Ingredients
4 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large head broccoli, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2 c. whole milk
3 c. shredded cheddar, plus more for garnish
Baguette, for serving
Preparation
Step 1In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and let cook 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Step 2Stir in broccoli and carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, 20 minutes.Step 3Slowly add milk and bring to a simmer, then stir in cheddar. Step 4Season with salt and pepper and top with more cheddar. Serve with baguette.
A (brief) bit of history In the early 1990’s Campbell’s Soup Company released its iconic cream of broccoli soup flavor. In an effort to get President HW Bush to like and eat broccoli, Campbell’s launched a nation wide recipe contest, encouraging home cooks to enter their recipes featuring Campbell’s new canned cream of broccoli soup. Thousands of recipes were entered. But on the off chance that the President was not a fan of the $7,500 prize winning recipe, Campbell’s had their release of a broccoli cheese soup flavor ready to go! And while they may not have invented it, we are certainly happy that broccoli cheese soup has become the iconic meal that it is. As you like it Feel free to add some extra broccoli in there to sneak in some extra veggies! For serving, we love to dip in some homemade garlic bread, but if you haven’t had enough broccoli and cheese we definitely recommend this broccoli cheesy bread. If you’re looking for even more ways to use up some broccoli? Try out our Beef and Broccoli Noodles! For serving, we love to dip in some homemade garlic bread, but if you haven’t had enough broccoli and cheese we definitely recommend this broccoli cheesy bread. If you’re looking for even more ways to use up some broccoli? Try out our Beef and Broccoli Noodles! Why doesn’t my cheese melt in my soup? There may be a few reasons for this. If your soup is scalding, then your cheese could end up breaking before it gets a chance to melt. Also, if you’re using a pre-shredded cheese chances are it’s coated in a powder that prevents moisture. The powder will in return prevent an even melt. So we highly recommend using the good stuff. How to thicken the soup You’re basically creating a roux here, but if you feel the soup isn’t as thick as you’d like then increase the butter to flour ratio. Another thing you could do is blend cooked potatoes into the initial steps. The starch from the potato acts as a thickening agent. What are other ingredients I can make this with? If you’re not a broccoli fan, then no problem. Cauliflower is a great substitute. You could also switch cheddar for Havarti, gouda, or monterey jack. What to pair with the soup A creamy soup like this one (and one such as Creamy Ham and Potato Soup) pairs well with a dry sparkling wine. The bubbles help cut the richness of the soup between slurps. If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below! Editor’s Note: This recipe was updated on June 28, 2022.
