Vegetarian
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Description
This cheesy, creamy broccoli cheddar soup tastes like Panera and is made with healthy ingredients! The perfect comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 carrots scrubbed and cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
- 8 cups broccoli florets about 2 heads
- 3 cups cauliflower florets about 12 ounces or 1 small head
- 2 cloves garlic minced, about 2 teaspoons
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ cup 2% milk whole milk, or half-and-half (the higher the fat, the richer the soup)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard to taste (I use 2)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 4 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded (about 1 cup), plus additional for serving, do not use pre-shredded cheese, which does not melt as smoothly
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan or 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Directions
- In a large Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent, adjusting the heat as needed so it becomes tender but does not brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic. Cook until the broccoli is very lightly sautéed and bright green, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high.
- Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes.
- Puree the soup, either in batches in a blender (be careful not to overfill it—blenders love to splatter) or directly in the pot with an immersion blender. Leave the soup as chunky or as tender as you like.
- Heat the pot over low. Stir in the milk (or half-and-half), mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne.
- Place the cheddar in a bowl and sprinkle the cornstarch over the top. With your fingers, toss to coat the shreds evenly.
- Working only 1 small handful at a time, add the cheese very slowly to the soup, stirring constantly and allowing the cheese to melt completely before the next addition. Stir in the Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Enjoy warm with crusty bread and additional cheese sprinkled on top.
