Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Who else loves broccoli cheddar soup? I adored it as a kid, but really only from Panera Bread. Unfortunately, I’ve had quite a few bad broccoli cheddar soups in my life (school cafeteria, anyone?) — floury, bland, watery, and sometimes the broccoli inside would still be crunchy (yikes). But Panera’s was really good: creamy, savory, and deliciously cheesy.

Nowadays, whenever we’re craving some savory, cheesy goodness, I make my broccoli cheddar soup. I think it might even be better than Panera’s! After a lot of recipe testing, I’ve figured out the secret to getting the best flavor: the correct blend of spices! Not curry spices, but a little bit of garlic powder, nutmeg, and black pepper work wonders. You don’t notice them, but they add the best depth of flavor to the soup.

Ingredients

This is a pretty simple soup. Most of the ingredients are just there for the best flavor! To make it, you will need:

• Unsalted butter
• Flour
• Vegetable or chicken broth
• Milk
• Broccoli
• Salt
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Mustard powder
• Nutmeg
• Black pepper
• Cheddar cheese (of course!)

Making Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This recipe is made all in one pot, and it’s quite simple! Pro tip: taste as you cook!

First, you’ll need to cut your broccoli into small florets – I like to almost julienne it. The smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll cook. But if you like your soup chunkier, you can leave them bigger – just keep in mind they might take longer to get soft.

Then, make a roux by melting butter and gradually stirring in flour. This will thicken the soup and make it creamier. Cook the roux until the raw flour smell dissipates.

Add the broth to the roux slowly, stirring between additions, until it it is a smooth, creamy mixture. Add in the broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is softening up.

Add in the milk the same way you added the broth, stirring until homogenous. Add the spices and adjust to taste. Simmer until the broccoli is tender.

Finally, turn off the heat and add in the cheddar. Stir to help it melt into the soup. And you’re done!

Tips

• If your broccoli is in large pieces, you may need to simmer the soup longer so that it softens properly.
• If your soup feels too thick while simmering, add some more milk or broth to thin it out a bit.
• Adjust your seasonings to taste! Add more mustard and paprika for a smoky, earthy flavor, and more black pepper for more punch.
• Make sure not to add the cheese while the stove is on – this will cause it to split. Instead, stir it into the still-hot soup right after you’ve turned the stove off. If the cheese isn’t melting, you can heat it on a low flame until it is just melted. I prefer to hand-shred my cheese from a block because it will melt more smoothly.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Better-Than-Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

Prep Time: 10 min	Cook Time: 20 min
Total Time: 30 min	Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cups milk, any percentage
• 1 head broccoli
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Chop broccoli into small, even florets.
2. In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Once butter is starting to foam, start to stir in flour, whisking after each addition. (If you are using a non-stick or enameled pot, stir with a silicone or wooden utensil! Metal will scrape off the coating.)
3. Cook the butter-flour mixture until the raw flour smell dissipates, stirring to make sure it does not burn.
4. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring after each addition. Simmer until it forms a smooth mix.
5. Add in the broccoli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the milk in the same manner as the broth, stirring frequently.
7. Add in salt, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, nutmeg, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste.
8. Continue to simmer broth until the broccoli is softened to your liking.
9. Turn off the heat. Add cheese and stir until completely melted and the soup is creamy smooth.
10. Serve hot with bread for dipping, and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian.