Let's Make This Ridiculously Easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Soup
Okay, I'll level with you—if you’ve ever tiptoed through the kitchen at midnight just to sneak one last spoonful of soup, you’re my kind of people. This slow cooker cheesy broccoli & potato soup recipe has been my lifesaver so many times, especially on cold evenings when all I can muster is tossing a bunch of stuff into the slow cooker and hoping for the best. Spoiler: It never lets me down. Also, fun fact, I once made this for a potluck and totally forgot to bring bread (everyone survived — but barely).
Why You’ll Love This Soup (or At Least Put Up With It)
I make this when the weather does that British thing where it can’t decide if it’s raining or not, or everyone in my lot’s getting cranky about leftovers again. My family goes a bit wild for this because it’s basically hugging your insides—cheesy, filling, and not remotely fussy. And if you (like me) sometimes get irrationally irritated chopping onions, you’ll be relieved to know: dicing is optional. Besides, you can literally shove everything in and walk away. I can’t promise you’ll never have a stubborn bit of broccoli (it happens!) but trust me, it’s worth it.
What You’ll Need (And Honestly, You Can Swap A Few Things)
- About 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (I sometimes leave the skins on if I’m tired, and no one complains)
- 2 heaping cups of chopped broccoli (fresh is best, frozen works in a pinch—my mum swore by fresh, but she was fancy)
- 1 onion, diced (or half an onion because I don’t always have the patience)
- 3 cups chicken or veggie broth (I’ve even used one of those bouillon cubes and water—it's fine!)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (use extra sharp if you like a twist—or honestly whatever is lurking in your cheese drawer)
- 1 cup milk (whole milk makes it creamier but skim works, oat milk is okay if you’re feeling trendy)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (or a hefty spoon of jarred garlic—no one’s judged me yet)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (if you can’t find it, skip it; it’s not a soup dealbreaker)
- Salt and pepper (to taste, obviously)
- Pinch of cayenne (only if you want a little kick—I usually forget)
How To Throw It Together
- Just dump it all in. Seriously, add the potatoes, broccoli, onion, broth, garlic, thyme, and a bit of salt and pepper to your slow cooker. Give it a quick stir if you’re feeling energetic. And don’t worry if the broccoli floats in weird lumps—that’s normal.
- Turn it on and wander off. Set your slow cooker to low for 6-7 hours or high for around 3-4 hours. Honestly, check after 3 hours if you’re impatient like me. The potatoes should be totally soft. If not, give it another half hour or so.
- Add the cheesy stuff. Once the veg is mushy and lovely, pour in your milk and heap in the cheese. Stir! (This is where I usually sneak a taste—beware: it’ll burn your tongue if you’re reckless, trust me.)
- Blend, or don’t. For extra creaminess, grab an immersion blender and whiz it up in the pot. Or use a standard blender in batches—but honestly, sometimes I leave it rustic and chunky. Up to you.
- Taste and adjust. Sometimes it needs a little more salt. Or a dash more cheese. Sometimes I just shrug and call it done.
Little Notes from My Ongoing Soup Experiments
- Leaving the skins on the potatoes actually gives it a rustic vibe—and way less peeling mess. Score.
- If your cheese clumps at first, don’t panic; it usually melts in after a bit. Just stir like you mean it.
- I used to try thickening it with flour but honestly, just letting the potatoes break down gets it plenty thick.
Soup Variations That Worked (And A Dud)
Sometimes, I throw in a chopped carrot or two. It turns the soup a funny color but adds sweetness I quite like. Once I swapped broccoli for cauliflower, and it was still A+ (though my cousin said it tasted like "cauliflower pretending to be broccoli"). Oh, and I tried dumping in leftover ham once—possibly controversial, but it tasted pretty fab actually.
Don’t, however, try adding couscous. It went all mushy and strange and, well, let’s just say no one asked for seconds that night.
What If I Don’t Own the Fancy Gear?
Of course, a slow cooker is ideal, but in a pinch you can totally do this in a big pot on low heat on the stove—just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t stick. No immersion blender? Mash it with a potato masher or even a sturdy fork. (It’s not a beauty contest anyway.)
How To Store (If You Actually Have Leftovers)
Let it cool fully, then bung it in the fridge in a sealed container. It keeps for about 3-4 days, maybe—though honestly in my house it’s usually all gone by the next afternoon. You can freeze it, too, but sometimes it goes slightly grainy when you defrost it. Not a dealbreaker—it still tastes great. Reheat gently so you don’t split the cheese.
Serving Suggestions That Aren’t Boring
I love this alongside a fat hunk of crusty bread, or you can serve it in bread bowls if you want to be all fancy (my kids think it’s hilarious). Sometimes I sprinkle a little extra cheese and green onions on top. Or just eat straight from the pot; who’s judging?
By the way, if you’re looking for a bread recipe, the folks over at Sally’s Baking Addiction have a super-easy one I swear by.
Stuff I Learned The Hard Way (Pro Tips!)
- I once tried rushing the cheese part—don’t do it. Dumping cold cheese in too fast means you get strings, not creamy soup. Let the soup cool just a tad before you add it.
- Too much liquid at the start? Let the lid off for last 30 minutes, and some will evaporate.
- Resist the urge to keep stirring; slow cookers need to do their thing with the lid ON.
Real-Life FAQs—Because People Actually Ask
- Can I make this vegan? Sure thing! Use veggie broth, dairy free cheese, and oat or almond milk. It’s a little different but still tasty, honestly.
- Broccoli stalks—use them or not? Use them! Chop them small and chuck ‘em in. No one notices, and it’s less wasteful.
- How do you keep it from getting grainy? Ah, great question. Let the soup cool a touch before adding the cheese; don’t dump it in boiling hot soup (learned that one first hand—mile-wide cheese clumps!)
- Do you have to blend it? Not at all. I like the texture better a bit chunky, actually.
- Best non-cheddar cheese for this? Monterey Jack or even a bit of gouda. I once used a hot pepper cheese—let’s just say it woke everyone up!
Random side note: If you want to nerd out about cheeses, this page from Cheese.com is a black hole of trivia. Trust me, you’ll lose an hour.
If you give this a go, let me know if you invent a new twist! Or just let me know you’ve made it so I can live vicariously through other people’s soup successes (or disasters, both make for good stories).
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 3 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
-
1Add chopped broccoli, diced potatoes, onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker.
-
2Pour in the vegetable broth and add salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
-
3Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until vegetables are tender.
-
4Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup in the slow cooker until smooth or leave some texture if desired.
-
5Stir in shredded cheddar cheese, milk, and butter. Let cook on LOW for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and soup is creamy.
-
6Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, optionally garnished with extra cheese or broccoli florets.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!