Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup made with crisp broccoli, fresh carrots, and onion, in a savory broth enriched by cheddar, and heavy cream.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a cold-weather must. This recipe is a nod to one of our favorite dishes at Panera Bread. It’s thick and creamy and packed full of fresh vegetables.
Broccoli cheddar soup ingredients
Broccoli
Cheddar
Heavy cream
Butter
Gold potato
Onion
Carrot
Olive oil
Vegetable stock
Spices
Alternative ways to thicken soup without a roux
Mashed potato- There are many ways to thicken soup that doesn’t involve using a flour roux. This recipe achieves creaminess but by using a mashed potato but there are other methods as well.
Purée the soup- An emersion or standing blender can be used to purée part of the soup. Once the purée is added back to the pot it will create a thicker broth.
Slurry- Arrowroot, cornstarch, or flour can be made into a slurry by mixing it with water. In most cases, you can use the broth from the soup to make the slurry.
Bread- Bread or corn tortilla will give body to the soup by soaking up some of the broth. You basically take stale bread or tortilla and process it with a portion of the soup before pouring it back into the pot.
How to Make Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This soup could not be easier. To start you will need to heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrot until softened. Next, add the potato, spices, and bouillon cube and mash together using a masher.
Add the chopped broccoli and water giving it a good stir, then the butter. Cover to simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, give or take.
The broccoli should be softened but not mushy. Drop the heat to low then mix in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Once the cheese is melted, removed from the heat.
Recipes to serve with broccoli cheddar soup
Serve this creamy soup in a Bread Bowl with Italian Parmesan Saltine Crackers!
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*This recipe was updated on 9/24/2020 for updated content. It was first published in November 2019.*
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh broccoli florets
- 1 small gold potato peeled and steamed
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 1/2 c carrot shredded
- 2 c mild cheddar
- 2 c heavy cream
- 2 c water or vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube eliminate if using stock
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. To the oil, add the onion, garlic, and carrot. Sauté for until softened; adjusting the heat so that the veggies don’t burn. Add the potato, spices, and bouillon cube. Stir well then mash the potato with a masher. Let it cook another 2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Next, add the broccoli and water giving it a good stir. Follow with the butter then cover to simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, give or take. The broccoli should be softened but not mushy. Drop the heat to low then mix in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Let it continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes while whisking until the cheese is melted. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 6-8 minutes before serving. The soup will thicken slightly as it cools.
It looks amazing! I can’t wait to try your recipe!