Broccoli Cheese Soup
This Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe is supremely flavorful and comforting. It's easily done in 30 minutes, and happens to be gluten-free. Your people will quickly gather around a pot of this cozy soup.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, salted
- 1 whole onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 cup carrots, matchstick
- 1 cup half and half, or heavy cream
- 4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 large bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 4 TB water
- 5 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen/thawed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 4 cups cheddar cheese, extra sharp, freshly grated and lightly packed
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring 2-3 minutes until tender. Add tarragon and carrots, and stir 3-4 minutes.
- Gently stir in the half & half, vegetable broth, bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately stir in the fully dissolved cornstarch and keep stirring until mixture thickens; if you want it even thicker, add another 1-2 TB of fullly dissolved cornstarch.
- Add broccoli florets, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Pick out bay leaves and carefully set pot in empty sink, for mess-free blending
- Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup a little at a time, just until soup reaches desired texture with some chunkiness; go slowly, as soup can quickly turn into puree.
- Place pot back on stove over medium heat. Add freshly shredded cheese and stir just until melted.
- Serve with additional broccoli florets and/or cheese for garnish, if desired. Leftovers keep well covered in fridge.
Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy.
- Don’t overblend. Pulse the immersion blender just enough to break down the broccoli while keeping some texture for a heartier soup.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, you can blend soup in a normal blender in batches.
- Add the cheese off the heat. Stir it in once the soup is hot but not boiling to prevent separation or curdling.
- Adjust thickness easily. If the soup feels too thin, stir in a little more dissolved cornstarch. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth or half and half.
- Taste before serving. The cheese adds salt, so wait until the end to adjust seasoning.
- Use frozen broccoli for convenience. Thaw and drain it first so the soup doesn’t become watery.
- Keep the heat moderate. High heat can cause dairy to scorch or separate, so simmer gently once the cream and cheese are added.
- This recipe is part of our Soup and Stew Recipes Collection.
- Pair with crusty bread, crackers, or Savory Scones for a satisfying finish.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1225mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4139IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 478mg | Iron: 1mg