Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Ingredient Highlights

• The amount of broccoli in this recipe can be adjusted. 2 cups of broccoli florets yield a very broccoli heavy soup. However, cutting back a bit will still let that broccoli shine. To preserve more color and texture, consider blanching first before adding to the soup.
• A sharp cheddar is going to be most effective and noticeable compared to its mild or medium counterpart. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking ingredient that prevents it from changing to a nice melt. Shredding or grating from a block cheese is best
• The wine can be replaced with a bit of the broth to de-glaze after the veggie sauté but it may affect the taste a bit.

Equipment You May Need

• Immersion Blenders have the great advantage of being a hand-held tool to quickly blend all or part of a soup without the extra fuss and cleaning of a stand blender.
• 2-quart Dutch Ovens are enameled cast iron pots which are helpful for stews and soups because of their even heat retention and distribution. These pots can sear at high heat and simmer nicely for slow and low cooking for either stove top or oven.

Can I Make This Without Heavy Cream?

The creaminess of this familiar (and popular) chain restaurant soup is an easy achievement without relying on heavy cream or half and half. Whole milk was used to test this recipe which did not appear to affect either the taste or the familiar thick and creamy texture known for this soup. However, if this is just not rich and velvety enough for personal taste, try using half and half rather than whole milk. Adding more cheese will help achieve a thicker consistency versus increasing the roux (butter and flour) which was not necessary. Conversely, if this soup is too thick, thin it out by adding a bit more chicken broth.

Before You Make This Dish

Having made this soup a few times, it may be helpful to have all ingredients prepped before putting all together since there is a lot of stirring. As tempting as it may be to crank the heat, it is important to keep the temperature on low so that the milk fat is not broken down. Soup should remain at a simmer until ready to to be enjoyed. The same holds true for rewarming any leftover, which should be heated slowly and not brought to a boil.

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