High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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For those who love broccoli cheddar soup, this recipe for high protein broccoli cheddar soup boasts 25 grams of protein per bowl and still manages to have the rich, creamy, deliciously cheesy flavor you’d expect from a more indulgent version of this savory soup.

If you’ve stopped by this blog within the past couple of months, you may have caught wind of the fact that I am making more of an effort when it comes to increasing the amount of protein in my meals. The catalyst for this shift occurred after a bone density test revealed I have osteopenia. I’m already doing a lot of the things recommended for increasing bone density (weight bearing exercise, limiting alcohol, etc.) but a lot of what I read about increasing bone density through diet boiled down to three things: Eating foods rich in calcium, vitamin D and, you guessed it, protein. As someone who doesn’t naturally crave high protein foods, I’m trying my best to find a way to increase protein in my diet in a way that is still enjoyable and in a way that incorporates foods I genuinely love and look forward to eating… like broccoli cheddar soup!

This soup is so deliciously creamy and cheesy and tastes like the ultimate indulgent comfort food in a bowl, and yet it’s jam-packed with protein and cruciferous (and calcium-rich!) vegetables. Also, if you’re someone who genuinely likes to eat and enjoys large, voluminous portions like me, this soup will make your heart sing. One serving is big and hearty and oh so satisfying. No sad little dinky diet soups here!

What Is A High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

Don’t worry, I promise this broccoli cheese soup does not include a single trace of protein powder! It also doesn’t rely on chicken or meat to increase the amount of protein in this soup. This high protein broccoli cheddar soup gets its boost of protein from Greek yogurt and cottage cheese but if you hate cottage cheese, have no fear! I pinky promise you’ll have no idea it’s incorporated into this soup. It only serves to increase the creamy cheesiness of the soup in the most velvety way. And those little cottage cheese curds? They disappear when you blend them up in this blended soup, so if the texture of cottage cheese freaks you out, you can safely put that concern out of your mind as well. To put it simply: This soup is merely a higher protein version of a comfort food classic.

Is Broccoli Cheddar Soup Healthy?

Just a glance at the ingredient list in this soup makes me feel like this is the kind of soup that is both delicious and nourishing for your body. It’s packed with vegetables and high-protein ingredients that are not overly processed. I also love shredding my own sharp cheddar cheese to use in this recipe, as I find it makes the soup creamier and also eliminates the caking agents used in packaged cheddar cheese. (I bought the viral cheese grater a few months ago and haven’t looked back!) In terms of the nutritional breakdown of this recipe, you may see the nutrition facts below but one bowl has 25 grams of protein per serving, 3 grams of fiber, 144% of your daily value of vitamin C and 44% of your daily value of calcium.

How To Make Broccoli And Cheddar Soup High Protein

It’s shockingly easy! To bump up the protein content in this soup, I made a few simple swaps. While many recipes for broccoli cheddar soup include half and half or even heavy cream, I omitted these high fat, lower protein options and swapped them for ingredients that kept the creamy texture of the soup in tact but majorly increased the amount of protein. I’m lookin’ at you, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese! I also swapped bone broth in place of regular chicken broth or vegetable broth to boost nutrition and protein. And shredded cheddar cheeses also help give the soup some additional protein along with the creamy, cheesy flavor we all know and love.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make this high protein broccoli cheddar soup recipe:

Golden/yellow potatoes (I love to use mini golden potatoes because there’s no need to chop them up before boiling — one less step for the win!)
Salted butter (unsalted butter will also work just fine)
Onion
Garlic
Chicken bone broth (gotta love the extra boost of collagen and protein)
Milk (I much prefer traditional dairy milk in this recipe — skim milk, 2% milk and whole milk all work well)
Cottage cheese
Frozen broccoli florets
Frozen cauliflower florets (or riced cauliflower)
Greek yogurt
Sharp cheddar cheese (any kind of cheddar cheese will work, but something about the extra sharp cheddar cheese gives this recipe a stronger punch of cheesiness I adore)
Salt and black pepper
Bacon

Instructions

To make this protein broccoli cheddar soup, follow the simple steps below:

Step 1

In a large pot on the stove, boil golden potatoes in water until softened. Add in the broccoli and cauliflower at the end (2-3 minutes) to soften them a bit. Drain potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli and set aside.

Step 2

In a large soup pot, melt the butter (olive oil may also be used if you prefer) over medium heat. Add in garlic and onions and saute until onions are translucent and tender.

Step 3

In a high-powered blender (we love our Vitamix), blend bone broth, milk, softened potatoes, steamed broccoli florets, steamed cauliflower florets and cottage cheese until smooth. (You may also use an immersion blender for this step, but it will be a little more challenging.)

Pour blended soup into the large pot with the butter, garlic and onion.

Step 4

Carefully stir in the Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, salt and black pepper.

Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted. Add the chopped bacon into the soup, stirring gently.

Step 5

Ladle into bowls, top with desired toppings (I love additional crumbled bacon, a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and finely diced green onion) and enjoy!