As Autumn starts here in Canada this Broccoli Cheddar Soup is perfect for the cooler weather and is so filling it can be eaten as a main course with a chunk of bread. My favorite bread to accompany it is a dutch oven bread where the outside is nice and crusty and the inside is soft and ready to dip into the soup. You can find the bread recipe here. With the Broccoli Cheddar Soup I used baby organic carrots because that’s what I had on hand but if you have regular carrots those work too, just peel and chop them to size and you’re all set. You’ll see that I also use ghee and butter to make the soup roux. If you don’t have ghee you can substitute olive oil or just use extra butter. Do whatever works for you. Enjoy! Made with love, Zarine
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 medium sized yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 cup of baby carrots (roughly chopped) – can also use 2 large carrots
- 2 celery stalks (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup spelt flour
- 1½ cup milk
- 4½ cup chicken or vegetable stock (or 3 bouillon cubes and 4 ½ cups water)
- 2 cup broccoli (I like to use all parts of the broccoli including florets and stems)2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Using a dutch oven or soup pot melt the butter and ghee
Add in the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and stir until softened and the onion is clear in colour.
Mix in the spelt flour and stir for another minute.
Slowly add in the milk and stir / whisk out any lumps if any.
Add in the broth and wait until it has come to a simmer on medium heat.
Add in the broccoli and continue to simmer (medium-low) until the broccoli reaches the tenderness you like (for me, it’s about 10 minutes)
Add in the cheese and stir until melted.
Add in the cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
