This easy Boursin broccoli soup without cream uses the garlic and herb cheese to provide all the flavor and creaminess. I promise you won’t miss the cheddar with this updated and more elegant version of broccoli cheese soup.
One of my favorite soups before my migraine disorder began was Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Who doesn’t love it? It’s cozy, warm, creamy, and perfect with crusty bread. Plus it was a great excuse to leave the office back in the day. Although that version contains some hidden versions of MSG (for people who are sensitive to glutamate or following a migraine diet), you can recreate this version at home super quickly and with minimal ingredients.
Broccoli Soup without Cream
One of the great parts of this recipe is it’s super creamy without the use of heavy cream. Milk is combined with a flavorful vegetable broth and the flour serves to thicken the soup.
Instead of using cheddar, Boursin helps to add a lot of the spices and flavor of garlic and herbs. Plus it melts into the soup so smoothly and provides the extra creaminess.
All you really need is a large pot to make this super easy broccoli soup. I know readers will ask, and unfortunately there is no good way to make this soup dairy free. The Boursin is an essential part of it. However, you can make this soup gluten free by using your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour substitute.
How to Store and Reheat
To refrigerate for 2-3 days, place in an airtight container and reheat on the stovetop over medium low for 10 minutes.
To freeze, place cooled soup in an airtight ziplock storage freezer bag, or any freezer-safe reusable bag. Storing in a bag will help you to freeze flat and save space. You can defrost it overnight in the fridge, or place the bag in warm water.
Be cautious when reheating this soup to keep it on medium ow to prevent curdling of the milk.
How to Serve
I personally love this Boursin broccoli soup for lunch or dinner, served with crusty bread and a simple side salad.
If you’d like to make this with more protein, adding rotisserie chicken would work well with this recipe.
Here are some great simple salads that would pair with it.
Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Salad
Pepita Pear Salad
Simple Salad with Ranch Dressing
Fall Panzanella Salad
Other Boursin Recipes
I love using Boursin cheese in so many recipes! Here are a few of my favorites.
Creamy Boursin Pasta
Boursin Stuffed Chicken
Boursin Broccoli Casserole
Boursin Scalloped Potatoes (pg 188 my cookbook)
And for another great vegetarian soup, check out my Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup.
Boursin Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped small (1 cup)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour (gluten free if needed)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups whole milk*
- 1 head broccoli chopped into florets (about 2 full cups florets)
- 5 oz Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or omit for lower sodium)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large, heavy pot (I used a 5 ½ quart pot), melt the butter over medium heat and stir in chopped shallots and carrots. Saute for about 2 minutes until they are fragrant and more tender, stirring often. Add ¼ cup of flour and coat the vegetables. Pour in about ½ cup of broth and whisk till the flour gets incorporated and smooth. Then add the rest of the broth as well as the whole milk. Bring to a low simmer for 8-10 minutes, allowing it to thicken. Do not start to boil, otherwise your milk might curdle (*especially if using a low fat option instead).
- Add the broccoli florets and cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Off the heat, stir in Boursin cheese until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust any seasonings, like salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- I recommend using whole milk to give the soup extra creaminess and also the higher fat content makes it less likely to curdle, however you can use any milk substitute you'd like. Just be aware!
Loved this soup. I love broccoli and this was so creamy. I will make this many times throughout the winter!
This soup is delicious! I made it for my family this weekend and they loved it too. Very easy to prepare and so comforting.
Thanks for another great one Alicia!
I made this for lunch today. I’ve been missing Panera and how I would Always get the broccoli cheddar soup with a Napa almond chicken salad sandwich. I was Not expecting this to taste just as good, but honestly it was amazing. Also so simple to make. I dont Think I’ll ever buy store bought broccoli cheddar soup again. And bonus points that every ingredient is migraine friendly!
When we first tasted this soup we thought it was a little bland but by the time we were on bowl #2 we were fighting over who would get the last of it, lol. I used Oatly full fat milk instead of dairy (we don't keep milk in the house) and went ahead and used butter. I had planned on using olive oil but I had the butter so I used it. In the future I will cook the broccoli longer (to my preference) and not add the extra half cup of water that I added because my son said, "That doesn't look like enough soup." Which we figured is what made it taste a little bland-totally my fault!
3 of us were eating the soup and we had enough with zero leftovers. Usually when I make soup I make a vat, so it didn't look like my normal amount of soup making. My daughter pronounced this recipe a keeper so, YAY!
Also, I use a julienne peeler to make the carrot pieces look more like my usual broccoli soup so that could help others if their carrots getting done is a problem.
Thank you for this recipe!
Delicious!
Would this recipe work with olive oil instead of butter?
It does!
Really tasty and easy to make soup - I will definitely be making this again!
GREAT recipe!! Served to my family tonight as a light dinner with a chicken caesar salad - everyone loved it 🙂
Thank you Lisa!!
A few weeks ago I started following your diet and have already noticed a difference in my chronic migraines. I heard you on the Heads Up podcast. Thank you so much! I made this recipe tonight and didn’t know what to expect from the Boursin cheese. I was happily surprised. I hate cream cheese but I didn’t mind this at all. My husband liked it too. Thanks!
Natalie, your message made my day. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. So happy to hear you found me through them - they're a great podcast. That butternut squash soup is great too!
Amazing recipe! I love this even more than traditional broccoli and cheese soup
A very comforting recipe! My carrots did not soften no matter how long I cooked them. Not sure why. But everything else about this soup is terrific! Love the flavor and it takes care of that winter broccoli cheese soup craving!
You will either need to chop them much smaller, like 1/4" pieces or to saute them for longer than the recipe says....like around 10 min. They should be softened a bit before you add in the broth so next time do a taste check before moving on and that should help!