Broccoli Cheese Soup
If you love Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup, you're about to learn how to make it yourself, at home, with real cheese—cheaper, better, faster!
Servings: 6
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, small diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 3 cups broccoli, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon each thyme and garlic powder
- salt, pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups light cream, half and half is good
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat, saute butter, carrots, and onion for about 3 minutes or until softened.
- Add seasonings, broth, and broccoli. Allow simmer until broccoli is soft—about 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend vegetables and broth, as desired—from very smooth or semi-chunky, the way that you prefer your broccoli cheese soup! Optional: Before blending remove about 1 cup of broth and vegetable mixture, then blend what remains in the pot.
- In a small bowl, place the flour and cream. Stir until smooth.
- Bring the blended mixture back to a boil and quickly whisk in the cream mixture. Continue whisking until soup is thick and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the cheddar and parmesan cheeses and the optionally reserved vegetables. Serve immediately.
Notes
1.You can use frozen, however fresh will give a better result.
2. While sharp cheddar cheese is traditional, Gruyere is a great option for this soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4638IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 393mg | Iron: 1mg