By far, one of my favourite classes I took while in culinary school was “Soups & Sauces”. Along with the five mother sauces, I learned how to make consommé and other traditional soups like Mulligatawny. But what I learned the most, was the basic skill set that enabled me to make any soup I wanted or turn ingredients that I have on hand into something delicious. The “roux” was a big component to the class, and I remember little of alternate diet considerations. Hence, with a world trying to cut out, or at least cut back on their gluten intake, I thought it best to skip the roux in this wonderfully thick and delicious Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
It’s still thickened up a little, but I opted to use potato flakes instead of the traditional roux. By doing so, I’ve not only cut out the gluten but used less fat, with wonderful results. It’s also relatively healthy, as there’s minimal added fat and milk is used instead of cream. Trust me, you won’t be missing a thing with the hints of oregano and mustard. Thick, creamy, loaded with broccoli and swirled with cheddar cheese, Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a must to make this fall. Enjoy!
Recipe source for Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Compelled To Cook
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli including stems
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3-3 1/2 cups chicken broth divided
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
- 1/2 cup potato flakes
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 cup milk I used 1%
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
- Cut stems off broccoli, cutting very close to the flowerettes. Separate flowerettes into small pieces. Set aside 3 cups of flowerettes. Using a vegetable peeler, lightly peel the thick skin from the thicker stem pieces, discard skin. Chop stems, along with any remaining flowerettes into 1/2" chunks.
- In a medium pot, heat butter over medium heat until foamy. Add shallots and garlic, cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped broccoli, 3 cups chicken broth and oregano. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until very tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in potato flakes and Dijon mustard. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Using a blender or submersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Return to pot, add milk and broccoli flowerettes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook covered until flowerettes are tender, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness with more broth if needed. Stir in cheese. Serve immediately garnished with additional cheese if desired.
-recipe yields 5 1/2- 6 cups.
-for vegetarian option, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
-if serving to guests, cook and cool 1 cup of flowerettes separately. Stir into soup to warm just before adding cheese. This provides wonderful colour and freshness.