Move over thick and creamy broccoli soup and say hello to the more modern version with a thin and cheesy broth, and delicate and tender vegetables. It’s out of this world.
This winter, we’ve been on a real soup kick. I love the simplicity, the fact that they are easy to prepare, and a great way to get a lot of veggies into our diet. Emmett, my picky child, would happily survive on white bread and soy milk, but he’ll often make an exception for soup, so we take advantage of his select preferences and try to optimize our opportunities to get some real nutrition into him. It’s been such a challenge.
I’m partial to soups with a fatty savory broth, and I always choose a soup with cheese in the title. They just appeal to me more. My kids also share my preferences, which is a bonus. They absolutely went crazy for this broccoli and cheddar soup. I’ve tested it a few times in the past weeks, just to make sure that the recipe was perfect, and every time, the soup was gone in seconds. It’s salty and cheesy, which are two very appealing flavors. The broth is thinner than your average broccoli and cheddar soup. The vegetables are simmered to the perfect texture, not too crisp and not too soggy. It’s the perfect soup for dipping bread or slurping up on it’s own.
Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
serves 6 people
prep time - 20 minutes
cooking time - 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp of butter
1/4 small onion, diced
4 small white potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp of butter
4 tbsp of all-purpose flour
1 cup of half and half cream
1 cup of water
2 cups of cheddar, shredded
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 head of broccoli, chopped
DIRECTIONS
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp of butter on medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and sautee until soft.
Add the potatoes and saute for a few minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add 6 cups of vegetable broth and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
In a medium saucepan, add 3 tbsp of butter and 4 tbsp of flour and cook into a slurry on medium heat. Add the cream and water slowly and stir vigorously with a whisk. Let it simmer on medium heat until it has begun to thicken. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Set the heat to low and keep the saucepan on the stove until you are ready to add it to the soup.
Once the potatoes are soft, add the carrots, celery, and broccoli. Simmer until the veggies are slightly soft, but not mushy approximately 5 minutes. You want the broccoli to stay bright green.
Add the cheese sauce to the soup and stir.
Serve warm with some bread on the side.
The soup can be kept in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for two months.
