Back when Winter still had us in the her cold, snow filled clutches I was holed up in my house staying warm + finding ways to pass the time, because after that last snow storm I was basically on strike until Spring decided to come out of hiding. Between fits of Netflix binge watching – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has got to be one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen, and TBH I’m honestly not a huge fan of comedy, and stuffing my face with Reese’s eggs I stumbled across a recipe for a “Winter Cure All” on Southern Living’s blog.
With a title like that and my feelings about all the snow that was blanketing the ground outside I knew I had to give it a go. Besides being one of the best recipes for broccoli cheddar soup that I’ve came across, it also was a god send because I had basically everything I needed for it already in the kitchen – the only thing I needed was the heavy whipping cream, cause unless a recipe calls for it there’s no way in god’s green earth that would be in my fridge. Even though it seems like Spring may be here to stay – for now – I’m sure you’ll enjoy this soup regardless.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
- 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 4 cups 2% milk
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 20 oz. frozen cut broccoli (2 bags)
- 8 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 bags)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat, add oil.
- Add onions and carrots and saute until tender – about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, followed by the next four ingredients.
- Sprinkle in flour and cook for a minute or so, while stirring, to cook out the flour taste and incorporate with the softened vegetables.
- While whisking, stir in the milk and a dash of hot sauce, reduce heat to medium and add broccoli. Allow the mixture to come to a slow simmer, while stirring, until the broccoli is tender and the mixture has actually reached a simmer (full thickening power from the flour).
- Reduce heat to medium low.
- Use an immersion blender, or work in batches with a standard blender, and puree mixture until smooth and consistent.
- Fold in cheese until melted, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
