I made this for the first time for dinner last night and we thought it was really tasty! It was another Pinterest find from peasandcrayons.com. I'm just going to copy and paste the recipe in here, and then insert any changes I made.
Just a heads up- this recipe does not make a lot. It was just enough for our family, with no leftovers. So I would at least double it for sure.
one bunch of fresh broccoli [enough for a few cups of chopped tops]
2 cups vegetable [or chicken!] stock
2 cups vegetable [or chicken!] stock
1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, plus plenty extra for topping [freshly grated]- (I used medium cheddar)
1 heaping cup of regular gouda cheese [freshly grated, rind removed]
1 cup of shredded carrots [or a little extra!]
1 heaping cup of regular gouda cheese [freshly grated, rind removed]
1 cup of shredded carrots [or a little extra!]
1 small white onion [about 2/3 cup or 1 cup, chopped]
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup half and half [or heavy cream]
3 TBSP all purpose flour
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP butter
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp allspice- (the allspice and nutmeg scared me a little, so I left them out :))
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper- (you could definitely taste a little kick, I might do even less next time)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper- (you could definitely taste a little kick, I might do even less next time)
1/8 tsp salt [will vary based on salt content of your stock/broth]
a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
First ze veggies! Chop em. Well technically clean them THEN chop to your heart's content. Dice the onions super small, mince the garlic, an shred the carrots if you didn't buy pre-shredded. This can all be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge for later. For the broccoli, chop 2/3 of it into tiny florets [just cut off as much stem as you can and it'll fall apart in the pot] and then take the remaining 1/3 and give it a rough chop so you have a few large pieces to add to the soup. Totally optional!
Add your veggie stock to a pot on medium-high heat, add your 2/3 of your broccoli [about 2 cups of florets] as well as your onion, garlic, carrots, and bay leaf. Simmer on medium, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
Once the broth is done, start your roux. In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat, whisking constantly. Once melted, slowly add 3 tablespoons of flour as you continue to whisk. For a thicker soup, use an extra tablespoon of each. I skipped it. Remove from heat and slowly pour in the broth from your veggie mixture [its okay if some of the veggies jump in along side it!] and stir to incorporate. Next pour in the veggies and slowly stir in 1 cup of half and half. Return to the burner on very low heat, uncovered. Spoon out the bay leaf and season with the above herbs and spices, adding a little extra of whichever you like to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your broth, you might skip the salt entirely or prefer to add a bit more -- taste and tweak as needed after adding your cheese. Oh yes -- the cheese! Once the soup has warmed back up, stir in the grated cheeses and remove from heat immediately.
Add your veggie stock to a pot on medium-high heat, add your 2/3 of your broccoli [about 2 cups of florets] as well as your onion, garlic, carrots, and bay leaf. Simmer on medium, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
Once the broth is done, start your roux. In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat, whisking constantly. Once melted, slowly add 3 tablespoons of flour as you continue to whisk. For a thicker soup, use an extra tablespoon of each. I skipped it. Remove from heat and slowly pour in the broth from your veggie mixture [its okay if some of the veggies jump in along side it!] and stir to incorporate. Next pour in the veggies and slowly stir in 1 cup of half and half. Return to the burner on very low heat, uncovered. Spoon out the bay leaf and season with the above herbs and spices, adding a little extra of whichever you like to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your broth, you might skip the salt entirely or prefer to add a bit more -- taste and tweak as needed after adding your cheese. Oh yes -- the cheese! Once the soup has warmed back up, stir in the grated cheeses and remove from heat immediately.
That extra broccoli you left on the side? Blanch in boiling water, steam in your microwave, or basically cook it however you'd like and stir into your completed soup for great texture and an extra burst of broccoli. Garnish with a little extra grated cheddar and a sprinkle of parsley and eve spicy red pepper flakes if you'd like! So good! (I did this, but it seemed like an extra, unnecessary step to me. I couldn't tell a difference in the taste/texture, so next time I will just put all of the broccoli in at the same time at the beginning).
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