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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup making sure that there are no large chunks remaining. Blend for approximately 3 minutes to ensure creaminess.
- Add the cream and let the soup simmer for five minutes. Slowly stir in the cheddar cheese, giving the cheese time to melt.
- 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.