Skip to Content

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup

This Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup is hands down the best broccoli cheese soup you’ll ever make- it’s creamy, cheesy, quick and easy!! How can you ask for more?

Makes 7 ( 1 and 1/3 cup) servings

I’m a huge fan of broccoli cheese soup, but as we all know traditional broccoli cheese soup can have up to 400 calories per serving!! That is nuts! I created this lightened up broccoli cheese soup that has half the calories without having to sacrifice the amazing taste! Consider this a lightened up version of Panera Bakery’s broccoli cheddar soup!

What ingredients do I need to make this Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup?

  • Land o’ Lakes light butter made with canola oil– or any light butter
  • Small onion-chopped
  • Carrots-shredded. Julienne cut.
  • Low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • Frozen or fresh broccoliI like to use fresh florets
  • Garlic powder
  • All purpose flour
  • Fat free half and half 1/2 cup skim or unsweetened almond milk
  • Velveeta shreds cheddar cheese– I highly suggest using the Velveeta shreds for this soup-it’s low in points and melts very well without clumping. I get it at my local Walmart store. 

How do I make this Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup?

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until translucent.

To make it easy and to save time I use already peeled and shredded carrots that can be found at most grocery stores near the packed carrots.

Stir in shredded carrots and broccoli. Then pour in chicken broth.

Simmer until broccoli, and carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

Reduce heat, and stir in cheese and garlic powder.

Continue stirring until cheese is melted. 

In a small mixing bowl combine fat free half and half, skim milk and flour.

Whisk until well combined. 

Stir half and half/milk and flour mixture into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until soup thickens. 

Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for  7-10 days.

Makes 7 ( 1 and 1/3 cup) servings

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 Tbsp Land o’ Lakes light butter made with canola oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup carrots, Julienne cut 
  • 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen or fresh broccoli
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup fat free half and half 
  • 1/2 cup skim or unsweetened almond milk
  • 12 oz. Velveeta shreds cheddar cheese* see notes

Directions:

  1. In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until translucent.
  2. Stir in shredded carrots and broccoli. Then pour in chicken broth.
  3. Simmer until broccoli, and carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
  4. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese and garlic powder. Continue stirring until cheese is melted. 
  5. In a small mixing bowl combine milk, fat free half and half, and flour. Whisk until well combined. 
  6. Stir milk/half and half, and flour mixture into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until soup thickens. 
  7. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for  7-10 days.

Makes 7 ( 1 and 1/3 cup) servings

6 Points® per serving

How do I track this recipe in my WW app? 

Click the link below to go to the recipe builder. You’ll first need to sign into your WW account and then the recipe builder will upload.

*The recipe builder link only works for WW members located in the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, you’ll need to access the WW app manually to create the recipe in the recipe builder. 

Notes:

  •  I highly suggest using the Velveeta shreds for this soup-it’s low in points and melts very well without clumping. I get it at my local Walmart store. 
  • I don’t recommend freezing it since this soup contains cheese and milk which doesn’t freeze well. 
  • Updated Recipe Pictures: 11/1/2021
Yield: 7

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup

Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup

This Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup is hands down the best broccoli cheese soup you’ll ever make- it's creamy, cheesy, quick and easy!! How can you ask for more? Give it a try and you'll be hooked! 

Author: thepounddropper.com

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Land o' Lakes light butter made with canola oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup carrots, Julienne cut 
  • 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen or fresh broccoli
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup fat free half and half 
  • 1/2 cup skim or unsweetened almond milk
  • 12 oz. Velveeta shreds cheddar cheese* see notes

Instructions

    1. In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until translucent.
    2. Stir in carrots and broccoli. Then pour in chicken broth.
    3. Simmer until broccoli, and carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
    4. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese and garlic powder. Continue stirring until cheese is melted. 
    5. In a small mixing bowl combine milk, fat free half and half, and flour. Whisk until well combined. 
    6. Stir milk/half and half, and flour mixture into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until soup thickens. 
    7. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for  7-10 days.

Makes 7 ( 1 and 1/3 cup) servings

    6 Points® per serving

Notes

    • I highly suggest using the Velveeta shreds for this soup-it's low in points and melts very well without clumping. I get it at my local Walmart store. 
    • I don’t recommend freezing it since this soup has cheese and milk in it, which doesn't freeze well.
    • Smartpoints: GREEN :6 SmartPoints per serving, BLUE: 6 SmartPoints per serving, PURPLE: 6 SmartPoints per serving

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

7

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 752mgCarbohydrates: 20gNet Carbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 14g

Do not use the WW nutritional calculator to calculate points. The nutritional calculator does take zero point food ingredients into consideration and will not be accurate. Personal Point values and nutritional information is estimated and calculated using the brand of ingredients listed in the recipe. PersonalPoints values may vary depending on the brand of ingredients used and depending on your customized zero point foods list. To accurately calculate the Personal Point value on a recipe you will need to enter the ingredients in the WW app recipe builder by going to the top bar in your WW App and selecting “My Foods” then when you are in my foods select “Recipes” then click “Create” in top corner, this is where you will build the recipe, give it a name, select how many servings it makes and then add all ingredients. This way every recipe you enter will give you your own personal point value for that recipe.

Michelle

Tuesday 16th of January 2024

This was absolutely delicious. Definitely didn’t taste lightened up. Thank you.

Barb

Wednesday 29th of November 2023

This lightened up Broccoli Cheese Soup is cheesy, comforting and delicious! This is a keeper.

Danyalle

Tuesday 9th of November 2021

I made this tonight and it was ABSOLUTELY delicious!!! I will definitely make this again and again!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe(s) ... I've loved them all!!!

Megan

Wednesday 6th of October 2021

Made this for my husband, who doesn’t do “diet food”, and myself tonight and we loved it! I couldn’t find the Velveeta shreds either, so I used 12oz 2% velveeta cubed (it didn’t shred well, and the cubed melted fine). It was still 5 WW green points per serving. I also added a dash of nutmeg, my secret ingredient in Mac & Cheese, and it really brought out the flavors. Definitely adding this to my winter soup rotation!

low fat broccoli cheddar soup recipe – Bnr.Co

Monday 23rd of August 2021

[…] Lightened Up Broccoli Cheese Soup – Pound Dropper […]

Skip to Recipe