution” dinner!

    Thanks for sharing!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. Dominique says

    This look so delicious! Do you think if I used Almond Flour in place of all-purpose flour it would turn out the same way?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Amy @ The Blond Cook says

      Hi Dominique! I can’t say because I always use all-purpose flour. I googled it and there are mixed opinions and experiences on it, so you’d possibly be taking a chance. I hope it works out for you if you make it. Happy new year!

      Reply

    • Amy @ The Blond Cook says

      Hi Bonnie, I’ve never frozen this particular soup, but you should be able to freeze it. If the milk has separated when it’s thawed I’d recommend whisking in additional milk. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

    • Amy @ The Blond Cook says

      Hi Karen, I don’t have nutrition information available for this recipe. You can search for “calorie counter” on the internet and enter the ingredients for nutritional info. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂

      Reply

  13. Tamisha white says

    I added the ingredients I used into my recipe calorie counter. I didn’t however use the full fat sharp cheddar and 1% milk. The per serving is 356 calories (22g fat, 21.5g carbs, 16g protein). And it was delicious!

    Reply

  14. gina says

    this soup was FABULOUS – broccoli cheddar is one of my favorites and I’ve used many recipes. This is my new favorite 🙂

    Reply

    • Amy @ The Blond Cook says

      Thanks so much, Gina! I’m actually cooking Broccoli Cheddar Soup today… YUM! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply

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