This cheesy vegetable chowder is packed with veggies and flavor! It’s one of my family’s all-time favorite dinner recipes. Perfect for chilly evenings.
This recipe has a long history with my little family. I got the original version from my sister-in-law when my husband and I were newlyweds. We had just moved into our condo with the bright red kitchen. I have such fond memories of that kitchen!
Anyway, the only veggies in the recipe back in those days were potatoes, and it called for turkey bacon. I remember thinking “heck no!” to turkey bacon and using regular bacon instead. It made the soup soooooo salty; it’s a wonder I kept making it after that, although I never again used bacon of any kind! And it originally only served 2, which was fine at the time but not really enough for a growing family.
Fast-forward seven years and it has morphed into a cheesy, comforting vegetable chowder packed with veggies that are good for you, and give the soup some much-needed color! It is one of our family favorites–even the kids love it–and now that the weather has cooled off a little, will resume its weekly appearance on our dinner menu.
Cheesy Vegetable Chowder has consistently been one of the most popular recipes here on Lulu the Baker since I first shared it. I love hearing from readers who make it for their families once and love it so much that they add it to their own regular recipe rotation. I know you’ll love it too.
*If you’re looking for crockpot directions for Cheesy Vegetable Chowder, several commenters have left their instructions in the comments section below!
Cheesy Vegetable Chowder
This is one of my family's all-time favorite dinner recipes! It is easy to make and tastes delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)
- 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes. Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender. Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened. Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through. Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.
Are you a soup fan like I am? CLICK HERE and search my soup recipe archives!
Sounds really good 🙂 And perfect for this time of year…
This is great! A new favorite and perfect for cold weather months. Served with salmon. Yum!��
I use chopped frozen broccoli, and we add chopped chicken too! Super yummy!
The chicken sounds like a great addition!
I made this tonight. I used zucchini instead of celery, because I had one that needed to be used. My kids hate zucchini, but they LOVED this chowder! We all did! The kids asked for seconds, which happens very rarely around here. Definitely adding this to my regular routine. Thank you!
Thats a great idea! I’m going to try it.
I had fresh peas…so used those instead of brocoli….smells good, can’t wait to eat it!
Thanks for the idea! I hate celery but love and have zucchini on hand to use.
Can you estimate how long this takes to cook, total? I’d love to make it, but our evening schedules are tight and I have to plan ahead to make sure everything finishes in time for everyone to eat before we rush off again!
took me over an hour!!! I might be a slow cook, but it did take a while. worth the wait though!!
I used frozen veggies and made sure they were thawed half through. Total just took me 40 minutes 🙂
I chopped up all the veggies during nap time (a luxury I know not everyone has) so it saved a lot of time.
About 45 minutes total, just make sure you chop everything finely so it cooks faster
I used a slow cooker..after I sauteed the onions, carrots, and celery I added it to the crock pot with everything else except the flour, water, milk and cheese and cooked it on low for 6 to 8 hours then when I was ready I just took 15 minutes out of my time to do the steps with the flour, water, milk and cheese…it turned out great
Thanks for the update Carleen! I know people have had mixed results with their slow-cookers, so I’m glad to hear it worked out for you!
I did exactly what Carleen said, but I had less time available. So I cooked it on high in the slow cooker for an hour and then dropped it down to low for 2.5 hrs. Plus I seasoned to taste at the end.It was an excelent meal for our first rainy fall day!
Amazing!!! My husband loved it! Can’t wait for leftovers 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks for the info on using a crock pot. Will try this recipe for my husband when I have to work the afternoon shift at work and he has to do his own dinner.
Another time saving short cut to use for soups, stews and chili— omit water and flour. Add instant mashed potatoes instead until desired thickness is reached.
I’ve used cauliflower puree in place of heavy cream or milk
It doesn’t take much time at all if you already have your veggies prepped and ready to go. I cut mine up and freeze them just after grocery shopping. With that said, it probably took me 30 minutes. If you don’t have things ready ahead of time, it will take much longer.
I’m using the crock pot. i did like Carleen and sauteed the onion carrots and garlic first …
I skipped the celery and used a bit of dried celery flake for the flavor. i swapped out the potato for 1/4th of a breadfruit, and i added a small amt of chopped zucchini. oh and cauliflower instead of broccoli. OK OK OK so its not the same but a variation – thanks for tHe INSPIRATION though! I’ll report back with a verdict.
OMG! my variation was so good, i can only imagine how good the original was. Hubby is not a soup person… and he asked for seconds!
took me about 40 mins, used my food processor for the veggies saved a bunch of time!
I used my food processor and just didn’t puree it and it worked great cut a lot of chopping and cutting time down to minutes.
This can be done in a 1/2 hour using a pressure cooker ! Just thicken when you take pressure out!
This can be done in a 1/2 hour using a pressure cooker ! Just thicken when you take pressure out!
How long did you cook it for? I just got an instant pot so still playing around with it.
Did you keep the broccoli out with the milk or just add it with everything else and then pressure cook for 30 minutes? I am thinking that’s how it would work, but I just started using an instant pot and I’m not really sure… Thanks!
Hi Charlotte. I would say this takes about 30 minutes to cook, but that’s if you have all of the veggies chopped before you start. I think 45 minutes start to finish should cover you easily!
i found this pinned on pinterest and made it for dinner tonight for my husband and i. it was amazing! i mistakenly picked up smoked cheddar cheese, but it was still really good. thank you so much for sharing!
i am making some right now!!
-m
Found this on pinterest and loved it! I added Red Pepper Flakes to mine to make it a little spicy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Would this feed a family of 5 with some hungry teenage boys in the mix? Wondering if I should double it. Have you ever made this in a crock pot?
You can definitely get 5 bowls out of it, maybe more. It’s pretty heavy, so I doubt you will be eating more than one bowl at a time. We bought pre made bread dough and had that with it, filled us up. The most I would say is add an extra half, that way you guarantee you all get what you want, but I don’t think you would need to doubleit.
I think you would have to double batch this. I am a teenage girl with a family of 4.. and it barely fed us! haha
Have you tried freezing this? I am having a baby and trying to prepare some foods ahead of time.
We did freeze half of this and it was great still.
Sounds delicious! How many people does this serve? Also, do you think this would be freezable?
we just made this – it’s fantastic! we added a tablespoon of dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper – delicious!
Hi Tammy! I’ve never tried making it in a crockpot, but let me know if you try it and it turns out! For a family of 5 with teenage boys I would probably double it. And it is delicious left over, so if it ends up being a little too much, it will still be OK!
K and MisssNoelle–I’ve never tried freezing it, but here are my thoughts: I would certainly give it a try. I don’t think the flavor would be negatively affected by freezing. The texture might be a little different after a freeze, but if that’s the case I’d just pop it in the blender!
And I’d say this serves 4 grown-ups.
It freezes beautifully. Enjoying some now!
Saw this on Pinterest and it looks DELICIOUS!!! I’m definitely making it this weekend, with maybe some shrimp or crab meat thrown in.
Sounds delicious! I’m making this right now!
I just hopped over from Pinterest as well. I’m making this tomorrow and putting it in bread bowls from another site 🙂 Yum!
Hi, what site did you get the bread bowls from?.?
Just made this and everyone loved it! Thanks!
Making this right now. I am using potatoes peas carrots and cauliflower. I can’t wait to try it!
I just made this for dinner tonight, it was a huge hit!!! I just LOVE it!! And surprisingly my son ate it!! Thx for sharing this
It’s on the stove…can’t wait to try it! I’ve got some nice crusty bread to go along with it too. Thanks for the recipe.
btw…I found this on pinterest too! 🙂
Just made this for dinner and I LOVE it
Ann Kelly
recipeswelove1.blogspot.com
made it tonight as well- and added in asparagus and some white cheddar. good stuff, thanks!
I also found you on pinterest – Can’t wait to try it! I wonder if it would be good to add chicken?
I just made this and it was delicious! I followed your directions exactly and it came out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing!!
I just made this for dinner tonight and it came out perfect. I followed you recipe exactly. Everyone liked it! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Just found you on pinterest, too. I’ll be making this this week and can’t wait!
I just found you from pinterest, too. This sounds so tasty and easy. I can’t wait to make this tomorrow night!
Just made this because I found it on Pinterest and it sounded DELISH! It’s a great versatile recipe, I omitted the milk and cut back on butter, everyone went back for seconds (and thirds!) I also added mushrooms and more celery. Fantastic recipe that i could add or take away from, this will be added to a weekly rotation, and I always have the ingredients on hand. Thanks for a great dish!
Trying it the crockpot, will let you know how it goes after dinner
giving the crockpot version a go this morning will let you know how it turns out at dinner 😉
Found the recipe on Pinterest. Followed it to the letter (except I doubled it for my family of 6). Served it with crusty bread. Everyone had more than one helping! With the leftovers, I used my hand blender and pureed it and will give it to kiddos in a mug for a warm nutritional snack. Thanks! Another warm meal to add to my winter rotation!
Just made this tonight – its awesome and my husband flipped out! Only thing is it wasn’t as thick as I wanted, it was almost runny despite the flour/water, do you have any suggestions of how to thicken it up a bit?
We made this tonight, I used a potato masher to roughly mash everything before adding the flour/water/cheese/milk part and found that thickened it quite well too.
Mine came out runny as well 🙁 Wish I could figure out what I did wrong.
You can also do corn starch and water. Sometimes you have to add more to get it thickened.
my favorite trick to thicken cream soups quickly is to add instant mashed potatoe flakes-you can even add flavored ones if the suit the recipe
Courtney–I can think of a few things to try that might help the soup be thicker.
1) Use really starchy potatoes. I usually use waxier potatoes because that’s what we have a garden full of, but the starchier varieties should break down more during cooking and just naturally make the soup thicker, especially if you cook them longer.
2) Use less chicken broth and/or less milk. I would maybe cut down both amounts a little at first, then add more of each toward the end of the cooking time if the soup can handle it.
3) Make sure you use really good cheese. We always use Tillamook, and I’ve sort of forgotten that not all cheese is created equal! A good cheddar that actually melts into the soup should help thicken it.
Good luck!
Maybe it was the cheese. Mine broke but was still good.
Can you use frozen veggies for this, like frozen broccoli?
we made this last week and wrote about on our blog. We ALL loved it… even the hubby that does not do veggies http://recipeswelove1.blogspot.com/2011/11/cheesy-vegetable-chowder.html
Ann Kelly
recipeswelove1.blogspot.com
Caitlyn–Absolutely, you can use frozen broccoli. The first time I made this with broccoli, it was leftover cooked broccoli. And I actually prefer it that way. I don’t even think you need to thaw it before adding it. Just make sure it cooks all the way through!
Ann Kelly–Wow! Thanks for featuring my recipe. I hope it is a continued success for you!
I just made this and it was FANTASTIC. Thank you for sharing, I will definitely make it again!
Thi looks so good! I am going to try this..
i made this for dinner tonight! it was really great! thanks for sharing it! susan
I adapted this slightly to what I had. I made a volute first, added the garlic, potatoes and carrots, let that cook for 10 mins on medium and added a pre packaged bag of stir fry veges. Allow that too cook another 10 mins and throw in the cheese and milk. It worked beautifully! Thank you so much for the idea!
I made this and it was amazing… Only I used an immersion blender to purée the soup. I prefer a smooth texture to the chunky original recipe. I also could use a little less cheese, and I looooove cheese, but I felt like it didn’t need quite as much when I puréed it as it was nice and think already so the cheese could be more of a garnish. Anyway, thanks for the recipe.
how many servings is this?
