Homemade delicious Broccoli Cheese Soup- better than Paneras!
If you have been following my blog for awhile now, you know that recipes that taste good do not have to be complicated!
This delicious soup that mimics the one you would find at Panera Bread is almost spot on, but at a fraction of the cost!
I think fresh broccoli works best in this recipe, to get the best flavor, though you may use frozen as well!
I did a mix of cheddar cheese and asiago (because its one of MY all time favorites) but you can do all cheddar or whatever cheese is your favorite 🙂
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I did do a roux with this soup- it really makes a difference with flavor. a roux enhances the taste and thickens the soup to give you a more flavorful & hearty meal.
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With Fall almost here in a couple weeks, warm and comforting soups are going to be perfect for the cool nights ahead!
I will be bringing many more soups to you all this Fall/Winter season,
so please stay tuned for more!
Im a HUGE fan of dinner in less than 20 minutes, so this is one that is definitely going on my weekly rotation!
I LOVE Panera Bread….but no one wants to pay all of that money for their soup, when you can make a HEAPING amount of it at home, that tastes the same – if not better!
For a fraction of the cost- and you feed the whole family!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups broccoli florets chopped into bite-sized peices- reserving 1/2 cup for later
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 Heaping cup of cheddar cheese plus extra for topping [freshly grated]
- 1 heaping cup of regular asiago cheese [freshly grated]
- 1 cup fresh carrots shredded
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, place the chicken broth, broccoli (minus the reserved 1/2 cup) , onions, garlic, carrots an heat until boiling, mixing every minute or so for roughly 7 minutes- until broccoli is nice & tender and onions are soft. set aside.
- In a separate large pot, add the butter and flour - on medium heat, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and pour in your broth/broccoli mixture and slowly, mix well
- slowly add in your heavy cream then put on low temp, uncovered and allow to simmer
- Next add in all of your spices, the cheeses as well, while stirring consistently.
- Simmer about 7 minutes on low-med, mixing occasionally
- Place 1/2 cup of reserved broccoli into the microwave and steam until soft.
- Garnish your soup with the reserved steamed broccoli and top with grated cheddar.
- ENJOY!
