https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/broccoli-cheese-soup/Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
you won’t believe how many times i messed up this soup
seriously
the first time i made it for a client? grainy. like eating sand with cheese flavor. the lady didn’t say anything but her face told me everything. i wanted to die right there in her kitchen
so after years of failing and fixing and failing again here’s what i actually do
no measurements ok? i’ll give you guesses but you gotta use your eyes and your tongue
broccoli. one head. maybe two if it’s small. cut the florets. not too tiny or they disappear. stems? i save them for stock but you can chop them small and throw them in. just peel the tough outside first
butter. a chunk. like two tablespoons if you care about numbers. i don’t
onion. one. chop it. don’t cry. or do. i’m not your mother
garlic. three cloves? four? i smash them with the side of my knife then chop. lazy garlic is still garlic
flour. two big spoons. heaping. not flat
milk. enough to make it white. maybe two cups? three? i pour until it looks right
broth. same amount as milk. chicken tastes better. vegetable is fine but weaker
cheese. block cheese. i will fight you on this. block cheese. shred it yourself. the bagged stuff has powder that stops it from melting. i learned this after crying over three separate pots
salt. pepper. paprika if you want color
ok listen
pot on the stove. medium heat. not high. never high
butter in. let it melt. if it turns brown you started too hot. dump it and start over. burnt butter ruins everything
onions in. stir. cook until they look soft and a little see through. maybe five minutes? i don’t use a clock
garlic in. stir for thirty seconds. don’t walk away. i walked away once and came back to black garlic. bitter and nasty
flour in. sprinkle it over everything. stir. keep stirring. the flour and butter and onions will make a paste. cook that paste for one minute. smell it. if it smells like raw dough keep cooking. you want it to smell like toast
now pour the broth in. slow. stir fast so no lumps. then the milk. slow again
now you have a pot of white liquid. turn the heat up a little until you see small bubbles. not big rolling bubbles. small ones like someone whispering
broccoli in. stir. let it cook
here’s where i used to mess up
i used to cook the broccoli too long. then it turned into green mush and my soup looked like pond water
now i cook it for maybe eight minutes. then i poke a piece with a fork. if the fork goes in easy but the broccoli still looks green? perfect. if the fork goes in and the broccoli falls apart? too long. if the fork doesn’t go in? cook more
after the broccoli is done i turn the heat to low
then i take my immersion blender and i stick it in the pot for three seconds
three seconds only
that breaks up some of the broccoli but leaves chunks. if you blend too much it becomes baby food and people will say where’s the broccoli? and you’ll feel stupid
if you don’t have an immersion blender? scoop out two cups of soup into a regular blender. blend for two seconds. pour it back. or use a potato masher. i used a potato masher for years and it worked fine
ok now the cheese
this is where most people mess up
turn the heat to the lowest setting. or just turn it off. i usually turn it off
add the cheese one handful at a time
stir until it melts before adding the next handful
if you rush? clumps
if the heat is too high? the oil separates and floats on top like orange tears
i’ve had both happen. it sucks. you can’t fix it. you just eat sad soup
so take your time
once all the cheese is in taste it
does it need salt? add salt
does it need more cheese? add more cheese
does it taste flat? add a pinch of paprika. paprika doesn’t add much flavor but it makes the color look richer
let it sit on low heat for two minutes. don’t boil. boiling breaks the cheese
then serve
now let me tell you what breaks
grainy soup means your heat was too high when you added the cheese. next time turn the stove off first
watery soup means you didn’t cook the flour long enough. fix by mixing one spoon of cornstarch with two spoons of cold milk. stir it in. heat for two minutes. it’ll thicken
mushy broccoli means you cooked it too long. next time add it later
orange oil on top means the cheese broke. no fix. but next time use block cheese and lower heat
bland taste means not enough salt. people are scared of salt. don’t be scared
leftovers?
fridge for three days. reheat on the stove low heat. stir a lot. the microwave will ruin it. i don’t know why but it does
freezer? don’t. cheese separates when frozen. if you have to freeze it stop before you add the cheese. freeze the base. add cheese when you reheat
what to eat with it?
bread. any bread. i like sourdough toasted hard then rubbed with a raw garlic clove. dip it in the soup. that’s a meal
my kids drink it from mugs like hot chocolate
my husband puts hot sauce in his. weird but whatever
look bubby
this soup isn’t fancy
it’s just warm and cheesy and it fills you up
some days that’s all you need
make it once the way i said. mess it up. then make it again. change things. add bacon. skip the carrots. use pepper jack if you want heat
just don’t rush the cheese
that’s the only rule i really care about
