Warm Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Dumplings

If you ask me, soup with dumplings is comfort food at its finest.

This hearty broccoli cheddar soup makes a cozy weeknight dinner that’s loaded with vegetables and cheesy goodness. Tender broccoli and carrots simmer in a rich cheddar broth seasoned with fresh thyme and a hint of nutmeg.

The dumplings are fluffy and light, made with buttermilk and studded with Parmesan and fresh sage. They cook right in the soup, soaking up all that cheesy flavor.

It’s a warm and satisfying meal that feels special but comes together in one pot, perfect for chilly evenings when you want something filling.

What Kind of Cheddar Cheese Should I Use?

For this soup, sharp cheddar is really the way to go because it gives you that bold, tangy flavor that stands up well against the other ingredients. You can use pre-shredded cheese from the bag if you’re short on time, but I’d recommend shredding a block of cheese yourself if possible – it melts more smoothly and doesn’t have those anti-caking agents that can make your soup a bit grainy. White or orange cheddar both work perfectly fine here, so just grab whichever one you prefer or have on hand. If you want an extra kick of flavor, you could even go for an extra-sharp cheddar, though it might be a bit too intense for kids.

Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions:

• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth works just as well if that’s what you have in your pantry. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to your dumpling mixture.
• Fresh thyme and sage: You can use dried herbs instead – just use about 1/3 of the amount called for. So that’s roughly 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried sage.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Mild cheddar, gruyere, or even a mix of different cheeses will work fine. Just keep the total amount the same.
• Whole milk: Any milk you have works here – 2%, skim, or even half-and-half if you want it richer. Heavy cream would make it extra creamy but isn’t necessary.
• Broccoli florets: Fresh or frozen both work equally well in this recipe. If using frozen, no need to thaw – just toss them right in.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making dumplings is overmixing the batter, which creates tough, dense dumplings instead of light and fluffy ones – stir just until the ingredients come together and you still see a few lumps.

Another common error is lifting the lid while the dumplings cook, as this releases the steam they need to puff up properly, so resist the urge to peek for those 8-10 minutes.

To avoid a grainy texture when adding the cheddar cheese, make sure to remove the pot from direct heat first and stir the cheese in gradually, which helps it melt smoothly without separating.

If your soup turns out too thick after blending, simply add a bit more broth to reach your preferred consistency, and remember that the soup will thicken slightly as it sits.

What to Serve With Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

This soup is pretty hearty on its own thanks to those fluffy dumplings, but I love serving it with a simple side salad to balance out all that cheesy goodness. A crisp romaine or mixed greens salad with a tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness perfectly. If you want something more substantial, crusty bread or dinner rolls are great for soaking up the creamy broth. For a cozy weeknight dinner, I’ll sometimes add some rotisserie chicken to the soup itself to make it even more filling, or serve it alongside roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or green beans.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The dumplings will soak up some of the broth as they sit, so you might want to add a splash of vegetable broth when reheating to loosen things up a bit.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 2 months, though I’ll be honest – the dumplings can get a little dense after freezing. If you’re planning to freeze it, consider making the soup base without the dumplings and adding fresh ones when you reheat.

Reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of broth or milk if it’s gotten too thick. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir it every minute or so to heat evenly and keep the cheese from separating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2400
• Protein: 75-90 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 195-220 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp fresh thyme (stripped from stems)
• 3 carrots (cut into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
• 2 tbsp salted butter (I use Kerrygold for rich flavor)
• 1 sweet onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 cups broccoli florets (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6.5 cups vegetable broth
• kosher salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)

For the dumplings:

• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp fresh sage (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For finishing:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded gives better melting)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start the Soup Base

• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, stripped
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

Dice the sweet onion into 1/2-inch pieces, cut carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, cut broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces, strip thyme leaves from stems, finely chop fresh sage, and grate the nutmeg fresh.

Heat the salted butter and extra virgin olive oil together in a large pot over medium heat until the butter is melted and foaming.

This combination of butter and oil gives you the richness of butter with the higher smoke point of oil, preventing burning while building a flavorful base.

Step 2: Build Aromatic Flavor Base

• diced onion from Step 1
• carrots from Step 1
• thyme from Step 1
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Add the diced onion to the hot fat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn translucent.

Add the carrots and thyme, then season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

Cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the carrots to begin softening and the thyme to release its oils into the fat.

This layering of aromatics creates a deeper flavor foundation than adding everything at once.

