Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The Soup That Hugs You Back

There is a certain chain restaurant that made broccoli cheddar soup famous, and I will admit I spent years happily eating it in those little bread bowls. But then I made my own version at home and realized that homemade is not just better, it is in a completely different league. The cheese is sharper, the broccoli actually tastes like broccoli, and there is zero mystery powder involved.

This is my cold-weather comfort in a bowl. When the temperature drops or I have had a rough day, this soup fixes everything. I make a double batch almost every time because it disappears alarmingly fast in my house.

Building That Velvety Base

Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium onion and let it cook for about 5 minutes until it goes soft and translucent. Drop in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for just 30 seconds until you can smell them.

Now here is where the magic starts. Sprinkle in a quarter cup of all-purpose flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. This is your roux, and cooking it properly means no raw flour taste in your soup. It should look like wet sand and smell faintly nutty.

Slowly whisk in 3 cups of chicken broth, adding about half a cup at a time. Each addition should be completely smooth before you pour in the next. Then stir in 2 cups of whole milk. This slow-and-steady approach is the difference between silky soup and lumpy soup. Bring the whole thing to a gentle simmer.

Getting the Broccoli Just Right

Add 4 cups of chopped broccoli florets, cut small so they cook quickly. Toss in 1 diced carrot for subtle sweetness and color. Let everything simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the broccoli is very tender.

Grab an immersion blender and blend about half the soup right in the pot. You want a creamy base with some chunks left for texture. No immersion blender? Transfer half to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and pour it back in.

The Cheese Moment

Pull the pot off the heat. This is crucial. If you add cheese to boiling soup, it will seize up and turn grainy. Off the heat, stir in 2.5 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts completely.

Season with half a teaspoon of mustard powder, a pinch of cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. That mustard powder is my secret weapon. It does not make the soup taste like mustard at all. It just makes the cheese flavor pop at 200%/100% intensity.

Ladle into bowls, top with extra shredded cheddar, cracked black pepper, and serve with crusty bread. A bread bowl situation is always encouraged.

Tina's Tips

• Shred your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking powder that can make your soup gritty. The extra two minutes of shredding is absolutely worth it.
• Do not skip the mustard powder. Seriously, it transforms the cheese flavor without adding any mustard taste. Just trust me on this one.
• Add cheese OFF the heat. This is the number one rule for smooth, creamy cheese soup. Boiling cheese equals grainy, stringy sadness.
• Freeze portions in mason jars. This soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Leave an inch of headroom for expansion.
• Swap in vegetable broth to make it vegetarian. Everything else stays exactly the same and it is just as delicious.