Definitely not fondue broccoli soup (with lots of cheese)

Audrey Michels

Contributing Writer

Ever bought a bunch of vegetables in a flurry and then gotten home and wondered what you were thinking? Why those vegetables? What are you going to use one carrot, one head of broccoli, and some celery for before they go bad?
Fear not, this soup answers those questions and more with one word: Cheese. This soup is rich and creamy and absolutely crammed with cheese, to the point that you won’t even notice if you hide a few more vegetables in there. Broccoli and cheddar are a match made in heaven, but this recipe really does that pairing justice by using the whole head of broccoli, (yes, even the stem!). Seasoning with white pepper instead of black is more of a cosmetic choice, since the soup is lighter in color and little black specs can distract from the experience, but if you don’t have it, don’t stress, black will do the same thing. Serve the resulting bowl of cheesy delight with some crusty bread and some candles, just because.

Cooktop Cove

Cheesy broccoli soup

15 minutes

30 minutes

45 minutes

4 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup heavy cream

4 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 large head of broccoli

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, peeled and diced

White pepper

2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

In a large saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots and celery and gently sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook an additional 4 minutes.

Add the cream in slowly, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated.

Add the vegetable stock and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cut the stem off the broccoli and peel it before dicing it the same size as the carrot and celery.

Also cut the florets down small.

Once the soup is simmering, reduce the heat to medium low and cook about 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Add the broccoli and cook an additional 20 minutes, until tender.

Remove the bay leaves using an immersion blender, roughly blend the soup, leaving some pieces of vegetables.

Taste and season with white pepper.

Add the cheese and stir until just melted.

Taste again and add salt if necessary.

Serve immediately.

Resources

Print this recipe