Broccoli cheddar spaghetti squash soup is a twist on the popular Panera version! Perfectly creamy, rich, and loaded with tender broccoli and spaghetti squash.
You guys, your life is literally about to be made complete by none other than a soup.
Unsurprisingly, it’s broccoli cheddar soup which obviously makes sense. BUT we’re adding a major twist today that’s changing the game completely.
Alright, I recognize that it’s loud and clear in the title. Our secret weapon today is the almighty spaghetti squash.
Basically, we’re just making a classic, super-rich, extra-cheesy broccoli cheddar soup but upping the veggie game by throwing an entire spaghetti squash into the pot.
And the wonders it does to this soups texture….just whoa.
This Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Soup features…
- A rich, cheesy soup base with lots of gooey cheddar
- Tender broccoli florets and spaghetti squash
- Only a handful of basic pantry ingredients needed to make it
- Lighter on the calories than traditional broccoli cheddar soup and full of veggies
Making the Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Soup
(scroll down to the bottom of post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Spaghetti squash
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- Shredded carrot
- Yellow onion
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- All-purpose flour
- Heavy whipping cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
How to Prep Spaghetti Squash
Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a small spaghetti squash in half then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds until insides are clean.
Rub the interior with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place spaghetti squash cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 400F 40-45 minutes until a paring knife slides easily in and out of flesh.
Allow the spaghetti squash to cool slightly, then take a fork and shred interior into long spaghetti-like strands.
Time saver tip: the spaghetti squash can be roasted up to 4 days in advance and stored in refrigerator. Add the squash to soup whenever you are ready to make it.
Tips for Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Use a Dutch oven – we highly recommend using a Dutch oven for making this soup – it’s the perfect size and it heats consistently. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a large soup pot will also work!
- Saute vegetables – saute shredded carrots, onion, and garlic in butter until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Add broth + spaghetti squash and simmer – bring everything to a low simmer over medium-high heat.
- Puree part of soup – remove 2 cups of the soup and puree until smooth in a blender. This step makes the soup extra creamy and hearty!
- Add broccoli and simmer soup – add finely-chopped broccoli florets to soup and simmer soup until the broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add cream and cheddar – last step but the most important! Fold heavy cream and cheddar into soup until the cheddar is melted.
Recipe Variations
Try these variations if you want to make this soup a little different!
- Make it vegetarian – simply swap out the chicken broth for veggie broth.
- Use a sharp cheddar – if you like a sharper cheddar flavor, feel free to use that in place of the mild cheddar cheese!
- Speaking of cheese…add more? – less is definitely not more when it comes to cheese. Feel free to add another type of cheese such as Asiago, gouda, etc.
- Add more veggies – add a handful of sweet peppers, cauliflower, peas, etc.
Storing and Freezing Soup
This soup can be stored in refrigerator for up to 6 days. It reheats beautifully in the microwave or on the stovetop.
You can also freeze this soup up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator and reheat in microwave or on stovetop.
It’s so perfectly creamy, insanely cheesy, and just loaded with texture from the broccoli and spaghetti squash. Like broccoli cheddar soup on steroids, y’all.
Dare I say this soup blow Panera’s version away? The best part is that WE control the amount of cheese here so you can make it as cheesy as your brocc cheddar-lovin’ heart desires.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Hungry for more? Add these soups to your menu next!
Broccoli Cheddar Spaghetti Squash Soup
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 small spaghetti squash, cut in half vertically and seeds scooped out
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, shredded or finely chopped
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth for vegetarian)
- 3 cups finely-chopped broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1-1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Rub inside of spaghetti squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash cut-side down on prepared baking sheet.
- Roast squash at 400F 40-45 minutes until squash is very tender when pierced with a paring knife. Allow squash to cool several minutes. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to scoop out flesh and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and saute several minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and flour and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Slowly add chicken broth, stirring to remove any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add spaghetti squash to soup, stirring until combined. Bring soup to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Remove two cups of soup mixture and transfer to a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add pureed mixture back to soup.
- Reduce heat to medium and add broccoli to soup. Cook 5-8 minutes until broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork. Stir in cream and cheese until melted, then remove soup from heat.
- Season soup with salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve warm. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply