Broccoli Cheese Soup

We had a quick taste of spring (actually felt like summer!) earlier this week here in NYC. But today, it is back to chilly temperatures and rainy weather. However I don’t mind, I think I am one of the few people who prefers winter to summer. Winter just feels so cozy to me. And I get to eat soup all the time. So here is another soup recipe for you! Broccoli cheese soup – it looks and tastes so creamy, but there’s actually no cream in the recipe.  I’m not sure how America’s Test Kitchen does it, but they come up with the best recipes time after time. This soup has amazing broccoli flavor and it is complimented by the rich cheddar and nutty parmesan. The addition of spinach gives the soup a gorgeous green color, and it is never a bad thing to sneak a super-food in any recipe. Try this recipe before it gets too hot to eat soup! 

Prep work

Cooking broccoli, onions, and garlic

Wilt in the spinach

Immersion blender at work.  If you don’t have one, I highly recommend getting one!

The soup, bubbling away.  I really need to clean my pot handles…

Serve with freshly grated parmesan

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, florets roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 medium onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Table salt
3–4 cups water
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
2 ounces baby spinach (2 loosely packed cups)
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add broccoli, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, and 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and baking soda. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

2. Add broth and 2 cups water and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture begins to simmer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer half of soup to blender, add cheddar and Parmesan, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer soup to medium bowl and repeat with remaining soup. If you have an immersion blender, you can just do this step right in the pot. Return soup to Dutch oven, place over medium heat and bring to simmer. Adjust consistency of soup with up to 1 cup water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately. Also, I like to put a dash Worcestershire sauce in the soup. Adds some spice and some additional flavor.