Step 3: Simmer Broccoli and Build Soup Body

• 6.5 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups broccoli florets from Step 1
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg from Step 1
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the broccoli florets, bay leaves, grated nutmeg, and cayenne pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is completely tender and falls apart easily when pressed with a spoon.

Remove the bay leaves before moving to the next step.

I find that cooking the broccoli fully here ensures it blends smoothly and creates a naturally creamy texture without needing heavy cream.

Step 4: Prepare Dumpling Dough

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh sage from Step 1

While the soup simmers, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.

Create a well in the center and add the room-temperature buttermilk, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped sage.

Stir until just combined into a thick, slightly sticky batter—do not overmix, as this keeps the dumplings tender.

The batter should be wetter than biscuit dough but thicker than pancake batter.

Step 5: Blend Soup to Creamy Consistency

• cooked soup from Step 3

Using an immersion blender, blend approximately 3/4 of the cooked soup directly in the pot until the broccoli is finely chopped and the soup reaches a creamy, chowder-like consistency.

Leave some broccoli pieces visible for texture—this isn’t a smooth puree.

If you prefer a completely smooth soup, blend it all, but I like to keep some texture to remind you this is a vegetable soup, not a cream soup.

Step 6: Cook Dumplings in Simmering Soup

• dumpling dough from Step 4
• soup from Step 5

Bring the blended soup back to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop roughly 6 dumplings into the simmering soup, spacing them apart so they have room to expand.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 8-10 minutes until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.

The dumplings will float to the surface when done.

Step 7: Finish with Cheese and Season

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Gently move the cooked dumplings to the side of the pot.

Reduce heat to low, then stir in the whole milk and freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese melts completely and the soup is smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt and black pepper as needed.

I prefer freshly shredded cheddar here because pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy—the real cheese melts silkier.

Step 8: Serve

Ladle the hot soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a dumpling or two.

Finish with a crack of fresh black pepper if desired.

Warm Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Dumplings

Delicious Warm Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Dumplings recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2250 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp fresh thyme (stripped from stems)
• 3 carrots (cut into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
• 2 tbsp salted butter (I use Kerrygold for rich flavor)
• 1 sweet onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 cups broccoli florets (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6.5 cups vegetable broth
• kosher salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)

For the dumplings:

• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp fresh sage (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For finishing:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded gives better melting)

Instructions

 

• Dice the sweet onion into 1/2-inch pieces, cut carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, cut broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces, strip thyme leaves from stems, finely chop fresh sage, and grate the nutmeg fresh. Heat the salted butter and extra virgin olive oil together in a large pot over medium heat until the butter is melted and foaming. This combination of butter and oil gives you the richness of butter with the higher smoke point of oil, preventing burning while building a flavorful base.
• Add the diced onion to the hot fat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn translucent. Add the carrots and thyme, then season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the carrots to begin softening and the thyme to release its oils into the fat. This layering of aromatics creates a deeper flavor foundation than adding everything at once.
• Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the broccoli florets, bay leaves, grated nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is completely tender and falls apart easily when pressed with a spoon. Remove the bay leaves before moving to the next step. I find that cooking the broccoli fully here ensures it blends smoothly and creates a naturally creamy texture without needing heavy cream.
• While the soup simmers, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Create a well in the center and add the room-temperature buttermilk, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped sage. Stir until just combined into a thick, slightly sticky batter—do not overmix, as this keeps the dumplings tender. The batter should be wetter than biscuit dough but thicker than pancake batter.
• Using an immersion blender, blend approximately 3/4 of the cooked soup directly in the pot until the broccoli is finely chopped and the soup reaches a creamy, chowder-like consistency. Leave some broccoli pieces visible for texture—this isn't a smooth puree. If you prefer a completely smooth soup, blend it all, but I like to keep some texture to remind you this is a vegetable soup, not a cream soup.
• Bring the blended soup back to a gentle boil over medium heat. Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop roughly 6 dumplings into the simmering soup, spacing them apart so they have room to expand. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 8-10 minutes until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. The dumplings will float to the surface when done.
• Gently move the cooked dumplings to the side of the pot. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the whole milk and freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese melts completely and the soup is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt and black pepper as needed. I prefer freshly shredded cheddar here because pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy—the real cheese melts silkier.
• Ladle the hot soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a dumpling or two. Finish with a crack of fresh black pepper if desired.