Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

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Today’s easy soup recipe is essentially a cross between broccoli cheese soup and my favorite old-fashioned potato soup. What’s more, this recipe is extremely versatile.

Thatโ€™s because although many of the ingredients can be substituted, in the end you always end up with one fantastic thick and creamy bowl of homemade soup!

Italian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl on a blue plate

Looking for more Italian inspired soup recipes? My family loves Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup โ€” it has the most delicious lemony broth! Or, you may enjoy my Olive Garden copycat recipe for Zuppa Toscana Soup or this Pasta e Fagioli Soup. All are delicious!

ingredients for Italian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

Key ingredients & substitutions for Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

  • Potatoes โ€” Basically any variety of potatoes work in this soup. My preference is Yukon Gold, but russet or red potatoes are also good.
  • Broccoli โ€” Fresh broccoli florets or frozen chopped broccoli
  • Onion โ€” Along with a sweet Vidalia or white onion, celery or carrots diced and cooked together adds a delicious depth of flavor.
  • Cheddar cheese โ€” Use whatever you have on hand, like sharp or mild cheddar, Gruyรจre, or smoked gouda.
  • Milk โ€” For a richer broth, you can always substitute heavy cream or half and half.
  • Pancetta โ€” Cured pork adds delicious flavor. If you don’t have pancetta, substitute diced bacon, ham, or kielbasa. Remember to drain off the rendered fat before adding the other ingredients.

tips

  • Since this soup is made with pancetta โ€” which is already salty โ€” use salt sparingly when adding more to your soup. Taste and season the soup for your preference.

Italian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl on a blue plate

How to make broccoli potato soup

STEP 1 | Build base of flavor

First, cook aromatics like onions, celery, carrots, or garlic to start building flavor. For today’s soup, we’re cooking the onions and pancetta together. This smells so good, you’ll be ready to eat it up before you even finish the soup!

STEP 2 | Cook the potatoes

Next, add the liquid and the ingredients that require more cooking time, in this instance potatoes. My recipe uses mostly chicken broth with a little milk or heavy cream to make the broth creamy, but you can use all broth or all milk.

If using milk or cream in the liquid, cook at a lower temperature to avoid scalding the milk. Cook this mixture until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

STEP 3 | Add the quick cooking ingredients

Ladle some of the soup into a bowl of the soup and use the back of the spoon to mash the potatoes against the side, then stir them back into the soup. This helps thicken the soup.

Stir the chopped broccoli into the pot and cook for another five minutes until tender.

STEP 4 | Stir in the cheese

When adding cheese to soup, it is best to remove the soup from the heat first and stir in the cheese gradually to avoid the cheese seizing or curdling.

tips

  • Some chefs make sofrito โ€” a mixture of slow-cooked, caramelized onions, carrots, and celery โ€” and store it in the refrigerator or freezer to use as a jump start when making soups or stews.
  • Itโ€™s a little thing, but garnishing a warm bowl of soup with fresh herbs definitely ups the ante. Imagine raising that first spoonful toward your mouth and getting a whiff of freshly chopped herbs along with the soupโ€™s savory aroma. JUST. YUM.

Italian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl on a blue plate

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze this Italian potato soup?

Potato soups are not the best for freezing because when thawed, the potato texture can become grainy. That being said, if you do choose to freeze this soup I would recommend you make it to freeze with all chicken or vegetable broth and not add any milk or cream.

How long does this soup last?

You can safely store Potato Broccoli Cheese soup in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, add a little chicken broth or milk to each bowl of soup and warm in the microwave.

How do you make a vegetarian version?

Easily make vegetarian potato broccoli soup by omitting the diced pancetta and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. Otherwise, follow the recipe directions as written.

Italian-Style Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup: behind the recipe

Now that the weather is a bit chilly, you can bet I’ll be making a bit pot of soup or chili every single week.

Homemade soup is not only much tastier than canned soup, it’s over all better for you. I know it takes a little longer, but it’s really not that hard and it’s great having leftovers for lunch throughout the week.

One of the easiest soups you’ll ever make, this Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup is chock full of veggies and is thickened without adding any flour.

Once the potatoes cook, spoon a cupful out, mash them up, and stir them back into the soupโ€”and pronto! You’ve got yourself a perfectly thick and delicious chowder.

Italian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup in a white bowl on a blue plate

Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

Thick and creamy Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup is loaded with chunks of potato, broccoli, and pancetta adding delicious depth of flavor.
4.55 from 24 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soups & Stews
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 388 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 4 oz. pkg. 4-oz. pkg. diced pancetta
  • 1 medium garlic clove minced
  • 4-5 medium potatoes peeled and diced
  • 1 bunch broccoli
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk or heavy cream
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • ยผ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยผ teaspoon black pepper
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • chopped Italian parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

  • To a dutch oven or soup pot over medium low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and pancetta. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is tender and pancetta begins to crisp. Add the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant..
  • Add the potatoes, chicken broth and milk. Bring the soup to a gentle boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup to a bowl. Use the back of the spoon to mash the potatoes against the side of the bowl, then stir them back into the soup.
  • Add the chopped broccoli florets and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cheddar cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
  • To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

For vegetarian Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup: Omit the diced pancetta and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
You can safely store Potato Broccoli Cheese soup in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, add a little chicken broth or milk to each bowl of soup and warm in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 24gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 2181mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword broccoli, potato
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4.55 from 24 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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