This Cheddar Broccoli Soup has become sort of a standby recipe that I bring to friends who have just had a baby. It's easy to make, and it reheats well. The addition of nutmeg and hot sauce (I know, it sounds weird...especially since I loathe hot sauce) help to subtly enhance the flavor of the cheese. It is a favorite of ours, and I hope you enjoy it too!
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (for sauteing onions)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup melted butter (to make the roux)
- ½ cup flour
- 4 cups half and half
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound fresh broccoli
- 2 cups carrots, julienned (I just buy the matchstick carrots in the bag)
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 10-15 drops of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 16 ounces grated sharp cheddar
Instructions
- Saute onion in butter. Set aside.
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook melted butter and flour using a whisk for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux).
- Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20-25 minutes Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now.
- Pour in batches into the blender and puree. (This is where an immersion blender is very useful. I puree mine just enough so that there are still some bite-size broccoli chunks.) Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until well blended. Stir in nutmeg and Frank's Red Hot sauce.
- Serve.
thehungryartist
Looks so great! I love the addition of the hot sauce for the kick!
mandyjoy
Thanks! Enjoy!
juliewold
I love broccoli cheddar soup, but for some reason I always end up burning the roux :-( great recipe I will have to make this! Thank you for sharing.
mandyjoy
I've burned the roux before too... I am always really careful to cook it low and slowly and never look away-just in case. Good luck! I hope you enjoy it! I'm making it again tomorrow.
Nadia
Hello, LOVE your blog! Its becoming my go to when im a bit stuck for dinner ideas. So inspiring and thought provoking, thank you! I just wanted to leave some feedback, I wonder is it possible for you to have like, a button or something that can convert your measurements into metric, and oven temps to degrees celsius? I live in Australia, and sometimes I find the measurements difficult to work out, and im not sure if im using the right amount or setting the temperature correctly and so on. Best Wishes, Nadia xx
Mandy
Hi Nadia! Thanks so much for your kind words, and for visiting my site! I will definitely try and do better about including weights and celsius temperatures for you. I confess that it has been something I've been meaning to get better about for a while now. I wish there was a button that I could add and it would do all of the converting work for me, but unfortunately it will involve me going back through and adding all of the conversions manually. I will be working on it though! Thanks so much for the great reminder that it is difficult to follow recipes when you have to calculate the conversions. I had the same problem when I was living in Italy. Thanks so much for your valuable feedback!