The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
From Erma_E_K_Monie 2 years agoIngredients
- 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided shopping list
- 1 small or medium sweet yellow onion, diced small shopping list
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced finely, more if you just love garlic shopping list
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour shopping list
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock may be substituted) shopping list
- 2 cups half-and-half* shopping list
- 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, diced into bite-size pieces + 1 cups stems, optional (I used 3 cups florets and 1 cup stems shopping list
- 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into very thin rounds, about 1/16th-inch shopping list
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste shopping list
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste shopping list
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika, optional and to taste shopping list
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder, optional and to taste shopping list
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste (doesn’t make soup spicy and serves to enhance flavor) shopping list
- 8 ounces grated high quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese, with a small amount reserved for garnishing shopping list
How to make it
- In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter, the diced onion, and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and barely browned, about 4 minutes.
- Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from heat and set pan aside.
- In a large heavy-bottom pot add 4 tablespoons butter, flour, and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened.
- You are making a roux and it’s very important the mixture is thick or soup will never thicken properly later.
- Slowly add the vegetable/chicken stock, whisking constantly.
- Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly.
- Allow mixture to simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some.
- Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
- While mixture is simmering, chop the broccoli and carrots.
- After simmering 15 to 20 minutes, add the broccoli, carrots, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
- Add the salt, pepper, optional paprika, optional dry mustard powder, and optional cayenne.
- If you don’t have these seasonings on hand, it’s okay, but they do add subtle depth of flavor.
- Stir to combine.
- Allow soup to simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some.
- Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
- While soup simmers, grate the cheese.
- It’s important to use a high-quality cheese (not the cheapest thing you can find) because the flavor of the soup depends on it.
- Do not use pre-grated cheese in ziptop bags because that cheese is resistant to melting and won’t incorporate well.
- After simmering about 20 to 25 minutes, add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnishing bowls.
- Stir in the cheese until melted and incorporated fully, less than 1 minute.
- Transfer soup to bowls, garnish with reserved cheese, and serve immediately.
- Soup will keep airtight for 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
- Reheat gently in the microwave.
- I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the micro rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best.
- I don’t recommend freezing the soup because I feel like the cheese and half-and-half will not do well upon thawing and soup could break, but I haven’t actually tried freezing it.
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- Recipe Notes and Tips:
- *Whole milk or 2% milk will work but soup won’t be as creamy. I used fat-free half-and-half to reduce the fat amount.
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