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November is the perfect weather for Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup…especially in homemade sourdough bread bowls.
It’s cold here, like really cold, so soup has been on my mind.
This Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is like Panera’s, but better, healthier, and well a lot cheaper. Promise!
This soup is sooo good! Why is it that broccoli tastes amazing when combined with cheddar cheese? The two just go together. Kind of like squash and sage or cinnamon and sugar.
I even got the serious “ONLY MEAT” eaters to eat this soup. And they enjoyed it. Enough Said.
When I was younger, on rare occasions, we would go to Panera for some soup, Mom probably more for the bread! For the most part we would get our soup in cups because it was cheaper and you got more soup this way, plus they gave you free bread with your soup. So paying the extra money for the bread bowl was kind of out of the question. But as kids we always asked.
When I started making my own sourdough bread I knew I had to make some bread bowls. And fill those bread bowls with broccoli cheddar soup! Creamy soup filled with real whole ingredients. It does not get much better.
Honestly, this has got to be one of the simplest soup recipes. It comes together so fast, is healthy, and filling! Instead of using heavy cream I swapped in 2% milk and chicken broth and swapped out some of the butter for olive oil. Throw in a whole lot of broccoli some salt and lots of pepper. Let this simmer and then puree. I like to leave mine a little chunky. Then add in your cheddar cheese. Simple and delicious.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Milk, I used 2%
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 leaves bay
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 7 inch sourdough bread bowls, round loaves
- 4 cups broccoli florets, about 1 head
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2½ - 3 cups grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish*
Instructions
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the chicken broth, carrot, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.
- Add the broccoli to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. I left a few chunks in mine. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)
- Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to ¾ cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Bread bowl or no bread bowl, this soup is delicious either way, make some now!
Mais uma receita maravilhosa, ótimo trabalho!
Obrigado!
Would it throw off flavours etc to add ham?
Hi Jaimee,
I’m not really a ham gal, but if you wanted to add that you definitely could! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Here at home everyone loves broccoli soup with cheese. With this recipe we will innovate the preparation and be able to eat more often without tiring. A small idea transformed the presentation of the recipe quite a bit, made it more appetizing. Thanks for sharing, I love your recipes.
Sounds awesome, thanks so much Sara!
This article is very good ! Soup is delicious is my favorite . Congratulations!
Thank you so much, so so happy you are loving the soup!! (:
Very good.. I Like it.
Thanks!
Oh my! Perfect – everything about it! I need to try this! Thanks for sharing at All my Bloggy Friends. I’m looking forward to seeing what you share this week! 🙂
Soup is always welcome at my house! Thanks for sharing at Foodie Friends Friday!
Soup is delicious especially on cold winter nights!
This looks delicious. I have a link party and would love to have you share this and any other posts. It is called Wednesday’s Adorned From Above Link Party. The link to the party is
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/11/wednesdays-adorned-from-above-link_14.html
I hope to see you there.
Have a great week.
Debi @ Adorned From Above
I absolutely agree with you – broccoli and cheese are wonderful together!
It’s a GREAT and DELICIOUS looking soup!
This soup is my favorite thing to eat at Panera so YEA! for the recipe. Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you share this week! Have a wonderful week.
Michelle
Oh this looks so heartwarming and comforting!
Perfect for the cold and rainy nights here in the Seattle area!
Yeah it is perfect cold weather soup!
ooo, I want to come for dinner! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesday at nap-time creations. Hope to see you back this week!
Thanks! I will be back!
Truly a wonderful winter soup and I love your presentation. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday.
Thank you!
I found you at Friday Flair and am super excited to try some of your recipes! This looks fantastic as well! Thanks for sharing! Please come say hello sometime at http://stellabskitchen.blogspot.com
Oh Im drooling, that looks wonderful!
This sounds divine! My family love broccoli cheese soup…and I just got some new soup bowls! I think they may get christened with this soup! 🙂
Kelly