G–it makes about 4 servings. It feeds my little family for one meal and gives one person leftovers for lunch the next day. If you’re feeding more than 4, I’d definitely double it.
This sounds delish! My family has “Sunday Soup Suppers” – this will be perfect for later this winter.
PS: Congrats on the Today Show pinning you. That’s how I found this recipe!
I’m planning on making a double batch on Saturday for a holiday party. I’m making it vegetarian (veggie broth) and am thinking of adding leeks and white wine. Thoughts on this anyone??
Tracy–I had no idea!! Woohoo!
Kat–I think leeks would be awesome, and I don’t see how a little white wine in anything could go wrong!
Kat, I also made it with veggie broth and it was delicious. And i can’t imagine wine hurting anything!
Kat, I made it with veggie broth and it was great!
Glad I came across this comment. I was scrolling through hoping somebody had made it with vegetable broth and had good results. My husband, son, and I are vegetarians and I REALLY wanted to make this. I’m very excited now! 🙂
Found this on pinterest as well. Had it for lunch and it was delicious! I think next time I will sub cauliflower for the potatoes and add more broccoli. Thanks for sharing!!
I plan to make this tonight and enjoy as my warm, yummy lunch for the week. Thanks for the time estimate. 🙂
Vicki ([email protected])
Hi Lulu,
I am excited about trying out this recipe, but I was wondering if there are any meats that I could add to it? My husband is an active guy with a fast metabolism and he needs as much protein as possible. I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!
I think someone else suggested chicken, but also try blending it. Blended soups digest more slowly and make you feel full longer.
Chicken would probably be good or you could add beans for protein. Maybe some navy beans or something like that.
I don’t remember where I found your recipe, but I did a double take when I saw it on Pinterest. Was just the kick I needed to give it a try – and also I had a bunch of cheese I needed to use up. This is truly delicious. I think the secret must be in the thickening; I’ve never tried this with soup, but I think it will solve the problem of those watery soups I’m prone to make!
Simone–I haven’t ever tried meat in it, but I would think shredded chicken would be good, and maybe smoked sausage or kielbasa thinly sliced. If you try it, let us all know how it turns out!!
I made this last night (subbed vegetable broth) but kept the rest the same, it was amazing! My roommate and I ate almost all of it! Thanks for the awesome recipe. It will go into our book of favorite Sunday Soup Recipes! Delicious!
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m not a good cook at all but I tried this out and and I follow your directions exactly. And BAM, I cooked something! Thank you! Thank you! It was yummy!
saw this on pinterest-how fun for you to be highlighted there! congrats!
giving this a try tonight-looking forward to a yummy dinner!
thanks for sharing 🙂
I found this recipe on Pinterest last night and just made it for dinner tonight. It was so simple (for me, a non-cook) and delicious! Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
I made this for Sunday brunch 🙂 It was soooooo good!!
I made this for dinner and it was so good. Will be doubling the recipe next time so we can have leftovers!
Made it for the 2nd time last night. I added a farmer sausage to it, so yummy. This is deffinitly my new favorite soup.
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! Made a double batch and used a little whipping cream instead of milk because of its lower lactose content. Also skipped on the flour/water because my potatoes broke down and thickened it quite a bit. As everyone else has said, this will now be one of my to-to winter soups! Thank you!
I made this a few days ago and loved it. My son (age 4) gobbled it up and asked for more! I’m looking forward to the last of the leftover today for lunch. Thanks for posting this recipe!
Can’t wait to make this!!! We love soup & grilled cheese night and i think this week calls for veggie chowder!! Thank you!!
Visit my blog: http://www.welcometomontalvocountry.blogspot.com
just made this in the crockpot- i forgot to reduce the amount of liquid since it won’t cook down like it does on the stove; so mine was more brothy and less creamy 🙁 So if you want to use your crockpot i’d cut way down on liquid for cooking the potatoes, 🙂
I have frozen this soup, and it was great the 2nd time around. Thanks for sharing, this recipe is a keeper in our house!
I just found this on pinterest and can’t wait to try it (too bad I don’t have all the ingredients in the house right now, cuz it made me hungry)! Read all the comments (everyone loved it!) but couldn’t find an outcome to the crock pot question. Did anyone let you know how it turned out? Did they post an adapted crockpot version?
http://www.kitschy-vintage.blogspot.com
Auntie–Someone somewhere said that because it doesn’t reduce at all, they would use less liquid in the first place when doing it in the crockpot. Sounds like a good plan, and you can always add more liquid at the end if it is too thick! Best of luck!!
I found you thru Pinterest, and it’s 11:48pm here, and I’m just about ready to make this right now!
Guess I should wait until morning… lol. =D
I found this through pinterest too. I made it for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe. This will be a staple at our house. 🙂
I just tasted this to see if I needed to add any seasoning. It is perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!I also found you through Pinterest.
I found this on pinterest a while back and just made this tonight, it is so good! It is going in my recipe box tonight!
I don’t see anything on how it turned out in the crockpot, if anyone has done it could you please post any changes you made and how long you cooked it please, it sounds awesome
I love this recipe found it on Pinterest also. I am making it today and have added smoked sausage also a few more veggies love the versatility of this recipe.
First, I love Pinterest because it leads me to yummy things like this. Second, I love my crockpot and am all for cooking anything and everything I can in it! So, how long did the crockpotters cook this? I saw the comment about it not reducing, so I will account for that. I was thinking like 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 on low? That is standard crockpot time…I think.
any idea on the nutritional information?
Delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I made it last night with artisan boule bread bowls! Perfect!
thank you for posting this! i love it! so yummy!
found your recipe on PINTEREST as well. Daughter & I cooked it last night. Doubled the batch. We enjoyed it immensely.
Making this tonight- sounds delish with some crusty french bread 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
the cheese didn’t melt into the soup, it just became a big melted glob in the bottom of the pot…any ideas what I did wrong?
Nik–In all my years of making this, that has only happened to me once, and I have no idea why! My only two thoughts are to use cheese you shredded yourself–as opposed to the preshredded kind–and to stir it as soon as you add the cheese so that it doesn’t congregate on the bottom. Best of luck!
i made this for lunch SO FREAKING yummy! i used the per-shredded cheese with no clumping issues.. just fyi.
Thank you! This soup is heavenly. I added cayenne pepper and Oscar Meyer real bacon bits. very yummy.
What we ended up doing is you put the cheese yourself in your own bowl, so that you can control how much or less cheese you want. It was YUMMY! Perfect for a cold wintery day…
Pinned! Can’t wait to try it!
So good. I made it tonight. Only thing I wish I had was nutritional info. Mm, so yummy.
I’m making this for a second time tonight, the first time my husband loved it so much he actually bragged about it on his FB! Tomorrow morning he leaves for a 2 week training so I decided to make this again for his “last meal” before he is stuck in the field eating MRE’s for 2 weeks!
Thank you for this amazing addition to my recipe book 🙂
Had this at a scrapbooking crop and was more interested in eating than working on my scrapbook. Seconds were in order. Just got done making it for dinner tonight along with homemade bread hot out of the bread machine !!! YUMMO
Just made it. Love it. So flavorful and colorful. Thanks for the recipe!
Found this on Pinterest and decided to make it tonight. It didn’t matter that it didn’t thicken as much as I would have liked. It was delicious! Don’t even have any leftover for lunch tomorrow! This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Just made this tonight! Delicious! Thank You for a great recipe.
I did add some salt and pepper and some chicken to it…YUM!
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Made this tonight for dinner. Your instructions were easy to follow and of course the soup was delicious. I also pinned your Peach Buttermilk Cake. I’m excited to try that during peach season.
I have made this a few times now and plans to a Thousand more:) This recipe is makes veggies so delicious and gets everyone in my family to eat their veggies! Thank you for sharing! Jenn
I made this tonight and it was amazing!! I put it all in the crockpot and cooked it on low for about 7 hours. I cant wait to make this again!
I found your soup on Pinterest and gave it a try! The whole family enjoyed it. I added some salt, pepper and extra cheese for our personal taste. It was a hit. I would like to put a link to your site in a post on my blog saying I made the soup from your recipe and it was great if that is ok.
Thanks for the delicious recipe. I found it on Pinterest, and like it so much, I posted it on to my blog. My five year old told me, after eating the chowder, that he liked it more than macaroni and cheese – which is no easy feat!
For those of you who made this in the crockpot, did you sauté the veggies and do everything he recipe says (except cook it in the crockpot instead of the stove)? Details would be appreciated for a crockpot newbie such as myself:)
I just made this with turkey sausage and added a little salt and pepper…Yum! Even my kids enjoyed it!
I am making this right now! I work full time and it is taking a little longer than I anticipated to make. Next time I will chop all veggies the night before to accommendate for the time. aven’t tasted it yet but it sure smells good.
If you’re crunched for time, you can try using frozen, chopped broccoli and pre-shredded carrots. Those are two easy shortcuts that might help it go faster!
Over Pinterest I found this recipe and saved it on my board. Today I made this recipe and it was just soooooo good! The family loved it! I also used just one stalk of celery as you did as I am not a celery fan and it was excellent just like that. The only thing I did differently was that I substituted chicken broth with vegetable broth, as I am vegetarian. It still tasted fabulous! It took a while cutting the all veggies but that was no problem as I always make everything fresh and am used to that. Thank you for this delicious recipe and I am keeping it now as a family favorite for future reference.
This would go great as a side with my meatloaf, My daughter and I would have this as a meal but My husband wouldn’t be satisfied so I would make a small meatloaf.
Looks really good! I think you could add bacon or chopped ham for some meat! My husband thinks there always needs to be meat in a meal!
Looks good but why do people insist on ruining what could be a perfectly good vegetarian recipe with chicken stock?!?
Several commenters have mentioned that they used vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock and had good results!
Made this tonight! I added double the celery, cauliflower and broccoli. Also half a package of cubed ham. We all loved it!
Can you hear my stomach growling? Great time to read blogs like this is just before lunch. Yum! I’ll be making this very soon.
I made this soup for lunch…completely forgot to add the cheese and it was still DELICIOUS! I snuck a bowl for myself and am giving the rest to a couple who just got home from the hospital with the first baby 🙂 Will make this again for the family…a lot!
Made this tonight after seeing it on Pinterest multiple times. SO GOOD. I used Olive Oil instead of butter, frozen vegetables (everything from the onions to the broccoli-only the garlic and potatoes were not frozen) and fat free chicken broth. Then I used a mix of white and orange cheddar and I didn’t really thicken it or add milk. My husband and I loved it. We ate it with crusty bread. The broth was broth, not goo, and I like that! Still with the cheesy taste. Well done.
Have a ton of cut up veggies leftover from Super Bowl Sunday. Can’t wait to try this out tomorrow!!!
We made this last night and it was SOOO yummy! Definitely a keeper!
Made this today for lunch!! Yum yum!!! Thank you and thanks pinterest! I added cauliflower because we had some left over in the kitchen, and I pureed it in the blender..my husband probably wouldn’t eaten it if he saw all the veggies 😉 Delicious!!
I just made this in the crockpot but I reserved the cheese and milk for the end. I’ve often read you need to reserve it, but wonder if that info’s correct. Do any of you cook all the way through with the milk?
This recipe was great, btw 🙂 We’ll be having it a lot around here.
I just made this awesome recipe! I subbed the chicken broth for vegetable stock. Didn’t add onions or celery, but added an extra potato and a tiny bit more cheese. Absolutely perfect. Still flavorful. No salt or pepper needed.
