DiabetesHealthy recipesNutrition

Diabetes-friendly recipe: cheddar cheese and broccoli soup

Fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar are the stars of this comforting dish from the American Diabetes Association.

Jan, 20262 min read
LearnEndocrinologyDiabetesDiabetes-friendly recipe: cheddar cheese and broccoli soup
  • Ingredients
  • Preparation
  • Nutrition facts

This classic soup recipe can be made from scratch in under 45 minutes. Try it tonight for a diabetes-friendly dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound broccoli
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 14 1/2 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated fat-free milk
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese (such as Cabot's 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Salt, to taste

Preparation

Serves: 5
Serving Size: 1 cup
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Trim and peel broccoli stems. Cut off 15 small florets. Coarsely chop enough remaining broccoli to equal 2 cups.

Blanch chopped broccoli and florets in boiling water just until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture simmers and thickens, about 5 minutes.

Add chopped broccoli, cheese, pepper, nutmeg and salt. Stir until cheese melts and soup is heated through, about 3 minutes. Garnish each bowl with reserved broccoli florets.

Exchanges/Choices:

  • 1 Fat-Free Milk
  • 2 Vegetable
  • 1 1/2 Fat

Nutrition facts

Per serving: Calories 205; calories from fat 70; total fat 8.0g; saturated fat 3.5g; trans fat 0g; cholesterol 20mg; sodium 490mg; total carbohydrate 20g; dietary fiber 3g; sugars 12g; protein 17g

Written byAmerican Diabetes Association.
Medically reviewed byGaby Vaca-Flores, RD.July, 2025
Updated onJuly, 2025
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Written byAmerican Diabetes Association.
Medically reviewed byGaby Vaca-Flores, RD.July, 2025
Updated onJuly, 2025
  • Ingredients
  • Preparation
  • Nutrition facts
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