Skinny Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is a top three favorite of any recipe I've ever made for the blog. I am so impressed with myself and I have zero qualms about admitting that.
Recipes hardly ever turn out perfectly the very first time I try them, but this time, it did. Pure magic when you're a food blogger because testing recipes is equal parts exhausting and expensive.
I've also never actually made soup from scratch in my life, so the fact that I created this all on my own is somewhat shocking to me. The word "roux" usually deters me from making a recipe entirely (my mom would be so disappointed in this) but I decided to bite the bullet for the sake of this recipe, and it was the easiest thing ever. I have no clue why it took me so long. That said, if you're anything like me, don't worry. If I can do it, so can you.
That leads me to my next point. I pride myself on truly creating the easiest recipes ever. I want someone who's never cooked before to seamlessly be able to make my recipes! That said, I can't make a soup out of two ingredients like I can my pancake bites, so bear with me on this one!
It's not any less easy than normal, there are just a couple more ingredients! Totally worth the extra ingredients and effort, I can assure you!
In full transparency, I am not the biggest soup fan, but we all know that broccoli cheddar soup from Panera is God's gift to the Earth. I have truly never heard anyone disagree. Until yesterday when someone classified Panera as expensive hospital food .. I promptly unfollowed them. Kidding, but not.
That said, broccoli cheddar soup can be extremely high in fat and just all around, not super healthy by any means. That's where I come in, to work some macro magic. Normally a broccoli cheddar soup has upwards of 30 carbs, and 21+ grams of fat. My recipe has 13 carbs, and 15 fat! And tastes equally as good, I promise!
One thing I will note, this recipe still has some fat, but the bottom line is this: you cannot make broccoli cheddar soup with fat free cheese. It does not melt correctly, it can't happen. I promise. So if you're thinking you can lighten this up even further with fat free cheese, please don't waste your time or money. It's good for some things, not this.
Other than that, I don't have much else to say about it aside from I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Taylor agreed he would purchase it at a restaurant, so coming from the guy who hates all things healthy, this is a stamp of approval if you ask me!
Macros
- Calories: 259
- Carbs: 13.4g
- Fats: 15.2g
- Protein: 17.4g
This is based on 1/8th of the recipe, or around 270 grams.
Ingredients
- white flour
- salted butter
- unsweetened almond milk
- chicken stock
- broccoli
- fat free cream cheese, cubed
- 2% evaporated milk
- Parmesan cheese
- mild cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
Directions:
Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup
The best soup you'll ever make at home, hands down. This soup was inspired by my favorite soup at Panera, broccoli cheddar. This version is just as good, if not better, but it's homemade, and macro friendly. What more could you ask for?! It's creamy, smooth, and perfect for a chilly winter day. It's filling, and it makes a batch that will last you all week!
- 1/4 cup cup white flour
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 32 oz chicken stock
- 5 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen, doesn't matter!)
- 1 block fat free cream cheese, cubed
- 3/4 cup 2% evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
-
In a small sauce pan, turn heat on low and melt your butter completely.
-
Once melted, whisk in flour, then add almond milk, stir constantly until everything is melted/combined.
-
Pour mixture into your crockpot, and turn heat on high.
-
Add in chicken stock and broccoli, and let it cook for 4 hours.
-
Add in cream cheese, evaporated milk, cheese, salt, and pepper, and let cook for 20-30 more minutes.
-
Stir, stir, stir until everything is combined and melted! Note: at this point, if you have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup to make it more smooth! I don't mind a thicker, chunkier soup, but it's totally personal preference!
Note: I know someone will ask so I wanted to address it! Although I haven't tried it with this recipe myself, I am sure you could do this on the stovetop. I would follow the directions as closely as you can, and probably just let everything simmer for 25-30 minutes. Don't come for me if it doesn't work, that just my best guess!
Never Miss a Post!