Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart minimum)
• •Immersion blender (or countertop blender)
• •Box grater or food processor with grating disc
• •Whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the broccoli

   Separate the broccoli into two components: the crowns and the stalks. Cut the crowns into bite-sized florets, keeping them uniform so they cook evenly. Peel the tough outer layer from the stalks using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, then chop the tender inner core into small pieces. The stalks will disappear into the soup base while the florets provide texture. You should have about four cups of florets and one cup of chopped stalks.

   Those stalks contain the same flavor as the crowns. Peeling reveals the sweet, tender heart that most cooks discard. Use them.
2. 2

   Build the aromatic base

   Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the diced onion, celery, and chopped broccoli stalks. Season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, eight to ten minutes. The kitchen will smell sweet and vegetal. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more. Never let garlic brown, or it turns bitter.

3. 3

   Create the roux

   Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for two minutes. This is your roux, the foundation of the soup's body. The flour must cook to eliminate its raw, pasty taste, but you don't want color here. Keep it moving. The mixture will look thick and somewhat clumpy, coating the vegetables in a pale paste.

   A proper roux transforms thin broth into velvety soup. Skip this step and you'll have cheese-flavored water.
4. 4

   Add liquids gradually

   Pour in the stock slowly, about one cup at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Each addition should be fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture will seize and thicken dramatically at first, then relax as more liquid goes in. Once all the stock is incorporated and smooth, add the milk in the same gradual fashion. Bring everything to a gentle simmer. Aggressive boiling will cause the milk to break.

5. 5

   Simmer with broccoli florets

   Add the broccoli florets to the simmering soup. Cook uncovered until the florets are tender but still hold their shape, twelve to fifteen minutes. Test by pressing a floret against the side of the pot with your spoon. It should yield easily but not disintegrate. The soup base will thicken slightly as it simmers.

6. 6

   Blend partially for texture

   Here you have a choice. For a chunkier soup, leave it as is. For the classic creamy texture with some broccoli pieces remaining, use an immersion blender to puree about half the soup directly in the pot, leaving visible florets throughout. For a completely smooth soup, blend everything. I prefer the middle path: enough body to coat a spoon, enough texture to remind you what you're eating.

   If using a countertop blender, work in small batches and never fill more than halfway. Hot soup expands and the lid can blow off with painful consequences.
7. 7

   Add seasonings

   Reduce heat to low. Stir in the mustard powder, cayenne, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce. These background players won't announce themselves but they'll make the cheese taste more like itself. The cayenne provides warmth without heat. The nutmeg is a classic pairing with cheese sauces, barely perceptible but essential. Taste the base now and adjust salt.

8. 8

   Incorporate the cheese

   Remove the pot from heat entirely. This is critical. Add the grated cheeses in three additions, stirring constantly until each handful melts completely before adding the next. The residual heat will melt the cheese without breaking it. If you add cheese to boiling soup, the proteins seize, the fat separates, and you get a greasy, grainy mess instead of velvet. Patience here determines whether your soup is restaurant-worthy or disappointing.

   Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains cellulose to prevent clumping, which interferes with smooth melting.
9. 9

   Final seasoning and serve

   Return the pot to the lowest heat setting just to warm through if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The soup should coat a spoon in a thick, glossy layer. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately. A grinding of black pepper over each bowl and perhaps a few extra shreds of cheddar melting on top complete the picture.

Chef Tips

• •Buy a block of aged sharp cheddar and grate it yourself. The flavor difference is dramatic, and it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese coated in anti-caking agents. Look for cheese aged at least twelve months.
• •For deeper flavor, make a quick vegetable stock: simmer broccoli stems, onion trimmings, celery leaves, and a bay leaf in water for thirty minutes. Strain and use immediately. This takes your soup from good to exceptional.
• •White cheddar blended with yellow cheddar prevents the soup from looking artificially orange while adding a slightly different flavor note. All yellow cheddar works fine if that's what you have.
• •If reheating causes the cheese to break slightly, blend with an immersion blender to re-emulsify. Add a splash of milk if the soup has thickened too much in the refrigerator.

Advance Preparation

• •The soup can be made through step five, before adding cheese, and refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat gently and add cheese just before serving.
• •Complete soup keeps refrigerated for three days. Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring frequently, and add a splash of milk to restore consistency.
• •For freezing, prepare through step five without the cheese. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat gently, and add freshly grated cheese when serving.
• •The aromatic base (onion, celery, broccoli stalks cooked in butter) can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated, then continued with the roux when ready to cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 285g)