If you are a fan of Panera’s broccoli cheddar, this is your sign to make this perfect soup at home. The best and most comforting soup you can serve this holiday season. Serve it with flaky biscuits; your guest will love it!
What You’ll Need:
-Broccoli florets: for this recipe, I used fresh broccoli, not frozen.
-Carrots: I bought the pre-made shredded carrots to save some time.
-Sharp Cheddar cheese: Feel free to use extra sharp cheddar; this is all up to you. Also, the cheese makes this dish, so pick the best cheddar cheese.
-Vegetable stock: I wanted to keep this vegetarian-friendly, but you can use chicken stock.
-Garlic & Onion: you’ll need these aromatics.
-Whole wheat flour & butter: this is to make a thick roux.
-Dairy-free heavy cream: you can use half and half or any other cream here, but I love silk’s dairy-free heavy cream here.
-Spices & seasoning: I used garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and mushroom seasoning.
How To Serve This Soup:
-I will serve this soup as an appetizer for this holiday dinner alongside a flaky biscuit (store-bought).
-I’ve enjoyed this recipe on a bread bowl as well.
-You can enjoy it by itself, and it will be just as perfect.
Recipe Prep and Tips:
-Make sure to wash and prep the veggies.
-Measure out all the ingredients as this simple recipe will cook and move along fast.
-Intermittent and constant stirring is also essential to avoid burning or sticking to the pot’s bottom.
-Use as much broccoli as you want, and include some of its stalks.
-You can use an immersion hand blender, or if you want chunky broccoli pieces, you can spoon some of the soup out before blending.
Loving this recipe? Check out more delicious recipes below:
- The Best and Crispy Shrimp Balls
- The Best Cookie Skillet With Ice Cream
- Thanksgiving with a Twist: The Best Seafood Boil
- The Best Mocktail For Thanksgiving
- The Best of Mom’s Classic Tuna Casserole
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cups Broccoli florets (Fresh not frozen)
- 3/4 cup Carrot shreds (Store bought, or julienne 1 carrot)
- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar cheese (Block of cheese or shredded cheese)
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1/3 cup Whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
- 1/2 medium Onion (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Garlic (minced)
- 2-3 cups Vegetable stock (low sodium or regular)
- 1 cup Dairy-free heavy cream (Silk brand, or your choice or cream)
Seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoke Paprika (optional)
- 2-3 tsp Mushroom seasoning (or salt and pepper)
Side
- 2 8 pieces Flaky layer biscuits (store bought)
Instructions
- Prep the veggies and measure out all the ingredients. It would be best if you chopped the broccoli florets to bite sizes.
- If you bought a block of cheese, shred it and set it aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, add the butter and flour. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until flour is thickened (roux).
- Slowly add the vegetable stock and DF heavy cream, and continue to whisk until well incorporated. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
- At this time, preheat the oven and bake the biscuits according to the packaging.
- After the soup simmers, add the broccoli, carrots, onion, garlic, and all the seasoning. Stir everything together, and let it simmer for another 15 minutes. It is crucial to stir intermittently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. Taste and adjust to your liking.
- After simmering, slowly stir the shredded cheese (save some for garnish). Let the cheese melt entirely.
- Serve immediately on a ramekin for each guest, with shredded cheese and a flaky biscuit on top.
Notes
Please tag me on Instagram @melshealthybowl and hashtag it #melshealthybowl.