Broccoli-Cheese Soup

 

Ingredients

• 4 TB butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour (*see notes to make Gluten Free)
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup milk (** see notes)
• 3 cup chicken stock or broth (homemade is best-recipe under the How to tab)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and/or yellow cheddar cheese plus more for garnish

Preparation

• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half and milk until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20minutes.
• Add the broccoli florets and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. If desired, mash broccoli a bit with a potato masher, or puree soup a bit with an immersion blender.  You can also puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you’ll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot.
• Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup broth, milk or water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the  bowls and garnish with cheese if desired.

Use all milk or all half and half depending on how rich and creamy you want it.  Just be careful if you use all low fat milk that the mixture doesn’t curdle.  The lower the fat content is the easier it is to curdle.

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