So this was stolen and modified from a recipe claiming to be a Panera Bread copy cat. I tweaked it a little to my tastes and everyone seems to like it. This is one of my favorite things to make after I have a party and there is a leftover veggie tray with broccoli and carrots (you can add the celery, but I prefer not to).
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1⁄2 cup onions, minced (small diced)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1⁄4 cup melted butter
- 1⁄4 cup flour
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh broccoli (chopped into small, bite size pieces)
- 1 cup carrot, minced (small diced)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 ounces grated white sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp butter. Set aside.
- Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly.
- Lower heat to medium-low and add the half & half, chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
- Add cheese and stir/whisk until melted.
- Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Serve with crusty bread. For easy homemade bread recipes, check out my blog post: No Knead Homemade Bread--Two recipes
Notes:
- Be careful of the heat, if it's too hot the half and half will curdle. Trust me, I know!
- If the soup sits for a while and gets cooled, it may separate. Just whisk a few times and it will come back together.
