The creamiest, cheesiest, most satisfying Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup that you will ever find! This recipe uses the broccoli stalks too – no waste!
CREAM OF BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
This past weekend, John.e and I went to purchase groceries. I should preface this by saying that he is the only person I know who has a broccoli addiction. We found some locally grown broccoli, and as we can all agree, locally grown produce is best!
The only issue I had with these heads of broccoli was that they were HUGE! If you can imagine what your average head of broccoli looks like, one of these was at least 2-3 times the size of that. And, the best part – they were only 99 cents each!
We bought two.
BROCCOLI STALKS ARE GREAT; DON’T THROW THEM OUT!
That day for lunch, we had broccoli and some other veggies with dip. While cutting up the broccoli, I had the idea to make soup because the stalks of the broccoli were so fresh and tender. It would be a shame to throw them away.
Now, when I make soup, I make a very large portion. John.e is the King of leftovers and has no issues at all with eating the same meal two or three days in a row. So, on a busy work week, I love the idea of prepping a larger meal on the weekend and not having to worry about his dinners or lunches for a few days.
When I cook broccoli, I tend to cut as much of the stalk away as possible. I’m not a fan of eating that part if it’s steamed or roasted. But, when making broccoli soup, I certainly use up most of the stalk.
HOW TO PREP BROCCOLI STALKS
When you cut the florets away from the stalk, treat the stalk the same way you would when you’re trimming asparagus. The upper portion of the stock will be soft and will harden as you get closer to the bottom.
Use your knife and cut away at the stalk, starting at the top. Cut into half inch slices. And just when the stalk starts to get tough, toss it out. The rest is good to go after a quick wash.
Depending on how the broccoli looks on the day that I’m prepping it, I sometimes peel the stalks with my carrot peeler. But, if it’s a very fresh, locally grown broccoli, just give it a good wash and use it all.
Our home is never without broccoli! Well, that’s not entirely true, but it’s a very rare occurrence. John.e can eat broccoli as a snack; I swear, he loves the stuff. I prefer it to be steamed or sauteed, or even baked. But, of all the ways to eat broccoli, a soup like this is my favourite!
FREEZE YOUR LEFTOVERS!
There’s one more thing I should mention, if you want to make a smaller version of this, you can simply cut the ingredient amounts in half. Otherwise, this soup freezes quite well. To reheat, just thaw and add a tablespoon of milk or cream and whisk to reconstitute.
Also, you can make a healthier version of this by using less cheese and a lighter cream and/or milk. In my humble opinion though, why would you want to? It’s a cream soup and it’s got lots of good-for-you broccoli. 🙂 The choice is yours!
Oh, and don’t forget the croutons! Most restaurants will serve soups with a slice or two of crusty bread, or even a sandwich. But, with a soup as filling and hearty as Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup, just a few croutons sprinkled on top is all you need. It’s a perfect pairing!
Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large heads broccoli, use both the florets and the stalk*
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups old white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and broccoli stalks until the onions are translucent.
- Add the potatoes, water, and vegetable stock. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the broccoli florets and place a lid on the pot. Cook covered for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner, and using a hand-held blender, or a counter top blender, puree the vegetables until smooth.
- Add the salt, pepper, heavy cream, and cheese. Stir to combine. Allow the cheese to melt into the soup.
- Serve hot topped with crunchy croutons!
Notes
Nutrition
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