Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

My cold-weather cooking continues with another soup – this time, a deliciously creamy broccoli cheddar soup! I love to make a warm soup this time of year. Even though it’s not always cold in Florida come November, we have our cloudy, rainy and slightly cooler days. That’s when I love to make one of these Fall soups.

Today’s soup is super easy, completely vegetarian, and makes lots of leftovers. You can leave the potatoes and broccoli as chunky or smoothed out as you like. Both taste delicious.

And, don’t forget the cheese on top! It really helps with the creaminess! Happy cooking!

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Servings: 6
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups diced russet potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 2 cups

Directions

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in potatoes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, mash potatoes until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in broccoli and heavy cream. Cook, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes.
Stir in cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!