I’ve been making this soup for years and it is always welcomed at our table. I actually discovered it from a healthy eating guide/recipe book and was surprised at how delicious it was for being relatively healthy (compared to other broccoli soups which can contain msg/additives, not to mention those canned versions!)
I’ve made this for my Mom and she loved it so much, she added it to her repertoire of recipes too! It’s a great way to get some greens in your diet and a wonderful way to warm up on a cold day (which is what living in Ontario is all about during the winter months!)
This soup is a perfect accompaniment for a simple grilled-cheese or would be delicious with these Bacon and Cheddar Scones from Pink Parsley’s blog. What a perfect lunch for friends or on a lazy Sunday!
This soup also freezes really well and I freeze it in individual servings for a quick lunch!
Enjoy!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Makes 6 servings (1.5 cups per serving)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1hr
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
- 5 cups frozen broccoli florets, broken apart (I use fresh if available)
- 2 cups frozen or fresh spinach
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cups fat free half & half
- 1/2 cup milk (1%, 2% or skim)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicy)
- 1 cup fresh broccoli florets, kept in florets/larger pieces
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or more if you like really cheesy soup)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in garlic, onions and parsley and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the 5 cups of frozen broccoli and the 2 cups of spinach and give mixture a good stir.
Add the chicken broth to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 45 minutes.
While mixture is simmering away, mix the half and half, milk and cornstarch together in a bowl until well combined. Set aside
Once mixture has simmered for 45 minutes, remove lid. Using your hand-held stick blender, puree the soup in the saucepan until smooth and no chunks of broccoli remain. This could also be done in batches using your blender/food processor – but why dirty another dish!
Bring the pureed soup mixture up to a light boil and add-in the milk/cornstarch mixture. Allow to boil gently for a minute or two, until the soup begins to thicken.
Reduce heat to a low simmer. Add in the salt, cayenne pepper and remaining 1 cup of fresh broccoli florets.
Cook, covered, on low for an additional 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir-in the grated cheddar cheese and lemon juice and adjust seasonings to your liking!
Serve immediately and top with a sprinkle of grated cheese!
** You can easily make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Milk products could also be substituted with soy products too!
Adapted From Curves Cookbook