Absolutely Amazing!!!!! I made this for dinner last night and my husband and young daughters loved every bite of it! Next time I will definitely double the recipe, so there is more for a second bowl/leftovers. This soup reminds me of soup you would get from Panera Bread…..it was exceptional! This one is definitely a keeper!!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad your family liked it as much as mine does!
This recipe is just so delicious! I have made this twice already and because I am vegetarian, I simply substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth and it still has such wonderful flavor! The whole family loved it!
I made this yesterday in the crock-pot and it worked perfectly! Thanks for the recipe!
Did you reduce the liquid making it in the crock pot? By how much?
And how long did you cook it please?
thanks
Andrea
Hi Andrea. I haven’t ever made it in the crockpot, so I don’t have an answer! It seems that a lot of comments have said they’re going to try it, but not too many have posted results. One commenter said it was too liquidy. Maybe don’t add all of the chicken broth? You can always add more at the end if it was too thick, right?! Good luck, and sorry I couldn’t help more.
Making this in the crock pot today. Will let you know how it goes! 🙂
Just made this recipe tonight and it was DELIGHTFUL! My husband and I both loved it and it’s surprisingly very filling! I only did one stalk of Celery because my husband and I aren’t big fans of it, but you couldn’t even notice it much the cheesy goodness covered it all =) Thank you so much for sharing!!
This is wonderful!! Made it for dinner tonight and it’s gone 🙂
This is an awesome recipe! J
Just a note – I see a lot of crock pot users but not a lot of results or specifics on what people tried. I sautéed the carrots, celery, onions and garlic then threw everything else in the crockpot. It did NOT work. At all. The veggies tasted great, but the cheese clumped up and the flour clumped up.
If i were to try with the crockpot again, i would cook the sautéed veggies in the pot with the broth and raw potatoes on low for 5 hours, then add the broccoli until its soft….probably no more than 30 mins…. Once the broccoli is soft, add a rue (milk and flour mixture you’ll need to cook on the stovetop. I’d says bout 1/2 cup should work for this recipe, so 1/4C milk and 1/4c flour) and then melt the cheese with a bit if milk in a different pot then mix that melted cheese n with the rue. Once you’ve got that, stir the cheesy rue into the vegetable mixture in the crockpot and serve pretty much right after.
That being said, it almost Seems like more work to make this in the crockpot based in my experience and knowledge… And I use the crock pot for EVERYTHING!!
Thanks for all of the crock pot tips! I’ll have to try it one of these days so I can have answers when people ask!
making right now and smells delish and double the recipe! I am going to plan on freezing the leftovers and see how it turns out!! should only make it thicker if anything after reheated due to the potatoes you think?? I had some leftover chicken shredded that needed to be used up so I added it too! should be good for a cold evening w/ some bread!!thanks
Hi! I haven’t tried freezing it, but we always have some left over and it is even better reheated!
I know what chicken broth is but what is broth made with chicken soup?
Hi Deborah. The chicken soup base is called Better Than Bullion. It comes in a jar right by the bullion cubes, and it is a thick, super concentrated chicken bullion paste. It makes a really nicely flavored chicken broth.
This sounded so good and it smelt good as I was cooking it. I followed the ingredients to the t on here, however I put it in the crockpot, cooked on low for 3 hours, then added the shredded cheese, cooked another 3 hours on low. Everything was done(the potatoes and broccoli were soft), but it wasn’t creamy and the cheese didn’t melt well. Not sure if the crockpot is the way to do this one.
Hi Jen. I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out for you! I still haven’t made it in the crockpot, so I can’t tell you the best way to do that. Maybe just stir the cheese in at the very end, let it melt, then serve?
Could you add rice to this recipe?
That’s sounds like it would be delicious!
Would add more stock since rice absorbs liquid? Or what would be the best way to do it? Thanks!!
If I were trying it, I would just cook the rice separately and toss it in at the end. However, if you want it to be a one-pot kind of thing, yeah, I guess I’d add enough extra stock to make the right ratio with however much rice you add (2 cups liquid to 1 cup rice). And maybe add the rice 15 minutes before you expect the chowder to be finished, maybe at the same time as the potatoes. Sounds like some experimentation is in order!
OK, so I tried adding cooked rice right at the very end. And while it was a tasty addition, the rice kind of got lost in the soup and I didn’t even notice it. Maybe rice instead of potatoes but not in addition to??
Thank you for the ideas and help!!
Oh my word, thank you so much for this recipe! I made it last night and even my two and four year old children loved it! What a great way to get kids to eat a ton of veggies in one serving 🙂
So glad it was a big hit with your family!
CROCKPOT!
I made this is the crock pot a couple days ago. sorry for the delay on posting my comment.
I put everything except the cheese and milk in the crock pot and let it cook on low for about 5 or so hours. Then I added in the cheese but left out the milk because it was so runny. Aftere another hour the cheese was just making big gooey chunks. I tried to blend some of it but that gave it a weird texture. I will try to make this again using less liquid and putting the cheese in at the begining. I hope this helps all of you crock pot users out there!
Made this in the crock pot. Used onion flakes instead of onion because of a picky eater in our house. Cooked everything except the milk and cheese for about 5 hours. Added cheddar cheese and some left over Parmesan cheese I had in the fridge. Also, I used corn starch instead of flour to keep it gluten free. Excellent!
making this now for a church carry-in lunch tomorrow! Looks and smells delicious! Hope it’s a hit! Thanks. 🙂
I just made this and it is AMAZING! I love how a few simple ingredients mixed together can turn into something so tasteful. It was a hit with the whole family. Thank you
I ended up needing to thicken the soup a bit more and also added black pepper and extra garlic! Thanks for a great recipie.
How did you thicken it? Thanks!
Delicious! Just what I’m craving right now!
I also saw this on pinterest. Since I had everything and needed to use up some chicken stock and other veggies, it was perfect. Wasn’t sure since there are few spices, but we LOVED it. Yummy comfort food – even better the next day. Very rich – hard to believe there is only 2 TBS of butter and 1 of flour. And I only had 1 cup of cheese – still great. Thanks Lulu!
I love this. I’m making it for the third time- and you really can add a lot of different veggies to mix it up- whatever needs to be used up. Now that I’m in to vegetable juicing, I always have leftover veggies that need to be eaten up quick. Thank you so much!
Great recipe and also a great picture. Wonderful to have all ready when everyone show up at different times for dinner after baseball, cheer and meetings. I love soup all year round! I will be adding it to my recipe file!
We love soup too. And this really is a great one; it reheats even better!!
Followed your recipe plus some extra salary, and it was delicious!
Have made this a couple of times already and it’s one of my favorite recipes ever. my kids will even eat it with the broccoli. thanks!
It seems to be a hit with picky eaters everywhere, mine included!
This soup sounds so good. I’m going to make this soon 🙂
It sounds wonderful! How many calories per cup???
Sorry, I have no idea what the nutritional breakdown is for the recipe. If I figure it out, or if someone else leaves a comment with the calories per serving, I’ll make sure to post it.
Made this tonight. It was good, although if I make it again I’ll probably try to make a thicker soup. It was just like a creamy broth, as opposed to a chowder. It was good though.
Oh YUM. I bought the ingredients yesterday…definitely going to make this today or tomorrow! I have kale that needs to be used…pretty sure I’m going to add that to it! Yay for cheesy goodness with lots of fiber!
One of the best things about this recipe is that you can throw in whatever veggies you want!
I just made this and it is soooo good!!! Thanks!
I used half and half instead of milk (just because I had some that needed to be used)… It’s really alot easier than I thought. Chopping took the most time!
This is so good! I love broccoli cheddar soup but it’s so fattening. This turns the volume up on the vegetables and still has that amazing cheddar flavor. I baked homemade yogurt honey buns to go with it. Mm!
Homemade yogurt honey buns sound delicious!
I rarely (and by that I mean never) comment on recipes I find online. This was fantastic, even with cutting down the cheese (to about 1 cup or so) to reduce the fat 🙂
I have never known how to cook before and after joining Pinterest I was really inspired by recipes (obviously one of them being yours). I decided to try this recipe because I love soup and I’m picky with my veggies. This turned out delicious and I’m so proud of myself haha. Thank you so much for inspiring young and old cooks everywhere!
I loved this recipe! I used Havarti cheese instead, and it was still just as delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe that I know will now be in my family forever! 🙂
how many does it serve?
I would say it serves 4.
Could you use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
I’ve never used vegetable broth, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be delicious!
I must have done something wrong. Mine wasn’t very good, and not very thick. 🙁
I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out for you! The first time my mom made it, it turned out very weird. I was like, “I swear it’s a good recipe. Please don’t judge me based on this!”
The first time I made it I also had troubles with it being bland and watery. I’ve made it about 6 times now and I finally feel like I’ve got it figured out. I add 4 potatoes instead of 2, 2 Tbsp of flour instead of 1, and a cup of chopped mushrooms in place of the single celery stalk. You need a good, flavorful cheese. I use an Italian blend – romano, mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, asiago, and provolone. I still add a little salt and pepper before eating, but it’s a thick and hearty soup with a good flavor.
if u use 2 cream of chickens or even cream of celery and 1 broth it is nice and thick. i also added “bacon bacon” by tastefully simple
Mine was bland and watery the first time I made it as well, but I knew there was potential and after making it several times, I feel like I’ve adapted it well. I think the key is to add more veggies and flour. I use 1 heaping cup of carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 1/2-1 cup of mushrooms, 1/2 cup of onions and 4 large potatoes. I upped the flour to 2 Tbsp instead of one and I add in salt and pepper for flavoring. I also use a good, flavorful cheese. My favorite so far has been an Italian blend of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, fontina, and romano cheeses. The end result is a thick, creamy flavorful soup.
I made this with vegetable broth and it was delicious! Next time I will double it because the only problem was there wasn’t enough! The whole family loved it!
Yay Julie! I’m so glad. My 6-year-old asks for it all the time.
I thought it was a little bland. I added some spices for flavor…but not a “5-star” in my book – sorry
Making this tonight! Can’t wait! 😀
– Jenny@smalltownhippies
AKA “Orgasm Soup.” Pretty dank.
I made this tonight for dinner and it was gobbled up by all. I subbed chicken broth with vegetable broth because I’m a vegetarian (not vegan) and doubled the garlic. Will definitely make it again.
Yay! Glad your family loved it as much as mine does.
So good! My son told me it was the best soup i’ve ever made! I will keep this recipe!
Going to make this in my crockpot today! It is going to be a hot one, so this will be great to not heat up the house! I am going to combine the chicken broth, veggies (had in the freezer already flashed boiled since I don’t like to waste fresh veggies we don’t get too), onion, garlic, and put some cubed ham I have that I use for my crockpot corn chowder in the the crockpot. Then at the last about 30-45 mins you put the milk, flower, and cheese in! This would also make a great freezer meal! I bet you can put chicken in this too! YUM! Great for when the whole fryers go onsale! I love to save my broth from those! 🙂 God Bless!
One of my favorite things about this soup is how versatile it is! You can definitely change it up to make it just how you like it!
how do you flash boil your veggies and i think that it would also be great with a little imitation crab.
This soup was so good! I put some cheddar cheese, asiago cheese, and regular sliced american cheese in it. I also added some crushed up crackers! Very yummy! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Christina. Your cheese additions sound delicious! We just had it for dinner on Tuesday!
