Description
This Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a warm and comforting dish that combines fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar into a velvety smooth experience. Perfect for chilly evenings, it’s a vegetarian delight that promises to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients
- Fresh broccoli florets
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Sweet yellow onion
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Vegetable broth
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dry mustard powder
- Fresh nutmeg
Instructions
- Chop your broccoli into small, bite-sized florets. Mince your onion and garlic. If you're using a block of cheddar, shred it now.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the cooked onion and garlic. Stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in 4 cups of vegetable broth, a little at a time, making sure to incorporate each addition fully before adding more. Once all the broth is in and smooth, slowly whisk in 2 cups of whole milk in the same gradual manner until well combined.
- Bring the soup mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Add your broccoli florets. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the broccoli simmer until tender-crisp, about 10-15 minutes.
- For a creamy texture, blend about half of the soup. You can carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
- Turn off the heat. Add your shredded cheddar cheese and 4 ounces of cream cheese to the soup. Stir gently and continuously until all the cheese is melted and incorporated.
- Stir in a splash of heavy cream, along with your dry mustard powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Ladle your Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup into bowls and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: For the best results, shred your own cheese to avoid graininess. Add cheese off the heat to prevent curdling, and adjust the consistency with more broth or milk if needed.