No-fuss Cheesy Broccoli Soup in the Crock-Pot made with lots of fresh broccoli, cheese, canned milk, and a few other simple ingredients to make one great soup your whole family will love.

When we are busy with a big project or life in general, I find myself using my slow cooker more and more. This Cheesy Broccoli Soup in the Crock-Pot is perfect to throw in at lunchtime and just finish it up for dinner. The cooking time isn’t very long, so it isn’t something you have to plan ahead for as much as other recipes. I like to use the Crock-Pot, though, because I can get everything ready and have the majority cleaned up before dinner.

Tips for Making Cheesy Broccoli Soup in the Crock-Pot

When I buy fresh broccoli it comes with 2 or 3 “stalks” rubber-banded together. Use about 5 of those stalks total and not 5 whole bunches. Are you with me?
Be careful blending that hot soup. Seriously. I’ve gotten a nasty burn before when blending soup.
Using cream in place of the evaporated milk would be yummy, but don’t use milk (it might curdle).
I’ve had this Hamilton Beach slow cooker for a couple of years and love it.

Can you freeze broccoli soup?

This recipe is not a great candidate for the freezer. The cream and cream cheese don’t always come out well in the end and the texture will be off. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup in the Crock-Pot

Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours
Yield: Serves 6-8 1x

Print Recipe

Description

No-fuss Cheesy Broccoli Soup in the Crock-Pot made with lots of fresh broccoli, cheese, canned milk, and a few other simple ingredients to make one great soup your whole family will love.

Scale

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 stalks of broccoli
4–6 cups chicken broth (or water + buillion paste)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can evaporated milk (around 12 ounces)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant.
While the onion is cooking, finely chop the broccoli and add it to the slow cooker. Once the garlic and onions are cooked, add them to the slow cooker. Add enough chicken broth to cover all of the vegetables, it should take 4 to 6 cups. The less liquid you add, the thicker your soup will be in the end, so take that into account, too.
Add the salt and pepper to the Crock-Pot. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until the broccoli is cooked through and very tender.
30 minutes before serving, add the evaporated milk, cream cheese, cheddar, and Parmesan to the hot broccoli mixture and stir until everything is melted.
Working in batches, process the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth (if you have an emulsion blender that would work great, too). I blended half of the soup and left half of it chunky. Blend as much as you like to get the texture you prefer.
Add all of the blended soup back to the Crock-Pot and let it reheat until you are ready to serve. Once the soup is hot, turn off the Crock-Pot and serve right away.

Notes

When I buy fresh broccoli, it comes with 2 or 3 “stalks” rubber-banded together. Use about 5 of those stalks total and not 5 whole bunches. Are you with me?
Be careful blending that hot soup. Seriously. I’ve gotten a nasty burn before when blending soup.
Using cream in place of the evaporated milk would be yummy, but don’t use milk (it might curdle).

Category: soup
Method: slow cooker
Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker, crock pot, broccoli, cheese, soup, healthy