I used to not like soup. Any kind of soup. At all. But Broccoli Cheddar Soup changed that. Maybe that’s because Broccoli Cheddar Soup is more like digging in to a bowl full of cheese than a brothy Minestrone, but it changed everything for me. I love soup now, and I especially love this one — Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup.
There is a time and a place for Velveeta but it’s not here. With flour, a combination of stock and half and half, and a good melting cheddar, you can get the ideal creamy-cheesy texture you want for a cheese soup. Chicken or vegetable stock works fine. You’ll also want an onion, some garlic, a carrot, about a head each of broccoli and cauliflower florets, some Dijon mustard, and two cups of grated cheddar. (Mild, medium, or sharp is up to you!)
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups half and half, at room temperature
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
2 cups cauliflower florets, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepp
er, to taste
PREPARATION:
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and continue cooking for 1 minute more.
Stir in flour, then continue stirring until flour starts to smell toasty, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in stock, then whisk in half and half, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, and mustard and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, then stir in cheese by the handful until melted. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve. Enjoy!
