This is the easiest broccoli cheese soup you’ll ever make. Six ingredients, one pot, about 35 minutes, and the only real prep is chopping the bacon.
It’s creamy, cheesy, topped with crispy bacon, and it comes in at 33g of protein and just 10g of carbs a bowl. The trick that makes it so easy is one secret pantry ingredient that does all of the thickening for you.
The secret ingredient: country gravy mix
Yep, gravy mix. Half a packet of country gravy mix whisked into the broth thickens the whole pot and seasons it at the same time. No roux, no measuring out flour, no extra steps.
I use Pioneer’s Gluten-Free Country Gravy Mix, which is certified gluten-free, so this soup can be gluten-free too. Just check the labels on your broth and bacon. Regular country gravy mixes usually contain wheat flour, so if gluten matters in your house, look for the gluten-free version.
The Easiest Broccoli Cheese Soup You’ll Ever Make
Equipment
- 1 Pot
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon about ½ package, chopped
- 6 oz frozen broccoli florets separated from stems
- ½ packet Pioneer Gluten-Free Country Gravy Mix about 1.4 oz
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Chop the bacon and cook it in a large pot until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Separate the broccoli florets from the stems while it cooks.
- Cook the stems. Add the broccoli stems to the bacon fat and cook until tender.
- Mix the broth. Whisk ½ packet of gravy mix into 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Build the soup. Pour the broth mixture into the pot. Add 1 cup of water to the same measuring cup to rinse out any leftover gravy mix, then pour that in too. Add the broccoli florets and most of the bacon, saving some bacon for the top. Cook until everything is well combined.
- Melt in the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, saving some cheese for the top. Stir until the cheese is melted and the soup has thickened.
- Serve. Top each bowl with the reserved bacon and cheese.
Video
Notes
Why separate the florets from the stems?
Broccoli stems are firmer than the florets, so they need more time. I separate them while the bacon cooks, then give the stems a head start in the rendered bacon fat. By the time the florets go in, everything finishes tender together, and the stems pick up all that bacon flavor.
The measuring cup trick
After you whisk the gravy mix into the broth and pour it in, add the cup of water to that same measuring cup before it goes into the pot. It rinses out every last bit of gravy mix stuck to the sides. Small thing, but nothing goes to waste.
Keep the cheese smooth
Turn the heat down to low before the cheese goes in, and stir until it melts. High heat can make cheese turn grainy or oily. I used cheddar jack, but any good melting cheese works. Save a little cheese and bacon for the top of each bowl.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 489 · Protein 33g · Total carbs 10g
These are total carbs, not net. Subtract the fiber and it’s about 9g net carbs per serving. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition estimated with Cronometer; values vary with your specific ingredients.
Watching sodium? Between the bacon, cheese, gravy mix, and broth, this one is on the salty side, about 1,440 mg a serving. Low-sodium broth is the easiest way to bring that down.
Want a from-scratch version?
If you’d rather skip the gravy mix, try my broccoli cheddar soup thickened with blended broccoli stalks. It takes a little more time, but it’s naturally thickened with no mix at all.
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The $50 Low-Carb Week
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