My Favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup

So I woke up bright and early today to create what I thought was a genius idea, a light broccoli cheese soup. Well, lets just say it failed epicly because broccoli cheese soup is just not meant to be light. It's not the same without some butter, lots of cheese and a little cream. It lacked far too much, so I tossed it down the sink and began again - the right way. With all the goodness it's intended to have. Sometimes it's worth the calories! I went with a larger portion milk to a lesser portion of cream, so it's better for you than a mostly cream or half and half version at least =). I threw in one of my favorite herbs, a bit of thyme (I tossed a bit into my gravy yesterday too it compliments a lot of foods). Then, I couldn't stick with just one type of cheese so I had to add in some Parmesan. I may call it the secret of the soup. You could even up it to 2 oz of Parmesan if you want a slightly more pronounced flavor. It really gives the soup a perfect little kick without being overpowering. Just be sure you use freshly grated cheeses, no pre-shredded in this recipe or the smooth texture of the soup would likely be ruined. Also, when I state in the recipe to very finely grate the Parmesan I mean on the funky looking, pokey side of the box grater. Grating it this way helps it melt quicker and smoother. 

I love that this soup is hearty without being too heavy. It's filling enough that it can be served as the main course. All you need is this and some fresh Crusty Rustic Bread (I live on the stuff lately) and you've got yourself an incredibly delicious, simple and comforting meal. This is definitely my new favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup! Enjoy!

Chop the broccoli into small pieces and finely grate the Parmesan (the Cheddar can be grated on the large or small grate, it will melt quickly either way).

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Yields about 4 - 6 servings



Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, diced in cubes

1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 large onion)

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk (I used 2%)

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups finely chopped, fresh broccoli pieces*

6 oz. freshly grated Sharp Cheddar cheese

1 oz. freshly, very finely grated Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp of each, but this will vary depending on the brand of cheeses and your salt/pepper preference).



Directions:

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add in onions and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic, dried thyme and flour, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. While whisking, slowly pour in milk, chicken broth then cream. Cook, stirring frequently, just until mixture begins to gently bubble, then reduce heat to medium low, add in broccoli pieces and cook until broccoli is tender about 6 - 8 minutes, stirring frequetly. Turn heat off, add in cheese and stir until melted, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. 



*From about 3 heads of broccoli, use floret portion only. I began with about 1 lb broccoli crowns, chopped off majority of the stems, then chopped the florets into very small pieces about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. 



Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

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