I have had a love affair with broccoli cheese soup since the first time I had it. The problem is, I have had a lot of “less than satisfying” versions of this soup, and because of this I am a little gun-shy when I see it on a menu. About a year ago I made a delicious pot of broccoli cheese soup, but I didn’t write my recipe down (a VERY common problem for me, but this blog is helping a lot with that problem!)
Last night I attempted broccoli cheddar soup again and discovered I hadn’t forgotten how to make it! Wow, it was so delicious, I kept going back for more. This soup is packed it full of veggies and I used a hand blender to combine it all together, what I ended up with was a perfectly creamy and thick bowl of soup that had so much flavor!
If you don’t have a hand blender you could keep the soup chunky or carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until you reach the desired “chunkiness” of the soup. If you use your stand up blender (I used to do this before I got a hand blender for my birthday, I LOVE it) please be careful not to burn yourself or anyone else. Blend in small batches!
Oh yeah, an added bonus to this recipe, did I mention it’s gluten free and it can be prepared from start to finish in less than 30 minutes?!?
In the mood for soup but not this recipe? Check out my other soup recipes.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 1 medium onion
- 2 carrots, grated or chopped fine
- 2 stalks of celery, sliced fine
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets (cut small)
- 3 cups chicken broth (I use water and Better Than Bouillon)
- 4 cups milk
- 3 Tbs. cornstarch
- 2-3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
In a large stock pot over medium heat melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the broccoli and garlic. Stir for about one minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the broth to the veggies and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
While the veggies are simmering whisk the cornstarch into the milk until completely combined. Add the milk mixture to the broth and veggies. Bring to a low boil and stir until thickened. Using a hand blender (or regular blender as described above) puree the soup until your desired consistency (I still like a few chunks of broccoli in the soup.)
Once the soup is blended stir in the grated cheese, a handful at a time. Make sure the cheese from the first handful has melted before you add the next handful. Once all the cheese is melted do not let the soup boil. Add salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately and enjoy with biscuits or easy focaccia bread!