Broccoli Soup with Cheesy Croutons
Since I was a kid, I’ve loved Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl. The problem with broccoli soups (or mushroom soups, or potato soups, for that matter) is that they are cream-based and can really tear up the stomach. This is a lighter but still very hearty take on broccoli cheddar soup, with a hint of extra cheese and crunch added in a floating cheesy crouton, like the sourdough hat on French Onion soup. If you’re skeptical that a bowl of broccoli soup can suffice for a full meal, give this one a try.
what you need
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 heads of broccoli, florets cut into smaller pieces and stems diced
1 yellow onion
1 medium russet potato
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon paprika
8 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 cup 0% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
4 slices of thick, white bread (like pan au levain)
1 vegetable bullion cube (makes ~2 cups vegetable broth)
how to make it
Note: Most everything is going to be blended so there is no need to dice the vegetables finely.
Chop the onions and garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about ~2 minutes on medium-high heat. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Peel the potato and chop into chunks. Peel the broccoli stems and cut into similar sized chunks. Set the florets aside. Add broccoli and potatoes to the onion and garlic, along with 5 cups of water, the vegetable bullion cube, and another pinch of salt. Boil on high heat until the stalks become tender (~30 minutes).
Add half the florets to the pot and cook until bright green, ~5 minutes. Transfer 100% of the solid contents and as much of the cooking water as needed to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended mixture to the pot, add the remaining broccoli florets, and reduce heat to medium.
Grate the cheddar cheese and add 3/4 of it to the pot, stir, and reduce heat to low-medium. Slice the bread and top with olive oil and the remaining cheese. Place in broiler for ~1 minute or until toasted golden brown.
Stir 1/2 cup of yogurt into the soup, stirring to mix completely. Ladle soup into bowls, top with black pepper and a cheesy crouton, and serve. Alternatively, you could get really fancy and serve this in a bread bowl!
