I began making this kind of soup at home mainly in order to cut down on expenses, since a portion of it at a particular bakery-cafe chain is more expensive than the ingredients needed to prepare a whole pot. After I had worked out the correct proportion of cheese to broth, I actually stopped ordering it from them altogether. The soup is rich and cheese-filled, contains a good amount of broccoli, and has that slightly thick, velvety consistency which makes it seem more like a main course than an appetiser. The entire process takes approximately forty minutes and, although it does require a bit more stirring than some soups, none of the steps are difficult. If you already have a piece of good cheddar and some fresh broccoli, then you’re nearly there.
Why This One Works
The roux used here is simply butter and flour that are quickly cooked together, and it is this roux that gives the soup its thickness without the need to reduce it for hours. After that, the broth and milk are stirred into it, followed by the broccoli and carrot, which are then simmered directly in the pot until they are tender. The cheese is added last, while the pot is off the heat, so that it melts smoothly and doesn’ become grainy. Although nutmeg is used in only a small amount, it helps to balance out the dairy flavour in a way that is difficult to describe if you haven’t noticed it there.
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Easy One-Pot Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook it for about
- four minutes until it has softened, after which stir in the garlic and cook it for another thirty seconds until
- it is fragrant.
- Over the onions and stir continuously for approximately a minute to coat all of it and
- to remove the raw flour flavour. This mixture is known as the roux and it should appear pale and slightly
- foamy, not brown.
- Adding the broth Beginning with small amounts to avoid it clumping, and then pour in
- the remaining broth together with the milk. Continue to whisk the mixture until it has a smooth
- consistency, after which raise it to a gentle simmer.
- Into the soup and let it simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring from
- time to time until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened a little bit; at that point, stir in
- the nutmeg.
- Have become soft, remove the pot from the heat. Now this is important—you
- should add the cheese in small handfuls, stirring after each addition to make sure it has completely
- melted before putting in any more. If you add the cheese all at once or add it while the soup is still
- boiling, you’ll end up with a grainy and separated soup rather than a smooth one.
- Season with some salt and pepper, but remember that the cheese itself is quite salty. Pour the food
- into bowls and serve it while it’s hot, preferably having something crisp available to dip it in.
- Instead of using pre-shredded cheese, grate your own, as the anti-caking agent that is on the shredded
- cheese in the bags prevents it from melting properly. Cut the broccoli into small pieces so that it cooks
- evenly and mixes well into each spoonful rather than remaining in large, unpleasant chunks. Each time
- you’re making the soup, take the pot off the heat before adding the cheese or else the cheese will
- break. And if the soup ends up being thicker than you want, simply add a little more broth or milk and
- stir it in at the end to get it back to the right consistency again.
- If you don’t like seeing chunks of broccoli, pulsing the hand blender a few times will give you a
- smoother and more even texture. Instead of using all the cheddar, you can replace half of it with
- Gruyère or Monterey Jack to get a slightly different flavour. Using half-and-half rather than milk will
- make the mixture noticeably richer, should you wish to go that way. To make a lighter version, use two
- per cent milk and reduce the amount of cheese to about two cups. And if you’re after a smoky taste, a
- little crumbled bacon on top will do the trick.
- It will remain in the fridge for up to four days provided it is stored in a sealed container. When reheating
- it, do so at a low temperature on the stovetop and stir frequently, as cheese soups can separate if they
- are heated too quickly. Freezing this dish is more difficult since the dairy usually alters in texture after it
- has been thawed; therefore, if you intend to freeze a portion, it’s better to leave the cheese out until
- after it has been reheated rather than freezing the soup fully assembled.
- Yes, you should add it straight from the freezer, though it
- will probably take a few extra minutes to become tender because it starts off colder.
- This usually occurs when the cheese was added either over
- direct heat or all at once. Before putting the pot back on the burner, add the cheese bit by bit and stir
- after each addition.
- Certainly, you can make this vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth
- with vegetable broth and keeping all the other parts of the recipe unchanged.
- Sharp or extra-sharp cheddar provides the most flavour because
- mild cheddar tends to disappear a bit when it’s melted into a large quantity of soup
Notes
