A simple broccoli cheddar soup.
I know this is not for everyone, but if you’re eating cheese, read on.
I’ve cut out a lot of hard cheese from my diet over the years, mostly due to the fat content, and shifted to soft goat and sheep cheeses. They’re a bit more expensive, in general, but that means I buy less and finish what I have in the fridge. Goat cheese doesn’t last more than a day or two in my hands anyway. And buying fresh goat cheese is the best way to enjoy the flavors because it does start to spoil after several days.
For this soup, I’ve tested several types of cheddar and recipe testers have used mostly classic American cheddar with good results. My favorite cheddar for this recipe is a mild cheddar based on cow’s milk, however if you want to venture into goat territory, I would go with a sharp cheddar to mask the flavor of goat milk. Up to you though.
For serving, I like adding some soft goat cheese or shredded cheddar on top of the served soup, or you can serve with crackers, toasted bread, toasted grill cheese croutons (from my SCD book), or a slice of flatbread (from my Coconut Flour Cookbook).
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I use a somewhat mild, aged white cheddar. I would steer clear of the very sharp cheddars unless you prefer that slightly bitter cheese taste in your soup.
The trick to keeping this thick and creamy vs. watery is to start with less water and add more as necessary. You can also add some water at the end of step 4, after you’ve added the cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large yellow onion (300 g), peeled and diced
- 2 to 3 cups water (or vegetable stock)
- 2 carrots (250 g) peeled, trimmed and diced into small coins
- 10 ounces (280 g) broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 6 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- salt & pepper
Method
- Warm a large saucepan on low-medium heat and then add 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Add the diced onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until just starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the carrots and broccoli to the saucepan, and then add enough water to bring the vegetables to a boil.
- Cover the saucepan and lower the heat to simmer the vegetables for about 12 minutes, or until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
- Turn off the heat, take the cover off and add the cheese and salt, and stir until cheese is melted. If you need to, add a bit more water.
- Cool for a bit and then blend the soup in batches. Blend part or all of the soup depending on whether you want it creamy or with pieces of broccoli, carrot and onions. If you’re finding it too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time and blend. Salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve warm. Store in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for a few months.
Serves 4
I’m going to try this with my dairy free, soy free cheese, because I LOVE cheddar broccoli soup!
It should work. Enjoy!
I am pregnant and Broccoli Cheddar soup (And most other kinds of soup) are my craving. I have been searching for a Paleo/primal recipe that sounds as delicious as the (Panera Bread) broccoli cheddar I have been eating. Which I know is not paleo/primal but tell my craving that when it hits. I am doubling the recipe and trying this this weekend! Thank you so much!! (Doubling recipe so I may let my family eat the soup too. Otherwise it is all mine.)
You are craving the Panera Broccoli Cheddar soup because of the scarey high sodium in it. Please check the salt content. You don’t want to have that soup but try one of these you make so you know what is in your soup for you and your baby. 🙂