Made this for dinner last night and I have to say it was pretty tasty. I added some already shredded chicken I had in the freezer and cooked on low for at least an hour, then took it off the heat, let it stand and the re-heated for dinner. It was very thick and creamy. When I cooked on low, cheese and milk was already added in. I felt like it gave it time to thicken and for all the flavors to mix.
Sounds like it was a hit!
Found you on Pinterest! Made this for dinner tonight – it was delish, thank you!
Just made this for dinner and my husband and I loved it!! SOOO yummy 🙂 can’t wait to make it for guests!
I’m so glad you liked it Danielle!
I found this on pinterest! I am planning to make it for a friend with a new baby. I am allergic to wheat…do you think I could use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken it up a little?
Hi Stacy. I think you can most definitely leave the flour out. I’m sure cornstarch would work as a thickener, just not sure how much to tell you to add! Other ideas that would work: puree the whole thing with a stick blender; add instant potato flakes. Good luck!!
Found on Pinterest and made it tonight. It was so good and my husband (who hated vegetables until just a couple years ago and still isn’t the biggest fan of them) LOVED it! We crushed some saltine crackers over top while eating and it made it taste like a chicken pot pie (only without the chicken). My husband said this was his favorite “new” meal that I’ve made lately. Thank you for sharing your recipe and for helping my husband eat more veggies! 🙂
Hey Susan. I’m a fan of anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that tastes like chicken pot pie! I’ll have to get out the saltines next time I make this!
Hi Lulu!
Just thought I’d comment to say I made this for tea tonight!
Because we are not a big onion family, I fried the potatoes in the garlic with the butter to start with! I then added the carrot, then followed through with the rest of the recipe. I also added half a cup of red lentils to the mix, which made it more ‘soupy’! My kids didn’t eat it, but oh well! I thought it was nice. Thanks for sharing =)
I’m wanting to do this with a crock pot and see some different ideas… but some said crockpot didn’t work so well. So what’s the best way to crockpot this and it turn out good?
Hi Angie. I’ve never actually made it in the crockpot; I always just cook it on the stove top. Just scroll through the comments to look for tips from people who have made it successfully in the crockpot. It seems like everyone has tried a slightly different method, and some people loved the results and some hated them. Helpful, huh?!
I just finished making this and it is super yummy… The only thing I did different is I left out the cheese and added some yummy chicken “meatballs” that I had made. Thanks for an amazing recipe.
Chicken meatballs sound like a delicious addition, stepc!
Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing. I made this in the crock-pot and it turned out great. I did make a couple of changes. I have a large family so here’s what I did…
chop into large chunks:
6 large potato
6 large carrots
2 stalks celery
add 4 cups stock, 1/2 cup milk and veggies to the crock and turn on high. Then mince onion and garlic. Fry the onions and galic in 1 stick of real butter. When tender add 6 tbls flour and wisk until cooked(1-2 mins). add the flour mixture to the crock and give it a good stir. Cook on high for 3 hrs then add a package of frozen broccoli. Get your cheese out and let it come to room temp. When veggies where tender(5 hrs total)I added 1 pound of Kraft shredded(fine) sharp cheddar. It turned out thick and creamy. This version served six.
Thanks for posting crock-pot directions! People keep asking me, but I’ve never made it that way. Now I can direct them to your comment!
Found this on pintrest… tried it out tonight and it turned out pretty darn tasty. i added some chicken, red pepper flakes, and some additional flour to thicken it up a little more. Thanks!
It is so easy to change this recipe up to suite your family’s tastes. We always have it on Meatless Monday, but I bet is was amazing with chicken!
Found this on Pinterest and made it tonight! I added Kale. It fed a family of five and was sooooo DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing your recipe. We will definitely be having this again.
I’m glad you liked it! Kale would be a delicious addition!
I am making this for dinner tonight…It is raining and this pregnant momma wanted some comfort food. So I made everything on stove top and then switched to the crockpot. We didnt have celery but I just added more carrots and broccoli…we like stuff veggie style but I was craving sausage so I added smoked sausage. I have another hr or so before we eat and my children have tasted the juice/sauce and LOVE IT!!! We are using French bread which I am adding cheese to and going to broil it and we can dunk it in. Can not wait!!! YUMMY!! Thanks
That sounds delicious! I wish I were eating at your house tonight!
this looks gorgeous…will be making it with leeks instead of celery and adding sweetcorn too…..looking forward to it!! and i also found this on pinterest…you also hold the rare achievement of me actually making something i’ve pinned to my recipe board!! love n peace xxx
I always have such good intentions of making things I pin, I just don’t get around to it as often as I’d like!
I made it just like u said then put it in the crock pot on lowfor 6 hrs and added salt and pepper and a can of cheerses cheese camblees soup to make it more cheeseit was wonderful!
Sounds like it was extra cheesy and delicious for you!
This is very similar to Mr. Foods broccoli cheese soup just not as fatening. I I sauted the onions, carrots and garlic, threw in raw chicken (cut into small cubes), frozen brocooli, potatoes and 6 cups of chicken broth and cooked on medium heat for 45 minutes, then added the milk, flour and cheddar cheese. Very delish and of course less fatening than the other recipe I was using. Thanks 🙂
Just discovered your blog & I’m in heaven with your recipes! Then I found you on Pinterest!! *doing happy dance*
Hi! I tried this recipe tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!! I’m a newbie in the kitchen and slicing all those vegetables was really a workout (haha!), but my husband’s reaction was so worth it. Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂 🙂 🙂
For those asking about making this in a crockpot. I made it last night in the crock pot. I sauteed vegs and put in the crockpot along with the broth and garlic(I let this cook for about an hour before adding the brocolli). Total cooking was 2 hrs on hi and 2 hrs on lo. I used a hand blender to semi mash vegs. Instead of flour I used a heaping tblsp of cornstarch and added it to the milk and omitted the water altogether. I let it cook and reheat for another 15 minutes then slowly added the cheese while stirring constantly as I added then once again let it reheat for about 10 minutes. It turned out delicious and the cheese did not clump at all for me. Definately will make it again!!
Thanks for the tips Charlene!
Just made it! Awesome. I used fresh veggies from the garden and local cheese and milk. I suspect this’ll become a go to recipe for us.
So glad you enjoyed it; it is certainly a go-to for us!
This was one of my favorite soups I’ve ever made! I served it with toasted homemade honey wheat bread. Mm! I tried to make it a bit healthier by adding 2 cups broccoli, omitting the milk, and substituting Promise margarine for butter, and using only 1 cup cheese. I would say it made about 6 servings. Thank you!
Homemade bread is the perfect accompaniment to this soup!
This was sooooo delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
I’m always so happy when someone leaves a comment saying it turned out perfect and they loved it. Hooray!
Yummy! It looks fantastic!
DE-Licious! Just made this and I’m serving it up with some homemade bread. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay! Enjoy!
Made this tonight and put in lots of extra cheese. It was great with whole wheat beer bread! Yum!!!
MKM–I never actually measure the cheese. My husband shreds a big pile and I throw it all in–it is always delicious!
SO easy and oh SO yummy!! My only alteration was to use 1/2 and 1/2 rather than milk. This soup could easily be whipped up for a weeknight meal and is a great option for those vegetarian days ~ thank you for sharing!
Hi Tara. I use whole milk if we have it, never ever ever skim, and I think 1/2 and 1/2 would make it so luxurious!!
I use a similar recipe along the same lines, I puree all the veggies to make it smooth….it really is amazing
Hi Shannon. We’ve pureed on the few occasions where the consistency turned out weird, and that always fixes the problem!
Yum! I’m going to take a stab at this later on in the week. I can’t wait 🙂
Hope you love it Trish!
Very tasty! Just made it with some bannock and it got gobbled up! 🙂
Found this on Pinterest and I made it tonight. It was delicious. My little ones loved it! I wanted to use frozen broccoli but my tiny little grocery store was all out because they had it on sale so I ended up using the broccoli cauliflower mix and it was great. I love that you can mix and match the veggies to your own taste. I’ll be using this for a regular now 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Karma. That’s one of my favorite things about this soup too–that you can use pretty much whatever veggies you have on-hand and it always tastes yummy!
Just made this today and it is deeeeeeelicious! My picky eaters love it! I tweaked it a lil because I doubled, possibly tripled it, and I still came out good. I added fresh sweet corn at the end & it gave it a little added crunch. Great recipe! 🙂
I bet the corn made it extra tasty!
I’m trying to figure out if a stalk of celery means the entire stalk (the package of celery all clumped together is called a stalk) or if it means just one of the individual pieces from the stalk. I’m assuming you don’t mean the whole stalk, seems like a ton of celery!
Rootbeer–you are correct! Thanks for pointing that out! I don’t really know what you call one stick of celery. I guess one stick of celery, but that sounds stupid!
Made it tonight…Added Salt, fresh cracked peppercorn, wanted to add thyme (but I was out) still needed more herbs/spice. Also should have used red potatoes instead of russet potatoes and more broccoli.
I usually use whatever potatoes I happen to have on hand. Lately, it’s been fingerlings, and the soup always turns out great regardless!
could you use Vegetable broth to make it vegetarian?
smada5–I haven’t tried vegetable broth, but I’m sure it would turn out exactly the same. The only thing I would think you might have to adjust is the seasoning. Good luck!
Well, I have been looking for just something like this. My DH just had all his teeth removed and was given dentures. However, the lowers hurt so bad he wasn’t able to put them in and now the gums have healed different from the original impressions. Sooo, I plan on making this and then running it through the blender to make it a more liquid soup, but still all the nutrition. Hope it works out. I know it will be delicious as is. Thanks for sharing.
Cardscrapper–I hope this worked out for you!
I made this for dinner last night for myself, husband and 16 month old daughter and we all loved it! I also made my daughter some bread spoons to help her eat it and she really enjoyed it. So glad we’ve got enough left over to have again tonight! Perfect recipe for the chilly weather we’ve got over here in the UK right now and this recipe is definitely going to be putting in a regular appearance 🙂 Thanks for sharing it x
I’m glad it was a hit with everyone in your family Victoria!
This is a really simple recipe. I regularly blend my soups, going to try this recipe soon,it might be nice to add some shredded chicken to make it a one pot meal.
Mary–I think chicken would be a delicious addition! Best of luck!
Thank you for the recipe. I made it tonight, and it was delish – for the kids too! As vegetarians, we substituted veggie broth. Making this again soon, for sure 🙂
Hi Michelle. I’m glad it was delicious with the veggie broth!
just made this tonight and it was delish – thank you!
can this be made in the crockpot? if so how long do you think it should cook?
Hi Sarah. I’ve never made it in a crockpot, but a lot of the commenters here have. If you scroll through the comments you should be able to find a few different sets of instructions for making it in the crockpot. Good luck!!
This was sooo good!!!! Thank you!! It didn’t really thicken… not sure what i did wrong there? But it was delicious anyway! My hubby loved it too!
Hi Melissa. I’m glad you both loved it, even if it didn’t exactly turn out the way it was supposed to! 😉
We love this soup! Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
You are welcome Jodi!
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! I’m on a vegetable soup kick right now and this is the best soup I’ve ever made, maybe even had! Ever! The only thing I did different was double the recipe so I could take some to work for lunch tomorrow 🙂
I’m so glad that it worked out for you and that you loved it! And doubling it was a great idea; it is even better the next day!
I made this tonight but being a vegetarian I switch to vegetable broth and 2 cans cream of celery. Both my little kids loved it. I actually stuck some extra broccoli and extra carrots in the blended and chopped them rather fine to add even more veggies with out adding lots of chunks. I also added 3 celery stalks and a bit more onion. The more veggies the better. Thank you for the idea it sure beat whatever I would have made that Ive made a hundred times=)
I processed all the vegetables (except the potatoes) in a mini food processor as my food challenged children are not big veggie fans! It certainly cut down on the cooking time. We loved this soup!
I’ve thought about using my stick blender to make it smoother, just to see if we like even more than we already do–Great idea!
Just finished my first batch in the crock pot. The cheddar cheese clumped up so I removed it ( stuck to the whisk so was easy to remove most of it). Added Velveeta instead and have to say it is awesome. Am going to try to freeze it and also will be having this for lunch at work. Thanks for this easy and delicious recipe.
I’m actually a Velveeta fan, so I’m glad to know that it worked out in this soup! I have found that the cheddar melts better when the soup is thicker.
I made a pot of this tonight for an early dinner. It is perfect for the fal weather 🙂
We always love when the weather turns chilly and we can start have this soup on a weekly basis!
I substituted 12 ounces of the liquid (water & broth) for a can of beer and used vegetable broth base to make this vegetarian friendly. A household favorite after the first bite!
It always makes me happy to hear that somebody changed the recipe to suit their needs and loved it!
This was delicious! I made it for dinner last night. My 20 month old ate 3 bowls!
Thank you!
So glad to hear that, Marissa! My 15 month-old is going through a super-picky phase; hopefully in 5 more months he’ll love it too!
Found you on Pinterest, OF COURSE, and finally made this tonight! Oh my goodness it’s great! I used vegetable broth, chunkier cuts of veggies and a blend of cheddars- and it’s AWESOME! I’m adding it to my blog as the first easy, family friendly, fall recipe review. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
http://thoroughlymodernlindsey.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the link-up Lindsey! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Found this on Pinterest today and had it for dinner tonight…it was delicious!!! I added some potato flakes at the end because it didn’t thicken as much as I wanted it to. My husband said it was a keeper! (felt good on my sore throat too)
Potato flakes are a great idea, Ida!
Love this quick, easy & veggie filled soup! The kids ate it up with no complaints. I thickened my soup with a scoop of mashed potato flakes at the end, instead of the flour, and it turned out very well. Thanks for the “pinspiration”!
Glad it was a hit with your kids! That’s always a challenge, isn’t it?!
Attention all crockpot lovers…i made a SUCCESSFUL pot of this DELICIOUS soup and here’s how:
I placed 2 cans of vegetable broth (im a vegetarian) in the crockpot with all the other ingredients minus the water, flour, cheese and milk. I saw the previous recommendation of 4cups of broth being too much but i added a cup more of broccoli and OMITTED the water to “make up” for it – it was still kinda runny but ill explain more about that later. Instead of celery and carrots, i used a broccoli slaw mix sold in the produce section at the grocery store next to all the bagged lettuce etc. I cut up 2 medium potatoes (skin on-i like it better that way) I used frozen broccoli and fresh onion. I didn’t saute anything, just plopped it all in. im pretty lazy. I added salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and put crockpot on high for 5-6 hours. then once the potatoes were soft, i heated up fat free half and half in place of the milk to make it more creamy i added 1 tbsp of flour and stirred to make a rue. it didn’t quite make it and thicker so i added the runny rue to the crockpot and stirred as i put in cornstarch. i stirred until it was a consistency i wanted. then i added 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese stirred and stirred some more. i put it back to low for about a half an hour and then i ate it. i ate a lot of it. it was good and came out great. hope this solves everyone’s crockpot question. i took on the challenge and i succeeded happily 🙂
Thanks for the directions Erin! I’ll make a note at the bottom of the post to let people know there are good crockpot directions down here.
This soup is delicious! The weather is cooler and I have been looking for a great new soup. Thank You! You have a fun site and I’m looking forward to spending more time looking through it and making some more of your recipes. I totally agree about the Carmelitas… greatest dessert ever! And as my Mom used to say.. they have oatmeal in them so that makes them breakfast bars. Brilliant.
Hi Katie! I’m glad you like the soup, and enjoy browsing the recipe archives! And yes, Carmelitas make delicious breakfast bars, lol!
Just made this a couple nights ago and it was a hit! I added zuchinni to mine. I also used cornstarch instead of flour. I used my immersion blender and blended it just a little bit to help thicken it a little more. It was really good the next day as well! Thanks a bunch. My meat loving DH even said it was delicious!
Hi Tanya! I think it is even better reheated!
I found this on Pinterest, thank you for sharing it! It was so good! I also added some cauliflower (I used frozen broccoli and cauliflower for convenience and it worked perfect) and served it with crusty bread, it was perfect for dipping! It didn’t thicken like I would like when I used flour so I added a little cornstarch too and it was just right. Love how easy it is to customize!
I love how customizable it is too!
I love how easy it is to customize too, and crusty bread is the only way to go!
It IS easy to customize! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I am making this now, decided to make my own chicken broth from chicken breasts(bone-in) and cut up the chicken and add to it
I just discovered a stash of homemade chicken stock in my freezer and it was like finding a pot of gold!
Instead of flour I use instant mashed potato flakes to thicken it
I’ve been hearing that tip from a lot of commenters lately, Patty! Great idea; I’ll give it a try!
I found this on Pinterest and am SOOOOO happy I did. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out amazing! I paired with some homemade biscuits and it was the perfect dinner for a cold night. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow 🙂 Thanks Lulu the Baker!
You are so welcome, Sara Lynn! I love to make a double batch so that we can eat it the next day; it is even better, if you ask me!
I posted a round up of soups today on my blog http://2crafty4myskirt.blogspot.com/ I included this soup in the round up. If you are not ok with that please just let me know I will remove yours from the post. Thanks!
Adding this to the family faves list!!!
How many people will this exact recipe feed? I am making it tonight for dinner. Though I wanted to try the crock pot way it sounds like more people aren’t having good luck that route, so on the stove I will go. I would like to know if I need to double this though.
Hi KImberly. I would say 4-6 tops. If you want to feed more or have leftovers, I’d definitely double it.
I just made this && am sat down enjoying a bowl now!!! I added cauliflower & a dash of red pepper flakes & Frank’s Red Hot (because I love a little zing!) It is absolutely delicious!!!!! Thanks for the recipe! Will definatley be making this again!!!!
Yay, Ashley! Glad you like it!
Anyone know how many calories are in a cup?
This recipe is delicious! For anyone counting calories, I calculated 262 calories per cup (recipe makes 8 cups).
YUM! I had a few of the items listed to use but had to exchange and mix and match. It worked though!! I only had some stir fry frozen veggies so I simmered those in the butter to thaw and make them softer and precooked. (I am not totally finished cooking, but at my rate of taste testing I may not have any left for dinner! (; ) I added some frozen peas and carrots I also had left over and cooked them in with the stir fry veggies. I set the cooked veggies aside and cooked the onions and celery as directed. Shredded monterey cheese while the celery/onions were cooking. I did add one chicken boullion cube in some of the hot broth and then added it to the mix. It gave it a bit extra salted and chicken flavor. I got a spoonful of the soup and tried it out with the monterey cheese and Mmmmmmmm! If my kids dont like it,they are nuts but that will mean more for me! Thanks!
The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to switch up! Glad you liked it!
I could not get this to work out right in the crockpot. I left the cheese and milk out until 20 minutes prior to serving and the cheese just fell to the bottom. I used additional cheese for serving and that helped. I did not see the comment about reducing the broth, but mine was really thin, so I suggest trying to use half. Also, I cooked mine on low for 6 hrs and the potatoes were not done. I recommend sticking to the stove top recipe.
Hey Christy. Sorry it didn’t work out in the crockpot. I’ve never tried to make it in the crockpot; wish I could help!
Hello there…
Thanks for sharing your recipe…I just made it for lunch with some plus and minuses.. but it was yumm…
I have shared this recipe on my blog… http://lifescribblesovercoffee.blogspot.com/2012/11/cheesy-vegetable-soup.html
Thanks again for sharing.
Shraddha =)
Hi Shraddha! Thanks for spreading the word!
So, so, so, so good and easy once everything’s chopped! Will up the broccoli next time around and it seems like you could use any veggie!. We had a can of crab meat to use and put it in….tasty! Used veg broth and quinoa flour and both were fine substitutes. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hey Emily! It sounds like the changes you made for your version were perfect!
Saw this on Pinterest a while back and finally got around to making it tonight, since the cold dreary weather outside made it a perfect time. I cooked it just as directed, minus the onion (boyfriend used my last onion which I had planned to use without telling me lol) but it still turned out really good. I’m a slow veggie chopper and I chopped my carrots pieces in 4ths and the celery slices in half. Potato pieces were about 1/2″ size, give or take. I started by cutting up all the veggies which took about an hour, then prepared it according to the directions. Since the potatoes were so small, it only took about 15-20 minutes for them to cook all the way thru. I was able to find some frozen chopped broccoli at the store. I added a small amount of salt & pepper to the pot (TBSP each?) and served with just a loaf of toasted deli garlic-buttered bread. Total time from chopping to eating was about 2 hours. Will definitely be adding this to my regular menu items, only next time I will have to double since this was such a big hit!!
Phew, lotsa choppin’! Glad you enjoyed it, Talia!
I added the zucchini to it too and loved it…only one thing…adding the flour with the butter is the only way I found to blend the flour in smoothly. No matter how well I whisked the soup when adding the flour/water mixture it still ended up with flour bits. I would suggest then adding the flour after the garlic, then simmer your potatoes.
I’m glad you got it to work out for you!
I find this recipe bland as well. I can’t understand why so many people like it that much…no spices at all? Meh, I won’t be making this again.
I’ve always found that between the onion and garlic, and good chicken broth or stock, it has had plenty of flavor. A little salt and pepper never hurts either!
I made this last night for dinner and am eating leftovers right this moment for lunch. Oh.My.YUM! great recipe that I will definitely make again. My wife doesn’t even like soup and she said this one was really good!
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Holly! I’m always so happy to hear when it was a success for someone!
PS–How can your wife not like soup??! I can’t even comprehend that! 😉
I made this today in a slow cooker. I sauted the onion, carrot and celery in the butter, then added all to the crockpot. Added the broth and potatoes and cooked on low for 7 – 8 hours. I added 2 extra potatoes, sliced about an 1/2 inch thick. After the potatoes were cooked, I took the sliced potatoes out. I used my stick blender and mashed the sliced potatoes with the milk. I then addded the mixture back into the crockpot and stirred. This thickened the soup without having to use flour. Added the broccoli (from frozen) and heated until the broccoli was warm. Added the cheese and stirred until blended. It turned out well, but is bland for us. Will add seasonings next time.
Have made this a few times already. We LOVE it. It is my 7month old’s favorite meal hands down! I freeze some for her to have later. Today I’m making it and am going to double it, there is never enough and it is just my hubby, baby and I eating it! Thanks for sharing!
I don’t know why it is such a hit with kids, but mine love it too!
I made this but my cheese didn’t melt into the soup it just chunked up and stuck to the broccoli. Any idea what I might have done wrong. I did buy a block of cheese and shred it myself because I don’t buy shredded cheese. Could that be why?
Hi Stacy. I’ve used both pre-shredded cheese and cheese that I shredded myself. I think the cheese clumps when the chowder isn’t quite thick enough. You can add more flour/water or try some cornstarch/water. Other commenters have said they’ve added instant potato flakes to thicken it, and I always try to use really starchy potatoes.
