Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Lately, Akshaya has been craving soup as an afterschool snack – I suppose the cold, windy weather is to blame. I have been trying out a few new soups and Akshaya seems to love every single one that I have made so far. Vishnu has been enjoying his soups for lunch and even Udayan has been trying them, even though he dislikes soup.

A couple days ago, I tried my hand at making broccoli cream soup for the first time, and I have to admit, it turned out quite well! It’s rich, creamy, and perfect with some crusty bread for dipping.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches of broccoli, or 4 cups of chopped broccoli
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2.5 cups of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1.5 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot on medium-heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, garlic and sauté until onions turn translucent and the raw smell of garlic disappears.
2. Add the broccoli florets, salt, and pepper, and toss. Pour in the vegetable broth and cover the pot. Let the broccoli cook for about 15 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup making sure that there are no large chunks remaining. Blend for approximately 3 minutes to ensure creaminess.
4. Add the cream and let the soup simmer for five minutes. Slowly stir in the cheddar cheese, giving the cheese time to melt.
5. Serve soup warm with bread on the side.

NOTE:

• If you are looking to omit cream, try adding a potato instead. Cut up one potato and boil it along with the broccoli. The potato will help thicken the soup without the use of cream.