A delicious recipe for broccoli cheese soup, courtesy of the Pioneer Woman herself!
There’s nothing more comforting on a chilly winter evening than a steaming bowl of soup with some lovely crusty bread.
Broccoli Cheese Soup is a timeless classic and this easy recipe from the Pioneer Woman is loaded with flavor and – best of all – a blend of rich cheeses, much like Lasagna Soup, but with a different flavor profile.
Here are some great tips for making perfect soup, including ideas to ensure your soup is never watery and tastes amazing every time.
1) Soups are great to make in large batches, and then freeze in smaller portions for mid-week dinners. Simply double up the quantities! Transfer it to an air-tight container and cool before freezing.
2) When you’re making soup, it is crucial to build flavor, not just throw everything into the pot and let it cook. Your base vegetables such as onions, garlic, etc should be sautéed and cooked until soft so their flavor is released.
3) Remember that the density of a vegetable will correlate with its cooking time, so ensure you start cooking cubed carrots or potatoes, for example, before peas, corn, broccoli, etc.
4) Some soups use quite salty ingredients, so it is a good idea to save seasoning until the end so that you do not over-salt your beautifully crafted soup.
5) When adding cream or milk to soups, warm them slightly first otherwise they will curdle when added.
If you prefer a little heat in your meals, you can include smoked paprika, cayenne paper or mustard power to spice things up!
If you are looking to include more veggies in your diet (or your children’s!), you can add grated carrot or sliced celery.
If using celery, we’d suggest adding it to the pot when you are cooking the onions.
You can store this soup for up to two months in the freezer; to reheat, move the container to the fridge the night before to begin thawing.
Once thawed into a liquid, this soup can be reheated on the stove. Just bring it to a boil and stir well to ensure there are no cold spots.
This broccoli cheese soup, as with most cream based soups, pairs well with light colored wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Riesling.
You might also like to try one of these 9 Sides for Soup.
Love Ree Drummond? Don’t miss our favorite Pioneer Woman recipes!
Pioneer Woman Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 4 heads Broccoli cut into 1 inch pieces
- Olive Oil for drizzling
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter
- 1 Onion diced
- 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 4 cups Whole Milk
- 2 cups Half & Half
- 1 pinch of Ground Nutmeg
- 3 cups Grated Cheese plus more for garnish (mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, Jack, etc.)
- 1 cup Chicken Broth optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- From your chopped broccoli pieces, remove two cups and spread on a baking sheet, cut side down. Drizzle the florets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake them for about ten minutes until they begin to crisp and turn brown.
- While the florets are baking, melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until softened to release their flavor, about four minutes. Add the flour into the melted butter and stir well for about a minute, creating a roux.
- Warm the milk and half-and-half for about 20 seconds in the microwave and add to the butter and flour.
- Add the nutmeg, the roasted (save some for garnish) and raw broccoli, a dash of salt and a good sprinkle of black pepper.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
- Stir in the cheese until it has melted.
- Taste your soup and adjust the seasoning as you find necessary.
- You can either serve this soup as it is, mash it to break up the broccoli chunks, or blend through (thinning with chicken broth if required).
- Top your soup with grated cheese and the roasted broccoli.