Trying it tonite sounds yummy.
Made this tonight and it was excellent! Don’t forget to add salt and pepper to taste. This made 6 one cup servings for us and the Weight Watchers Points Plus Value came to 7 per cup.
Glad you liked it, Stacy!
I made this tonight and I wasn’t that impressed. I was really hopeful due to everyone’s great comments. The cheese seperated into chunks. The flavor was just eh… it was decent but I don’t think I’ll try it again.
Made this tonight!! Left the celery out and added more potatoes! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It was excellent!
Yay! Are you a fellow celery-hater?? It is NOT my favorite veggie, especially cooked!
I have made this twice now in the crock pot, not over the stove top. It was a hit with my family of SIX… and I have some picky eaters. I can’t say I followed the recipe exactly, but fairly close. In addition to using a crock pot, I used brown rice flour to make this a gluten free meal. I had to add more flour to thicken it up, but we thought it was great. The cheese does clump a bit in the crock pot, but I turned the temp up to high and stirred as much as I could. I found that when I reheated it, the cheese wasn’t so clumpy–maybe because it doesn’t get as hot in the crock? Also, I used much less garlic the first time and about half the suggested garlic the second time. For us, it was too much even with half, so that would be something I would add to taste. I just can’t get over how delicious this meal is. It tastes like something you’d get when you go out to eat. It’s very rich and hearty and perfect for a cool fall or winter day. Oh, and it’s fantastic left over. Bonus!!
I’m so glad your family like it, Julie! It does make fantastic leftovers!
I agree it was thin so I will try mashing the potato’s a bit next time. Otherwise it was good and left overs the next day were excellent.
Ok, I thought it only right to leave a comment since I’ll be making this…again…for like, the 5th time!
I cook according to the recipe, almost always doubling this!
I freeze it for quick meals and it reheats just great!
Yay Leah! We tend to make a big batch too; it is so good to have on-hand!
I made this for dinner tonight, DELICIOUS!!
I used vegan Better than Bouillon instead of chicken base, and so added my own salt. I used a little too much base and salt, so it overpowered the dish a little. I’ll go easier on that next time, but otherwise the recipe was amazing, that part was my fault!!
I was concerned that 4 cups of liquid wouldn’t be enough while boiling down the potatoes, but it ended up being plenty. Anyone else who is concerned about that, worry no more, it will be fine! =)
THANK YOU for the delicious recipe!
You are so welcome, Shayla!
I wonder how it would turn out with out the flour due to allergies?
Dinner tonight and it smells delicious! I made some homemade breadsticks to go along with it. I can’t wait for dinner!! Thank you for this recipe.
Joanna, any chance you could ship me some homemade breadsticks??
Found this on Pinterest as well and thought it sounded yummy. Added some grilled chicken breasts cubed to add to the chicken pot pie taste and up the protein. Delish! An instant family favorite, one I am sure I will make often. Thanks so much!
I’ll have to try adding chicken sometime! I love anything that tastes like chicken pot pie! 😉
Beautiful pics of a delicious soup, that I make all Fall and Winter long.
Thanks Kari! I’m glad you like it so much!
Can you add vegetable broth instead of chicken broth?
Absolutely Katie!
Followed a link from Katrina’s blog at katyat42.typepad.com This looks delicious – can’t wait to try it!
Just made this & added some frozen sweet corn, half of a zuchinni & cooked 2 slices of bacon & crumbled on top. It was delicious! Even if I hadn’t added a few things I’m sure it would be awesome. I’ll be making this often!
I just worked out the calories, and wanted to share. I don’t count carbs, sodium or anything else, and this required a ton of math, so I just stuck with calories. Hope it is helpful to some!
A few notes on what I used:
chicken bullion (1tsp=10 cal)
2% milk
1.5 huge potatoes were used, as mine were turning green- not healthy! (384 grams of potatoes total)
medium cheddar regular, NOT 2%
Total calories in the pot: 1300
Total: 6 cups
1 cup = 217 calories
And yes, this is so good! The broth is a little thinner than I’d like but it is so full of delicious vegetables, I’ve made my lunches for the week! I have made many broccoli cheddar type soups, and they all turn out grainy from the cheese (as I refuse to try those with Velveeta!) This is so smooth, try it!
Aaaamazing. One of the best soups I’ve ever had, and I worked at a restaurant with great soups for 8 years! 😉
Roughly blended it for the kids and added corn and it was a hit!
We skipped the milk due to lactose intolerance and used colby jack instead of cheddar. Turned out like a stringy cheesy broccoli delicious soup. SO good!!!
Thank you so much for the delicious recipe! Very easy to follow and well worth the time it took to chop, saute and simmer, rather than using a crock pot. It tastes delcious and is very filling! Thanks! I may try adding bacon just for kicks.
I have read the raving reviews in the comments, but I needed to add my own….OMG!!! sooooo Delicious!!! I added fresh peas and green beans to mine and it is AWESOME! Definitely recommending to friends, especially other mommas!
As well as many others I found this recipe on Pinterest. I used all fresh ingredients, I opted out with the celery(i hate celery) and used fresh sliced mushrooms instead. This recipe is fab! I was very impressed! Also instant potato flakes works well to thicken this up if it needs to be. Impressed.
I will definitely be using this as a “jumping off” recipe. I’m always looking for clever ways to make veggies palatable-strangely enough, it’s me that hates them, and my kids that eat them like they’re going out of style-and this had a ton of bang for the buck. It was very good as is, but I want to try some of the other suggestions (the smoked sausage addition sounded wonderful!) and see if I can’t make it even better!
I found this on Pinterest and made it tonight for my family. My older daughter just had her wisdom teeth pulled yesterday so I tossed hers into the blender and pureed it for her. It was absolutely fantastic, both ways! Because we’re trying to eat a little healthier, I used skim milk and 2% fat cheddar. I also used 2 cups of bagged broccoli slaw for the chopped broccoli because Iwas pressed for time. What a wonderful recipe! I have dozens of versions of broccoli cheese soup recipes, and I think this one is in the top 3, if not the absolute best. Just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed it!
Found this on pinterest! DELISH! I added some parmigiana cheese to mine to give it a bit more of a zingy flavor 🙂
Made this for dinner last night and hubby did everything but lick the bowl! I followed the recipe exactly this time but I can see that this is one of those recipes that could handle lots of variations on the theme. Thanks so much for sharing- Its going to appear often on our menu.
Oh goodness!!….this looks yummy! Saw this on Pinterest, need to go look at more 🙂
Thanks for this!
Thanks, everybody, for your comments! I’m so glad you all like the soup. We just had it again last week, and it might have been the best batch ever!
WOW! I made this tonight for my husband and I to have for lunch tomorrow. SO easy and SO delicious. I love how every ingredient is fresh! Thanks for sharing. We LOVE IT!
Morganfrei–I’m so glad you loved it! I know a bunch of commenters have mentioned how much chopping there is, but come on, it isn’t THAT bad. And well worth it, IMO!
Just wanted to brighten your day with a compliment – Made this for my husband (who loves broccoli and cheese, so it was a sure win) – and he told me I could make it Every Day and he would eat it…now .. it’s broccoli,…and no one would be our friend if we did that;) But it is in a regular winter rotation now! Thank you!
M.e.–thank you! That does brighten my day! I’m always happy to hear when someone loves Cheesy Chowder as much as we do!
I got your recipe off of Pinterest and made it tonight 🙂 It was delicious! The whole family (Me, Hubby, 2-year-old Daughter and even my almost 1-year-old) loved it!!! The only thing I changed was, I didn’t add water, instead I increased the amount of milk (for creaminess) and added the flour to that, then added it to the soup. I also used a steam-bag frozen broccoli and added it at the end. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
So happy to hear that your little ones liked it! It is my 7 year-old’s favorite dinner, and has been for years!
Made this tonight – heaven in a bowl. Had to have two servings – greedy me! Had no celery, so added courgette (zucchini) and butternut squash instead of potato. Also used gluten-free flour. This will become a regular on the menu. Thank you for sharing.
This was wonderful and really hit the spot on a cold, snowy night. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this today. I did not add celery. I used 1/2 can of carrots and 1 can of potatoes, diced. I did use fresh broccolli and added probably 1/2 cup more of the cheese. Turned out awesome.
I added this to my March menu that will be posted in a free printable format with a hyperlink to you on 2/28/13. Thank you so much for helping me plan my menu!
i’m sorry if someone already asked this, but what is the serving size (1 cup)? thanks in advance!
Hi Liz! I’d say a serving size is more like 1 1/2 cups.
I see that this has been circulating on Pinterest for quite some time, as I just came across it yesterday. I have been trying to find a good broc cheddar soup recipe for awhile to no avail…until I found yours! Great recipe! I used Veggie stock and EVOO instead of butter. Plus made a little more rue to thicken it up. Loved it! Thanks!
I’m so glad you found my blog, and that you like the recipe! Enjoy!
How many servings does this make?
KateJ, I would say it serves 4. If you have 4 or fewer, you’ll have plenty. If you have 5 or more, definitely double it!
How many does this serve?
Just made this, didn’t have celery so used fresh corn off the Cobb and 3 slices of bacon for that for extra “base” oompf. Followed rest of recipe to the T but used a vintage cheddar cheese at the end. Absolutely gorgeous :-). Will be a firm fav.
From New Zealand.
Thanks so much for this great recipe. I made it last week and it turned out beautifully. I posted about it on my blog (http://www.agirlcallederika.com/2013/04/cheesy-vegetable-chowder.html), and linked up to your site. Thanks again!!
I have made this recipe several times now. My family loves it the only thing that I do differently is that I use a bag of broccoli/cauliflower mix. I do cut it up a bit, but it is just as good. Keep the great ideas coming!
This was SO GOOD! I left out the butter & cheese, added a whole pound of frozen broccoli and added a few tablespoons of real bacon bits. Will definitely be making this frequently. Yummy!
I made this tonight but want to eat it tomorrow night so I left the cheese out and plan to warm it up tomorrow and add the cheese. So without the cheese but all of the other ingredients it is extremely clear. Is this normal until the cheese is added? If not what can I do to fix it?
Hey Vicky! We were out of town last week, so I’m just now getting to comments; so sorry! It definitely shouldn’t be clear without the cheese. It does have milk in it, so it won’t be as thick or as yellow pre-cheese, but it should at least be milky. Hopefully everything turned out alright for you and it tasted delicious! I have found that it turns out best if I use really starchy baking potatoes as opposed to waxy potatoes like reds or yukon golds. They break down much better and help thicken the soup to a true chowder consistency.
The first time I made this it turned out amazing…U had left over havarti in my fridge and used cheddar as well. The second time I just used cheddar and it almost seemed to curdle a bit….has anyone had this happen?
It usually turns out normal for me, but the few times the cheese has acted a little weird were all when the soup started out a little thinner than usual. My best tip for getting a good consistency is to use starchy potatoes and to cook them until they are really, really tender. That should start you off at a good consistency before adding the cheese.
FYI for calorie counters: Recipe comes out to about 8 cups. Total recipe contains 2,099 calories, or 262 calories per cup.
I am making this tonight, possibly with some shredded chicken to give my husband (a factory worker) a bit more protein. I will be using fresh-frozen broccoli, but fresh everything else!
I’m hoping this turns out as well as everyone says it does! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Loved the soup!!! I shared it on http://www.wherefloursbloom.com – http://wherefloursbloom.com/2013/10/03/cheesy-vegetable-chowder/
Awesome! Thank you!
This is such a great recipe! Just made it for the 2nd time tonight. I left out the broccoli so it was just potato cheese. Delish!
Hooray! It originally just had potatoes and cheese, so you took the recipe back to its roots!
Just made this and used sweet potatoes for added nutrition!!! STUPENDOUS!!!!
I bet my husband would love the addition of sweet potatoes!
This is delicious! Especially with some oyster crackers sprinkled on top.
I agree! Yum yum!
i am having a hard time getting the chowder to thicken, what do you suggest?
You probably don’t need this answer anymore, but for future reference I’ll answer anyway! First, use really, really starchy potatoes. I’m a pretty lazy cook, and I love using waxy potatoes that don’t need to be peeled first for basically every recipe. But not in this recipe! I use big old baking potatoes that have to be peeled because they are super starchy, which helps thicken the chowder as they cook and break down. Second, after adding the potatoes, simmer, simmer, simmer. Let those potatoes break down and get nice and soft. Third, add the cheese a little at a time after removing the chowder from the heat, and stir it as you add the cheese. Hopefully this prevents the cheese from clumping on the bottom. Good luck!
I cannot recommend using a crockpot for this recipe. I did today, and it is watery, the veggies are overcooked and the cheese stuck to the sides and bottom of the pot even though I whisked for long enough for it to melt well. It just would not incorporate, but stayed stringy. I’m going to use my immersion blender in it tomorrow and reduce it on the stove. If it isn’t greatly improved, I’ll have to throw it away. It’s pretty awful in its current state.
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a big hit. It’s my 3 year olds favorite soup. I usually throw the broccoli in when the onion, carrot and celery are almost done because I have a 14 month old and need to broccoli to be pretty soft. I’ve also added leeks to this, and used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I never measure the veggies, just throw in whatever I have and it always turns out amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Just made this tonight for my family, they loved it! Found you on Pinterest! 🙂
I made this with zucchini instead of the broccoli because my boyfriend doesn’t like it. So delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Im making this for the 2nd time now. Doubled the recipe in hopes of left overs this time. 🙂 last time we had none, even my soup hating son loved this recipe. I grabbed two bags of frozen mixed broc/cauliflower/carrot medly and threw In some potatos and celery. Easy recipe that you can swap veggies with what you already have frozen or fresh.
This sounds amazing! Making it tonight for my husband and I. I think I am going to add some chicken sausage to it and eat it with sweet cornbread. Thank you for the recipe.
Made this tonight and it was delish! I added cayenne pepper, corn starch in place of the flour and heavy cream instead of the milk. Also needed some salt and pepper, which was not in the ingredient list. Big hit here and will make again.
This is one of my all time favorite soups, I just love it! I featured it on my blog today. Thanks so much for a super yummy recipe!
http://belleofthekitchen.com/2014/01/14/cheesy-vegetable-chowder/
Hey Lulu sending greetings all the way from Trinidad and Tobago. Even though I live in the tropics we love a good soup!!! I tried this last night with my own homemade chicken broth…and girrllll it came out FANTASTIC. My husband even loved it!!! and he’s a picky eater.
Yummy! So good on a snowy night! And it was ready in an hour (though I let it simmer for an extra 15 minutes)… But I like more flavoring, and I wanted a little more to go around, so here is what I added to the original recipe:
2 cups chicken broth (6 total)
1 large potato (3 total)
1 cup onion (2 total)
Salt (to taste)
Onion powder (to taste – @ 1 tsp)
Increase flour/water mixture to 2 TBS flour and 1 cup water
Parmesan cheese (@ 3 Tbs added in w/ broccoli)
Zucchini – in place of celery
My husband, teenage son and toddler son all loved it! I served with warmed, buttered, crispy ciabatta bread.
I made this tonight and with a few shortcuts, it only took about 20 min. I had leftover roasted potates, so in they went! I didn’t like the consistency so added about a cup of heavy cream plus about half a square of cream cheese that was also left over. I found that I had to season it quite a bit with sea salt and white pepper, but the end result was GREAT! Will definitely be making this again the next time I have leftover potatoes or even broccoli.
Would cauliflower work or would it disintegrate?
Made this tonight because we were snowed in and starving, it was awesome! I halved it and tossed in some ground mustard and chives and topped it with extra cheese=huge hit. Next time I’m gonna make the full recipe and freeze half for later in the week. Magical!
Absolutely delicious, I’ve made it with only 1 cup of cheese and it was so yummy!
This is delicious! A wonderful, healthy, meatless soup (I used vegetable broth) and it turned out so yummy! I always tweak recipes a bit, so I added some Italian seasoning, used mixed frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, orange and yellow carrots) to save time, in addition to the potatoes, onions and garlic, and added a little chopped red bell pepper. WoW! did it turn out great! God bless you, thanks for posting this recipe!
This was SO good! It’s a new favorite from Pinterest. I’ll be making it again and again– thank you for the delicious recipe.
What a fantastic idea! …Thanks for the wonderful recipe! I am going to try this one
Like the sounds of this soup. Would like crockpot version
Hi Terry! I’ve never personally made it in the crockpot, but some people have had good results doing it that way. If you read through the comments, you’ll find a few with crockpot directions. Good Luck!
I make it on the stove, it really doesn’t take that long, then I.put it in the.crockpot
Same here, Candice!
Used to make a similar recipe a few years back that I found in a Southern Living Magazine. Have since lost it and found this one on Pintrest. Sooooo good. I also do not use the celery and add cauliflower. Wonderful! My whole family eats it up. Thanks for sharing. Had been looking for something close to my old recipe for a long time!
I also puree it some too.
This is my 5th time making this soup. I use heavy cream instead of milk and along with the broccoli, I add cauliflower, zucchini and mushrooms…thank you so much for what is now my favorite soup recipe!
I’m so glad you like we! It is for sure a family favorite for us!
Thank you soooo much for this recipe.
I think it sounds wonderful…..and can’t wait to add some other things to it as your readers did.
Sounds so yummy. Can’t wait!!!!! Thanks again!
Sounds wonderful. I will sub turnip or cauliflower for potatoes though and cut flour in half for our low carb diet. Thank you for putting this on. I start thinking about soup about this time of year although living on the gulf coast, we will be hot for a couple more months at least. Speaking of which….I’ll bet a few shrimp or some crab meat would taste great in it.
Not saying you can’t cut the flour in half, but honestly, cutting 1 TB down to half a TB isn’t going to help with the carb count at all and may not give you the same thickness (consistency) that a good chowder has. The carb issue with this recipe is the milk and potatoes. If you are already subbing the potatoes for some thing else, you should consider subbing the milk as well.
This is the kind of soup I think of when fall is around the corner. Living in Tampa, that will some time yet, but a creamy cheesy soup can sure put you in the mod. Thank you, can not wait to try this one.
Hi Susan! I hope you do enjoy the soup when Fall makes its way to Tampa! It is always a favorite in our house!
Could you please tell me what chicken soup base is?
Chicken Soup Base is just concentrated broth. Instead of using adding water to chicken bullion cubes, you add water to chicken soup base to make broth. But feel free to just use regular old canned chicken broth!
I just made this soup and it was awesome. I made a few variations [because I can never leave a recipe alone] I added 3 jalapeno rings diced small for some heat and I added 2 cups of broccoli AND 2 cups of cauliflower as I like a lower broth ratio to all the veggies. I will make this again!
How many people will this recipe feed? I’m hosting a party of 8 and would love to make this!
For 8 adults, I would probably triple it, just to be on the safe side!
This is my favorite soup recipe ever! Better than any restaurant potato soup that I’ve ever had! I use 3 large potatoes because I love them so much. I add a cup of water to give it more liquid because of the extra potato.
Soooo good! We had this tonight and I improvised quite a bit since I didn’t have quite enough chicken broth to double it. I used 3 14.5 oz cans of broth and 5 medium-small potatoes. And I realized we had no real cheese so Velveeta went I’m the pot instead. And I added 4 cooked bratwursts and some diced zucchini. My husband loved it and he usually doesn’t like soup, and my kids ate it including the zucchini!!! I will definitely make this again. Next time I will be using real cheese, though.
For sure trying this for my boyfriend and I tomorrow night! Just wondering, how long is total cook time?
Hi Natalie! Start to finish, including chopping all of the veggies and everything, I would say under an hour for sure.
Yummy! This is something I will make fore sure!!
–for sure!!
We just made a big batch this week and it was extra delicious! Enjoy!
I’ve made this twice already, it’s delicious!! Thanks for sharing a tasty recipe!
Yay! I love to hear that!
None of the comments talk about slow cooker directions. Can you add to the recipe?
Hi Sherri. I’ve never made it in a slow cooker. I’ve just always made it on the stove. There should be several comments here somewhere where people have posted their slow cooker directions. Best of luck!
Will it taste okay if I use vegetable broth instead? Thanks!
Hi Heather! It should taste fine!
I just throw it all in the crockpot and just check a few hours later to see if potatoes are tender. My only thing is the cheese tastes rubbery and I’m not and fan of it for leftovers. Anyone with advice on what to try?
Try adding the cheese & the dairy at the end- after you’ve turned the heat off. Stir in until incorporated. The slow cooker rules I know apply to meats that liquid cooks out of, but I’d put enough broth to cover most veggies, knowing they will cook down a bit & keeping in mind condensation & thickness. Maybe start checking the potatoes (fork test) after 2-3 hours & every hour or two after until they’re done. I’ve never cooked all veggies in a slow cooker, but I’m gonna try it now 🙂 Thanks!
Try using brick cheese. You will have to shred it though. Bag cheese has a waxy covering too it.
I agree, if you shred the cheese yourself, the finished soup has a much smoother texture.
I loved this! I followed the recipe exactly, but also added a bottle of beer to make it similar to cheddar beer soup. I was wonderful!
Made tonight but had a problem with the cheese. It all didn’t melt so I had globs. Any suggestions? Besides that it was fantastic!
Hi Lori! I’ve only had that happen once in all the years I’ve been making this. And I have no idea why! I always make sure the heat is turned off before I add the cheese, and I stir it while I’m adding it to make sure it doesn’t just sink to the bottom and stick. I also make sure to use really good cheese, not the generic brands. Hopefully if you try it again is will turn out for you! xoxo
I know this is an older comment but maybe the cheese was added too quickly at too high of a temp. When I make Alfredo sauce from scratch and make sure the heat is on a medium low and then I take one small handful of parmesan and slowly drop it in while whisking. I keep whisking until it is melted and incorporated, then I grab another handful. I do this until I’ve added all the cheese or reach the right consistency. But I’m definitely trying this recipe next week!
Thanks for the tip, Michelle!
What can also be the problem is using a shredded cheese. They use cornstarch to keep the cheese from sticking together and that can be a problem. It’s best to shred the cheese yourself when you are incorporating it into a soup/sauce.
I tried (without success) to find the comments with crock pot instructions. There are so many comments that it isn’t realistic to expect someone to search through them all. Personally, I think if you’re going to suggest readers try to make it in a crock pot, you might just add the directions (that are allegedly in the comments) alongside that suggestion with a disclaimer that they aren’t tried and true instructions from you. After loading the second page of comments and then dealing with all the issues that come up when I try to load blog pages on a mobile device, I don’t have the patience to look further.
Hi Ashleigh. I understand what you’re saying completely. I’ve actually never tried making it in a crockpot and haven’t ever encouraged anyone to make it in a crockpot. I know the recipe is all over Pinterest as a crockpot recipe, but that’s not really in my control. If I ever do try it successfully in a crockpot, I’ll be sure to post the instructions.
