Name: Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch broccoli; 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened original); 3 tbsp light cream cheese; 1 tbsp parmesan cheese (finely grated); 1/3 cup light mozzarella cheese (grated)

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Funny thing, I still hate broccoli. But this healthy broccoli cheese soup? I could eat it every single week. It started as a quick soup I threw together one weekend, and it has been on repeat ever since.

Here is the trick. There is no cream, no flour, and no roux. You boil the broccoli, blend it smooth, and that becomes the body of the soup. Then almond milk, a little light cream cheese, parmesan, and light mozzarella make it creamy and cheesy. Five ingredients, 35 minutes, and just 2 Points per cup.

It tastes like the broccoli soup you’d order with a bread bowl. It just happens to be light. If soup season is your favorite season too (same), there’s plenty more in our Weight Watchers soup recipes.

Bowl of healthy broccoli cheese soup topped with shredded cheese and bacon crumbs, with toasted bread behind it

Why try this healthy broccoli cheese soup?

Only 5 ingredients. Broccoli, almond milk, light cream cheese, parmesan, and light mozzarella. That’s the whole list.
No cream, no flour. Blended broccoli does the thickening, so the soup is naturally creamy without a roux or a carton of heavy cream.
Just 2 Points per cup. A big, cozy bowl that fits easily into your day.
Ready in 35 minutes. Boil, blend, simmer, done. This is a weeknight soup, not a Sunday project.
Sneaky vegetables. A whole bunch of broccoli goes into one pot. Even broccoli haters (me) won’t notice.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 5

Serving Size: 1 cup

2 WW Points Per Serving. You can view the recipe on the WW App here. (WW login required.)

Ingredients

1 bunch of broccoli. Florets and the tender parts of the stems. This is the soup’s base and its thickener.
1 cup unsweetened original almond milk. Stands in for cream or whole milk. Make sure it is the unsweetened kind, or the soup will taste a little off.
3 tablespoons light cream cheese. This is where the creamy texture comes from. A little goes a long way.
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese. Salty and sharp, so a small amount gives big flavor.
1/3 cup light grated mozzarella cheese. Melts into the soup for that cheesy pull without the heaviness.

For serving, I like a sprinkle of extra grated cheese and some bacon crumbs on top. The 2 Points cover the soup itself, so count any toppings you add separately.

Instructions

Boil the broccoli. Cut the broccoli into florets and chop the tender stems. Add it to a pot of boiling water and cook until fork-tender and bright green. Drain well.
Blend it smooth. Transfer the broccoli to a blender and blend until smooth. If it needs help getting going, add a splash of the almond milk. Vent the lid, because hot broccoli makes steam.
Build the soup. Pour the blended broccoli into a pot over medium-low heat. Add the almond milk, light cream cheese, parmesan, and light mozzarella.
Simmer until the cheese melts. Stir often so nothing sticks. Once the cheese has melted and the soup is smooth and creamy, taste and add salt and pepper if you like.
Top and serve. Ladle into bowls and top with a little grated cheese and bacon crumbs. Serve hot.

Variations and substitutions

Different milk. Skim milk or unsweetened cashew milk both keep it light. Regular milk makes a richer soup, so recheck the points if you switch.
Want it chunkier? Hold back a handful of small florets before blending and stir them into the pot at the end.
Add cauliflower. Swap half the broccoli for cauliflower for an even milder, creamier bowl. If you want that version fully worked out, my broccoli cauliflower soup is ready to go.
Boost the protein. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken with the cheeses for a heartier dinner.
Skip the bacon. Leave off the topping for a vegetarian bowl. Toasted whole-wheat crackers give you the crunch instead.

Tips and tricks

Broccoli cheese soup in a white ramekin with a spoon and whole wheat crackers on the side

Don’t overcook the broccoli. Pull it as soon as a fork slides in easily. Bright green broccoli makes a prettier, fresher-tasting soup.
Blend in batches if your blender is on the small side, and never fill it more than halfway with hot food.
Low and slow for the cheese. Keep the heat gentle once the cheeses go in. High heat can make the soup grainy.
Too thick? Add another splash of almond milk. Too thin? Let it simmer a few extra minutes uncovered.
Storage. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring partway through.
Freezing. This soup freezes well since there is no cream to separate. Cool completely, freeze in single-cup portions, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Give it a good stir as it reheats.

If you love this one, try my cream of broccoli soup next, or use up the rest of the bunch in these bacon and cheese broccoli bites. And if you’re stocking the freezer for the season, our readers’ favorite Weight Watchers soups is a good place to start.

5 from 2 votes