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!
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.