SaurabhIf you like the delicious broccoli cheddar soup, you will be very much interested in what are the best side dishes for such a meal. While broccoli cheddar soup tastes well on its own, you can have an even better meal if you combine it with a side dish that is just as delicious.
You will be glad to know that you can pair your broccoli cheddar soup with a fresh veggie salad, fries, pasta salad, couscous, beans, garlic bread, and many others. Keep on reading to find out how to put together one of those tasty meals and more!
Best Side Dishes For Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Choose the side dish that is satisfying for your personal taste as well as for the taste of other guests you might have for lunch or dinner. You might find that even two of these side dishes go together perfectly so don’t be afraid to combine them how you like it!
1. Salad of fresh veggies
A salad of fresh veggies will definitely compliment your broccoli cheddar soup perfectly. You can use season veggies or just put together a salad of your favorite veggies with a dressing that you know you love.
However, considering the consistency of your broccoli soup, you want to keep the dressing of your salad to a minimum.
2. Fries
Fries are the ultimate comfort food in many parts of the world and they can complement a broccoli soup amazingly well. You can choose to make your fries from any type of potatoes and even sweet potatoes and you will love the way they go next to your soup.
Season them with rosemary and garlic for an even more enriched taste!
3. Pasta salad
Pasta salad, as well as broccoli cheddar soup, could form a nutritious meal by themselves. But when you combine them, you know that you have a wide range of nutrients and a very tasty combo.
Use penne, ravioli, or fussili for your pasta salad and mix them with veggies of your choice to obtain a great complimentary dish for your soup.
4. Couscous
Couscous becomes very popular worldwide as time goes by since it is easy to prepare and you can season it with almost any type of herbs and dressings.
It is essentially made of wheat but it has a consistency that is close to rice. Adding a side dish of couscous seasoned with some garlic or chili powder can pair nicely with broccoli cheddar soup and even other types of soups.
5. Fried beans
Fried beans will surprise you in how well they taste in combination with broccoli cheddar soup. You can eat them as a side dish or even combine them with soup. Make your fried beans spicy so you get even closer to the Mexican taste and highlight the creamy texture of your soup.
6. Garlic bread
Garlic bread is a classic when it comes to the best side dish for many soups, and broccoli cheddar soup is no exception. You can use fresh garlic bread or just make some toast and add garlic on top of it.
Either way, your garlic bread will be very tasty and filling next to your soup and you will love the way it adds to the cheddar and vegetable taste of your main dish.
7. Fried bacon
Fried bacon is one of the most delicious side dishes as well as toppings for many recipes. It goes great with an omelet, pasta, stews, and also soups.
You can chop your bacon into little cubes and sprinkle it on top of your broccoli cheddar soup or you can eat it in thin, crispy slices right next to your bowl. Either way, you will love the final result.
8. Hot dogs
Hot dogs might be your favorite street food, but did you ever have a hot dog next to your broccoli cheddar soup? If you didn’t, you are missing out. Hot dogs can be a great side dish for any type of soup as they complete your meal in a way that gives you the best of both worlds
We recommend though, focusing on the seasonings such as garlic and rosemary when you prepare your hot dogs and limit the mustard. This way they will taste even better next to your soup.
9. Baked potatoes
Baked potatoes can be eaten plain, with some salt or you can add a topping of ham or minced meat to them. No matter however you like to have your baked potatoes, know that they are great to eat next to your broccoli soup. And if you have a dipping sauce of your choice next to such a meal, you are definitely in for a winner.
10. Crispy kale
Crispy kale is easy to make as long as you have kale available and it will add an interesting texture and flavor to your soup. You can enjoy your crispy kale next to your broccoli cheddar soup, with a topping of cheese on top of it or a dipping cheese sauce.
But you can also add it on top of the soup even if this method will make it lose its crispiness but the flavors will combine deliciously.
11. Steak
If you like a nice steak, there is no reason not to add such a dish next to broccoli cheddar soup. As a matter of fact, they will complement each other quite well, even if it is debatable which one would be the main dish in this combo.
Use a sauce you love on your steak and you are going to have a nutritious meal that also contains an important source of protein.
12. Sweet and spicy chicken
Sweet and spicy chicken is a popular dish in Asia and it is usually enjoyed with rice. But you can add such a dish next to your broccoli cheddar soup as well so you get a more complete range of flavors.
If you want to create the complete dish you can add the rice as well, but that might be a bit too much since the broccoli cheddar soup is rich in calories anyway.
13. Cheese sandwich
A classic cheese sandwich can definitely go great with the cheddary taste of your broccoli soup. You can even use cheddar cheese on the sandwich to make it more relatable to your soup and let yourself be creative with the herbs and seasonings.
Rosemary and oregano go particularly well in such a combination.
14. Tortilla wraps
Tortilla wraps can be made in a variety of ways. You can fill them with veggies, beans, and even meat and potatoes.
All you need is a tortilla and the toppings you want to use to create your wrap. Such a side dish will give you a perfect blend of not only different tastes but also different textures. And it might become soon your favorite dinner choice.
15. Wedges
Wedges made of regular potatoes or sweet potatoes would help you create the ultimate comfort food if you add them next to your broccoli cheddar soup. But they will taste even better with a cheddar topping on them or a cheese sauce of your choice.
16. Nachos
Nachos are easy to find in stores and you can get them plain or with different flavors such as cheese flavor, paprika flavor, or even spicy. All types of nachos will go great with broccoli cheddar soup, especially if your soup has a creamy, thick consistency.
Is Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Healthy?
Panera broccoli cheddar soup is as healthy as you prepare it to be. Such a soup has a little over 400 calories per serving and it is made of broccoli, carrots, chicken stock, cheddar, butter, as well as seasonings that will add to its delicious taste.
As long as you don’t add too much salt to your soup, you can count on ending up with a healthy dish. Keep in mind that this is not diet food but it can be a great comfort food during the cold winter evenings.
What Meat Goes Well With Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Since broccoli cheddar soup already contains chicken stop, pairing it with some chicken breast or any other type of chicken meat can be a great choice.
However, you can enjoy this soup with any type of steak as well and even your favorite hot dog.it will not pair well with fish though, since the flavors are too different but you never really know until you try.
Conclusion
You might find that one or more side dishes go great with your broccoli cheddar soup. And you should give them all a try before you make up your mind about which one is your favorite.
Many people prefer to also add a pinch of chili to their broccoli cheddar soup to make it even tastier and that can also change the flavor of your entire meal. Using your imagination as well as your personal taste when you put together such a meal is an essential key to success.
