Anytime we think of soups, there is a certain comfort factor to the whole experience. Gone are the days when soup was only for when you were under the weather. My father’s favorite food, or should I say meal, was SOUP! It could be any kind – clear, thick broths or those thick chunky ones and it did not matter if it was summer or winter, soup was soup… ?
If you’d like to make a non-vegetarian version and add meats to it, add some meats to it, its very easily do-able. Couple of things to do, firstly, switch out the water in the recipe for some broth or stock of your preference and secondly, just add in some cooked chicken, pork, beef, turkey pieces at the time of adding the broccoli florets at the end, allow it to boil and voila!
This Broccoli Cheese Soup is one hearty soup that is filling and can be a full meal, so make it, try it and tell us what you think.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
Broccoli – 1 lb
Celery – 2 stalks
Onion – 1 medium
Garlic – 4 cloves
Butter – 2 tablespoons
Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
Bay Leaf – 1 large
Salt – to taste
Italian Seasoning – 2 teaspoons
Red Chili Flakes – 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Water – 5 cups
Cream Cheese – 4 oz, room temperature
Cheddar Cheese – 1 cup
Heavy Whipping Cream – 1/2 cup
Method:
1. Wash and cut the thick ends of the stalks of the Broccoli.
2. Roughly chop the florets and set aside.
3. Cut down the thick ends of the Broccoli to smaller pieces and set aside in a bowl.
4. Chop the Celery and add to the bowl along with the Broccoli stalks.
5. Chop the Onion and add to the Broccoli Stalks as well.
6. Chop the Garlic Cloves fine.
7. To a pan on medium flame, add the Butter, the Olive Oil, Garlic and Bay Leaf.
8. After a minute or so, add in the chopped vegetables (not the Broccoli Florets).
9. Lightly Salt the vegetables to speed up the cooking process.
10. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 5 minutes or till the Onions look translucent.
11. Add in the Italian Seasoning and Red Chili Flakes and mix.
12. Add in Water, cover and cook till it comes to a good boil.
13. Allow the Soup to cook for an additional 5 minutes after it has started boiling.
14. Remove the lid and add in the Broccoli florets and cook for another 5 minutes or until tender.
15. Switch off the flame and remove Bay Leaf and discard.
16. Remove some of the Broccoli florets and set aside (to chop and add later for texture).
17. Allow the broth to cool down, add to blender and blend till smooth.
18. Pour the blended mix back into the pan, switch the stove on to medium heat.
19. Add in cubed Cream Cheese to the Soup and allow it to melt in or add the Cream Cheese to the blender and mix it in.
20. Add Cheddar Cheese and allow it to melt as well.
21. Add in Heavy Whipping Cream and mix it in.
22. Add in the florets (that we kept aside) and take the soup off the flame and its ready to serve.
23. Serve hot with some Garlic bread or with some crotons.
