Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons
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This broccoli and Gruyère soup is rich, creamy, and full of cozy flavor—perfect for chilly evenings or an easy weeknight dinner.
There’s nothing like a cozy bowl of soup to take the edge off a chilly evening, and this rich, creamy broccoli and Gruyère soup does just that. Think of it as the French cousin of the classic broccoli cheddar soup. Topped with crisp homemade croutons, it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own. Best of all, it comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
“Made this today for a quick NYE lunch. Man, man, man. Just perfect and couldn’t be easier. The croutons really are the perfect topping.”
What you’ll need to make Broccoli & Gruyère Soup
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Cook the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the wine, broccoli, and broth. Pour in the white wine and let it cook until it’s almost completely reduced. Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes.
Step: 3: Add the cream and purée. Stir in the heavy cream, then use a hand-held immersion blender to purée the soup until it’s completely smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches. Just let it cool a bit first, leave the hole in the lid open, and cover it with a kitchen towel so the steam can escape.)
Step 4: Stir in the cheese. Gradually add the Gruyère, stirring until it melts smoothly into the soup. Stir in the nutmeg, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Step 5: Toast the croutons. While the soup is cooking, make the croutons. You’ll need bread cubes (preferably day old), melted butter, salt, and pepper. Simply toss everything directly on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread cubes are golden.
Step 6: Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons. Enjoy!
More Cozy Soups To Try
Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 1¾ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 pound broccoli, florets and stems, roughly chopped
- 4 cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half, for a lighter version)
- 3 oz grated Gruyère (1 packed heaping cup)
- Pinch nutmeg
For the Croutons
- 2 cups cubed French bread, preferably day old
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Soup
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced, a few minutes.
- Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream; then, use a hand held immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape.) Bring the soup to a simmer, then gradually stir in the cheese, stirring until melted. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper). Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons.
For the Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Directly on the baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, tossing once, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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It was great! Even my one picky eater in my family loved this soup! I’ve made so many of Jenn’s recipes and this recipe will be another add on to our meal menu options. Thanks!
I make this soup twice a month. It is our favourite broccoli soup. We eat half and freeze half for the following week.
This is a great soup & a great way to have broccoli & vegetables. I submitted black pepper for white pepper. Also, I used gluten free bread,because I have Celiac.Thanks for ALL of your recipes!! Mary D
Hi Jenn, I am a huge fan of your site and I have loved every recipe I have tried. While this recipe was flavourful, your photo looks quite different than my finished product. Your photo looks much more blended and creamy. My soup was not that visually appealing. It resembled a creamy broth with micro bits of vegetables. I used an immersion blender and perhaps I should have used my blender?
Hi Jane, sorry to hear you weren’t thrilled with the soup. If you prepare it again, yes, I’d suggest using a regular blender. My immersion blender worked well for it, but I’m sure there’s a lot of variance there.
Is there a trick to adding the cream so it won’t break when it hits the hot liquid?
Hi Kelly, you’ll be blending the soup after you add the cream, so if it does separate at all when you add it, this will help to thoroughly combine it. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks. It worked and It is soo good!
This soup is simple and delicious. The white wine adds a nice, light acidity; the homemade croutons add a lovely crunch; and Gruyere is a much nicer cheese than the cheddar I’ve previously used in broccoli soup. Oh, and heavy cream is always yummy. 🙂 I think this is my new go-to broccoli cheese soup recipe!
Such a quick, easy and elegant soup. This is a fabulous recipe. It will great to take to the office paired with either half a sandwich or a quick light salad.
Is there any substitute for white wine in the broccoli/cheese soup (and all other recipes for that matter) or will it just taste a bit different if left out?
Hi Meredyth, It really depends on the recipe. Here, the wine adds depth of flavor and a touch of acidity. It’s fine to leave it out. If you find the soup could use a burst of flavor, try adding a squeeze of lemon at the end — but go easy…a little goes a long way. Hope that helps!
I only have frozen organic flowered on hand –
Anything in particular to adjust if using frozen?
Hi Marsha, I’m not sure which ingredient you’re referring to – can you clarify?
Would cauliflower work in place of broccoli?
Yes Adriann, I don’t see why not! I’d love to hear how it turns out with cauliflower.
Just as lovely as with broccoli! My 2 year old loves it!
So glad– thanks for the follow-up!
Just made the broccoli and cheese soup. It’s delicious and perfect for a chilly, windy day in Chicago! Will be on our Thanksgiving “weekend” menu! Thanks Jen.
This is a delicious, hearty soup, great for a fall lunch with a baguette and salad.