Broccoli Cheese Soup is irresistibly velvety and pure comfort food! It's loaded with pureed veggies for better flavor with less cheese.
Midwestern winters test my resolve to live within a reasonable distance from our extended family but broccoli cheese soup and fuzzy socks help keep me here.
No food is more comforting than a hot and hearty soup during the deepest darkest months of winter. But I didn't want one overloaded with cheese and heavy cream. My 9-year-old doesn't like things "too cheesy" and hates broccoli to the very depths of her soul. So, I got sneaky.
More Vegetables, Less Dairy
My priority was to maintain the texture of a traditional broccoli cheese soup but do it use less dairy. I did this by sauteing the cauliflower, onion, butternut squash, garlic, and spices to develop their flavors. Next, I added the stock and potatoes and simmered until everything was nice and tender. I pureed everything together until perfectly smooth then added broccoli before finishing off with a cornstarch slurry and half & half to thicken. Lo and behold, this is a winner for the whole family! The pureed vegetables give it a nice thick, creamy texture when and the combination used gives it a beautiful complexity of flavor.
You can leave the broccoli chunky or puree a second time to smooth out the entire soup. I like it chunky but picky kids who don't like broccoli (or so they think) might not even notice they are eating broccoli when it's in this hearty soup!
Tips
- If the soup is too thick, thin it with additional chicken stock.
- For a perfectly smooth soup, use a fine mesh strainer after pureeing.
- Kick it up a little with red pepper flake or cayenne if you prefer some heat.
- Coconut milk is an excellent substitute for half & half in this recipe.
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Recipe
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 2 cups cauliflower chopped (roughly half head)
- 2 cups butternut squash diced
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 springs fresh thyme 1 teaspoon dried
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- salt & pepper
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 Russett potato diced
- 4 cups broccoli chopped into small florets
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup cheddar jack cheese
- ½ cup half & half
Instructions
- Soup: Heat butter or oil in a large soup pot. Add cauliflower, butternut squash, onion, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and continue to saute for 1 minute. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and cook 15 minutes until veggies are soft.
- Blend: Remove from heat and use either an emersion blender, food processor, or high-powered blender to puree soup to a smooth texture. Return soup to the pot, and continue to cook over medium heat. Add broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. At this point you can either leave the broccoli chunky or puree it to a smooth texture again, depending on your family's preference.
- Thicken: Over low heat, add a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water to thicken, if desired. Then add the cream and cheddar jack cheese, stirring until combined.
- Serve: Serve warm with crusty bread!
Notes
- Spice it up: I like a kick of heat in this soup and add a dash or two of red pepper flakes or cayenne. The rest of my family doesn't love the heat so I keep it tame until it gets to my bowl.
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
Anonymous says
Delicious
Dorcas Galloway says
Creamy and delicious. Will definitely be making this again.
Anonymous says
Perfect weather for this
Michael says
What a wonderful way to sneak in veggies for the kids.. and me!