Meatless Friday: Cheddar Not-Broccoli Soup

For Meatless Friday, Karen Ullo shares an adaptation of a popular soup recipe to eliminate an unpopular vegetable. Download our printable recipe card!

Every household has one: the kid — or possibly the adult — who will not touch broccoli with ten-foot pole. The one at my house won’t even eat vegetables that have been in the same drawer with broccoli. But the rest of us love cheddar broccoli soup, so we reached a compromise by adapting the recipe to replace the broccoli with other vegetables. 

Cheddar Not-Broccoli Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup melted butter 
¼ cup flour 
2 cups milk 
2 cups chicken stock 
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, and green beans) 
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced 
2 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 
½ tsp. Creole seasoning*, or to taste 
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tbs. dried) 
4-5 leaves chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)  

Directions

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the flour. Cook, stirring frequently, until it just begins to brown into a roux. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to prevent clumping or burning. Add the chicken stock and whisk until combined. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes to thicken, stirring often and never allowing it to reach a rolling boil. 

While it’s simmering, put the frozen vegetables in a microwave safe bowl and fill with water to cover them. Microwave 3-4 minutes until thawed, then drain. They don’t have to be steaming, just no longer frozen. 

When the soup base is thickened, add the thawed vegetables, celery, parsley, basil, and Creole seasoning. Simmer another 20 minutes, again stirring frequently and making sure not to let it boil. 

Stir in the cheddar cheese, allow to melt, and cook another 2-3 minutes to make sure it’s hot. Serve with additional parsley for garnish if desired and French bread or crackers for dipping. 

Enjoy! 

*Creole seasoning is widely available in many commercial brands, but if you can’t find it, or if you’re an overachiever who likes to make things from scratch, I’ve included my grandmother’s seasoning recipe below.  

Eileen’s Creole Seasoning: 

2 tbs. salt 
1 tbs. ground red pepper 
1 tbs. chili powder 
1 tbs. garlic powder 
1 tsp. black pepper 

Place all ingredients in an empty spice bottle and shake to combine.   

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Copyright 2025 Karen Ullo
Images: (top) Canva; (center) copyright 2025 Karen Ullo, all rights reserved.