Broccoli Cheese Soup
A healthier, naturally gluten-free take on broccoli cheese soup, thickened with potato instead of flour. Sharp Cheddar melts into the broccoli for a silky, creamy finish without heaviness. Light, comforting and great for entertaining, as best prepared in advance.
Equipment
- stick blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 potatoes chopped
- 500 g (18 oz) broccoli (2 large heads with top of the stalks)
- 1 litre (1 ¾ pints/4 cups) vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- 300 g (10½ oz / 3 cups) Cheddar cheese grated (more cheeses in Notes)
- 100 ml (3½ fl oz / ½ cup) half fat cream (15% fat or half-and-half)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Chop the onions and garlic. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Fry the chopped onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add the stock and the chopped potato with the nutmeg and a few turns of the pepper mill. Turn up the heat to bring to a very brief boil then immediately turn down the heat to medium-low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes covered. Grate the cheese and cut the broccoli.
- Add the chopped broccoli (including some of the stalks and keep back a floret for the decor). Stir in the grated cheese and cream, then cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Blend the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor then season with salt and add more black pepper if needed to your own taste.
Notes
To Serve: Serve immediately or cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve decorated with grated broccoli (from the leftover floret), some finely chopped fresh parsley or with Parmesan Crisps (they take 15 minutes to make!). Great with crusty bread or serve in bread bowls for something heartier.
Best Cheeses for Broccoli Soup: Delicious with a white Cheddar, preference maturedaged for more flavour but it's also delicious with French comté - or a mixture of Cheddar and grated Parmesan (from a block) or aged Gouda/Mimolette cheese.
Potatoes: Instead of flour, we use potatoes to thicken the soup to keep this gluten-free. I deliberately mention just 2 potatoes - if you like your soup thicker, use large potatoes - it's up to you! For more on types best for soups and thickening, see potatoes.
Extra Thick Broccoli Soup - if you prefer yours with a much thicker texture, use more potato or simply reduce the stock to 750ml/25 fl oz (a bit more than 3 cups).
Storage: This soup keeps chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days covered. The soup also freezes well. If leftovers, chill first in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month for the best flavour.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal
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