Just made this for dinner, I didn’t change a thing. The family loved it, will be making it again.
Would it be okay to substitute red potatoes instead?
Hi Lindsey! Yes, you can use red potatoes, which are my favorite general-use potatoes because I’m lazy and hate peeling vegetables. HOWEVER…a starchier potato like a russet will help thicken the soup more. Flavor-wise, there’s no difference, but russets will make for a slightly thicker soup than red potatoes. Good luck!
Has anyone attempted making this dairy free using an alternative milk such as coconut milk? I love this recipe but my one year old son has a milk allergy, boo!
Amanda, I have not tried this particular recipe yet but have made quite a few similar recipes substituting unsweetened cashew milk. I really like cooking with it. Works well.
Fabulous, had it for dinner tonight and will definitely make again. Thanks so much for a great recipe.
Yay! I love hearing that, Teri!
I try a lot of internet recipes and rarely do they live up to their hype. This one does. The flavor development is wonderful. Do not do not do not omit that awesome garlic. And if you want leftovers you’d better double it! I made it two days ago and my husband and I ate the whole pot at one meal. So I made another pot today. Also don’t be afraid to experiment with cheeses! The only cheese I had was one of those gift box samplers, like Hickory Farms, so the first time I used bacon cheddar and my oh my, it was KILLER. This time I used hot pepper cheddar, and it was really good, too (I liked the bacon cheddar a wee bit better, but then I’m a big bacon fan). The hot pepper cheese did not make the soup too spicy at all. My husband tolerates soup for dinner on occasion but this one he really loved, even commented that it was “great.” That’s high praise indeed! Thanks for a really wonderful recipe.
Hi Susan! Your comment made my day–I’m so happy to hear that you love the soup as much as we do! xoxo
Does this recipe freeze well?
Hi Shelly! It freezes great. I think it’s at its best reheated after a day of being in the fridge, but we’ve tried freezing it too and it work out well.
Made this tonight with fresh, homemade amish bread for dinner. It was very good and enough left over for our lunch tomorrow! Thank you for sharing.
Karen, amish bread sounds delicious!
Can you send me the recipe for the Amish bread?
This was delicious. My 16 month devoured a huge bowl. I added little bits of grilled chicken to make it into a meal and followed everything else to a tee. I love how there is no added salt or any seasonings and that it’s full of veggies. I’m always on the search for something tasty and healthy for my little one. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. XOXOXO!!!
Yay! I’m so glad you and your family loved it! xoxo
How much does it serve?
Hi Angelica. I would say it serves 4. But if you want really generous servings or enough for leftovers or all 4 people are adults with really big appetites, I’d double it. It is great the next day (better, actually), so I don’t think you can go wrong doubling it.
I see many people are looking for crockpot directions, which tend get a bit lost among all the rave reviews! This soup is one of our family favorites, too! 😉 I thought I’d copy/paste/repost a few comments from other readers with their tips for making this in a slow-cooker and crockpot! Thanks to those who have tried it this way and have shared their experiences – you all help make our mealtimes even easier!! 🙂
From “Erin:)” :
Attention all crockpot lovers…i made a SUCCESSFUL pot of this DELICIOUS soup and here’s how:
I placed 2 cans of vegetable broth (im a vegetarian) in the crockpot with all the other ingredients minus the water, flour, cheese and milk. I saw the previous recommendation of 4cups of broth being too much but i added a cup more of broccoli and OMITTED the water to “make up” for it – it was still kinda runny but ill explain more about that later. Instead of celery and carrots, i used a broccoli slaw mix sold in the produce section at the grocery store next to all the bagged lettuce etc. I cut up 2 medium potatoes (skin on-i like it better that way) I used frozen broccoli and fresh onion. I didn’t saute anything, just plopped it all in. im pretty lazy. I added salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and put crockpot on high for 5-6 hours. then once the potatoes were soft, i heated up fat free half and half in place of the milk to make it more creamy i added 1 tbsp of flour and stirred to make a rue. it didn’t quite make it and thicker so i added the runny rue to the crockpot and stirred as i put in cornstarch. i stirred until it was a consistency i wanted. then i added 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese stirred and stirred some more. i put it back to low for about a half an hour and then i ate it. i ate a lot of it. it was good and came out great. hope this solves everyone’s crockpot question. i took on the challenge and i succeeded happily 🙂
From “Anonymous” :
I made this today in a slow cooker. I sauted the onion, carrot and celery in the butter, then added all to the crockpot. Added the broth and potatoes and cooked on low for 7 – 8 hours. I added 2 extra potatoes, sliced about an 1/2 inch thick. After the potatoes were cooked, I took the sliced potatoes out. I used my stick blender and mashed the sliced potatoes with the milk. I then addded the mixture back into the crockpot and stirred. This thickened the soup without having to use flour. Added the broccoli (from frozen) and heated until the broccoli was warm. Added the cheese and stirred until blended. It turned out well, but is bland for us. Will add seasonings next time.
I have never heard of adding the flour right into the soup, I’ve always made a roux first and then added in the liquids. Is it possible to do that with this soup, such as adding in the flour after the vegetables are cooked in the butter, or is there a reason it goes in later?
Hi Leanne. I haven’t tried making a roux first. I always add it near the end so that the soup can simmer without getting too thick. I’ve never had a problem mixing the flour with a little water before adding it.
I just made this and my family loved it!
That always makes me so happy to hear, Bella!
I’ve been making this for my girls (age 2 & 1/2 and 6) for over a year now. They, and I, LOVE IT. One of our favorite recipes, especially in the fall/winter. Thanks for sharing!!!
I see many people are looking for crockpot directions, which tend get a bit lost among all the rave reviews! This soup is one of our family favorites, too! ? I thought I’d copy/paste/repost a few comments from other readers with their tips for making this in a slow-cooker and crockpot! Thanks to those who have tried it this way and have shared their experiences – you all help make our mealtimes even easier!! 🙂
From “Erin:)” :
Attention all crockpot lovers…i made a SUCCESSFUL pot of this DELICIOUS soup and here’s how:
I placed 2 cans of vegetable broth (im a vegetarian) in the crockpot with all the other ingredients minus the water, flour, cheese and milk. I saw the previous recommendation of 4cups of broth being too much but i added a cup more of broccoli and OMITTED the water to “make up” for it – it was still kinda runny but ill explain more about that later. Instead of celery and carrots, i used a broccoli slaw mix sold in the produce section at the grocery store next to all the bagged lettuce etc. I cut up 2 medium potatoes (skin on-i like it better that way) I used frozen broccoli and fresh onion. I didn’t saute anything, just plopped it all in. im pretty lazy. I added salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and put crockpot on high for 5-6 hours. then once the potatoes were soft, i heated up fat free half and half in place of the milk to make it more creamy i added 1 tbsp of flour and stirred to make a rue. it didn’t quite make it and thicker so i added the runny rue to the crockpot and stirred as i put in cornstarch. i stirred until it was a consistency i wanted. then i added 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese stirred and stirred some more. i put it back to low for about a half an hour and then i ate it. i ate a lot of it. it was good and came out great. hope this solves everyone’s crockpot question. i took on the challenge and i succeeded happily 🙂
From “Anonymous” :
I made this today in a slow cooker. I sauted the onion, carrot and celery in the butter, then added all to the crockpot. Added the broth and potatoes and cooked on low for 7 – 8 hours. I added 2 extra potatoes, sliced about an 1/2 inch thick. After the potatoes were cooked, I took the sliced potatoes out. I used my stick blender and mashed the sliced potatoes with the milk. I then addded the mixture back into the crockpot and stirred. This thickened the soup without having to use flour. Added the broccoli (from frozen) and heated until the broccoli was warm. Added the cheese and stirred until blended. It turned out well, but is bland for us. Will add seasonings next time.
This has become a favorite for our family! It has made its way into our meal rotation for fall and winter after trying it for the first time last year. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Yay, Emily!
I love this recipe. Been making it for a few years now. I have shared and made this for several friends. Great recipe. Thanks so much for sharing this.great recipe. I have a pot on the stove now.
Hello Sandra! So happy you like the soup!
For the last few years this is our go to recipe in the fall. It signals the beginning of this wonderful season for us. To make it stretch I add a few extra potatoes. Double the broth and add extra veggies at the beginning plus Mir broccoli and cheese. Pots on the stove now. So very excited for dinner time! Happy fall everyone!
Marcelle, thank you for your kind comment! I’m so glad your family loves this soup!
This is by far one of the best recipes I have tried. I love making it! I tend to add a lot more vegetables, tho, since our household loves their veggies. I also add a bay leaf it gives it a bit more flavor, at least to us anyways.
I love adding a bay leaf to soups! I’ll have to try that next time. Happy Holidays! xoxo
Thanks for posting! I made this tonight. Added cauliflower instead of broccoli because that’s all I had. I think I added a tad too much butter because it was very buttery-rich. Anyway, flavor was great!! My husband and 3 yr old picky son, both loved it!! I was so happy since I am a newbie at cooking, so when I make something that they love, it makes me feel very happy!!
I’m so glad it was a hit with your family, Natalie!
This is the second time that I made this and it’s amazing!! The first time I doubled the recipe but it went too quickly so tonight I tripled it! I do not add the cheese but grate some cheese and everyone just adds their own. Also I had some plain chicken and plain rice which I added at the end as well. I added a bit more liquid to compensate for the additions and it could not have been better! Thanks for the recipe!!!
Your additions sound delicious!
I want to try this soup. Could you use sweet potato or butternut squash instead of the white potato?
Hi Elaine. I’m sure you could do that. I think the consistency of the soup would be quite different. The starchiness of the potatoes helps thicken the soup and give it that chowder texture.
I am making this right now and it smells heavenly! I added black pepper because I like everything with a bit of a kick. I’m so excited to try this! Thanks for sharing
Yes, salt and pepper to taste. My husband likes a lot of black pepper too. xoxo
Love it! I added diced chicken breast to step one. New favorite soup recipe.
Yum! I’ll have to try that sometime!
I value the post.Thanks Again. Awesome. ekdgfdfcfbak
I received this recipe from a girlfriend and have been making it for the last 4 years. My family still loves it! Thank you!!
Yay, Pam! That’s what I like to hear!
For everyone looking for the crockpot version, just make it on the stove. I made it in the crockpot tonight and it was pretty bland and thin. I think cooking it over the stove would really bring out the flavors better than the crockpot can. I’ll definitely try this again over the stove.
I make this recipe all of the time as it is one of my family’s favorites. I keep it printed out in my kitchen with my binder of favorites, but had to come back here and let you know how much we truly enjoy it!
I follow the recipe as written with a couple of modifications due to allergies (I sub in chopped up golden potatoes leaving the skins on, and use corn starch to thicken). Thank You!
I’m so happy it’s a favorite in your family, too! xoxo
My husband is SO not a soup fan and this is on his top 3 list of favorite things I make for dinner. Totally crazy because I feel like I triple the amount of veggies that the recipe calls for. Cover it all in cheese and they will eat it! We have served it in bread bowls and it is amazing! Coworkers and husband loves when I make this soup!
I had a Facebook memory popup of me making this soup 11 years ago and my family loving it. I had to dig up the recipe again and it’s going on the menu this week. So excited this recipe is still available as this sounds divine in this cold weather!
Riced vegetables and frozen corn make this soup even easier!
Those sound like great additions, Nora!