It's that time of year when soups and chili are a staple in our house, so I decided to try my luck at a classic: Broccoli Cheese Soup. My husband deems himself the connoisseur of soups, chili, etc. so I would need to pull this off without a hitch! Here's how I did it:
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup yellow onions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 3 cups gluten-free chicken stock or broth (Kitchen Basics brand is GF)
- 1 head fresh broccoli, chopped or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and separated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar
- Croutons, for garnish, recipe follows
Directions:
In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, occasionally stirring, 15-20 minutes. **If you are using frozen broccoli, reduce cooking time to 10 minutes.
If you prefer a smooth soup without any broccoli florets, remove the pot from the heat, allow it to cool, and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.) I like my soup chunky, so I typically skip this step.
Add the cream and bring to a simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.
Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.
Gluten-Free Croutons
- 3 slices gluten-free sanwhich bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes and spread onto a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence over the bread. Toss it all together to make sure it's well coated. Toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes.
Serve with soup and save any extras for salads!
