Amazing Broccoli “Cheddar” Soup

Do you love Broccoli Cheese Soup? Do you maaayyybbe wish you could feel a little better about the healthy nature of said soup? Now, I love, I mean LOVE cheese as much as the next gal, and very likely a lot more. But when you’re eating a soup with the word “broccoli” in it, shouldn’t it be super good for you? You’d like to feel really good about what you’re giving your body, and not secretly guilty about all that cheese and cream? (Maybe not, but if you even consider agreeing on some level, stick with me.) Of course, it should also taste amazing. Ideally, your whole family could enjoy it. Also, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make or take too much time or special ingredients. Well, honestly, this magical soup not only exists, you can make it in under 30 minutes time and enjoy it for days. For anyone who would appreciate a delicious broccoli soup, with a much healthier ratio of broccoli to cheese, served with a side of accomplishment, hold the guilt, this recipe is for you!

I started making this recipe when it was published in Wegman’s Menu magazine. It had to be about 7 or 8 years ago. Though I can’t be sure, because I can’t find the actual magazine, I can roughly date it tied to household events. It was definitely well before I became pregnant with my first child (my single most definite benchmark, a definitive line in our lives of “before” and “after”, right moms?) It was probably around the time that we joined the magical world of Vitamix blenders, a few years before babe.

Let me just take a tiny side trip about that magical world of powerful blenders. Our grocery store had Vitamix demonstrations running for a while a few years back, and I was AMAZED by the possibilities. You can blend, purée, cook, and wash all in the same devise?! Amazing! I became a puréed food convert. Smoothies, soups, grains. All the things. But I didn’t buy the blender. I used our own. It couldn’t keep up. I used our immersion blender, for this soup in particular. Total bust. My husband and I loved the nutritionally dense and diverse options available with all of this powerful blending, but we resisted the hefty price tag. Until our zest for the blender life outlasted our blender. Then we caved, joined the fan club ourselves, and got one on sale (the only way to go, am I right!?) it’s been happy blending ever since!

So you don’t have to have a Vitamix, but I definitely recommend a powerful blender. (In fact, Pampered Chef has a new and beautiful one which I guarantee you rivals the Vitamix. Their engineers and product developers pour their heart, soul, and smarts to make products that surpass those already on the market. Also, it’s a better price point and as always, is available at a discount for hosts. I don’t have one yet (because, Vitamix) but I will and I guarantee you it’s fantastic!

Also, your immersion blender may be more powerful than mine was. Many people have great success pureeing this soup with theirs.

A few notes about the recipe. ( I will link the website for the official recipe below.) The original uses measurements based on cups and cleaned and cut veggies that you can purchase in produce. Those are great, but I didn’t use them most recently, and I wanted to translate for those who might not either.

The measurements and ratios are VERY forgiving. The noted 6-8 cups of broth is no joke. I have done it with a full 8 cups, I have done it with less. This past time I used one container of Chicken Broth stock, which is 4 cups. Then, instead of a second container, I just sort of filled the first container with water, added it to the soup, along with the last of the Better Than Bouillon chicken stock that I had left in the fridge. It was probably less than the “right” amount, but it totally worked.

The broccoli, also, is a guesstimate. I roughly cut up probably 6 crowns of broccoli, and I didn’t measure. I just had enough that they were filling the space in the pot slightly more than the broth.

Seriously, don’t sweat it. Ballpark, and when in doubt, add a little more cheese. Which brings me to my next point.

One of the magical things about the soup is that the cheese isn’t even in the soup. It’s sprinkled on top. Therefore, you get add according to your cheese desires, and customize for different family manners. You then get a smattering of cheesy goodness at the beginning of your taste experience, which totally satisfies the tastebuds. Even better than how delicious it is, you know that deep down, it’s still amazingly good for you. No hidden calories or heavy dark, cheesy secrets.

It’s so filling, and yet so calorically light. When made according to the direction, is weighs in at 130 calories per serving. Wowza! It’s so clean, too. It’s basically veggies and chicken broth, with a dash of yogurt in each bite.

It really is simple. Cut veggies, sautée 10 min, simmer ten minutes, purée, eat! The ingredients are also simple. Chicken stock, celery, onions are all pantry staples. Broccoli is also a pantry staple for us, I just had to add more. Plain Greek yogurt is something I try to keep on hand, but don’t always. So I had to make sure to pick up extra broccoli, the yogurt, and a bunch of leeks while I was at the store. That’s pretty straightforward. I didn’t have to consult some fancy list of recipe ingredients. Gotta love simple! Simple, but delicious!

Another win is that (pretty much) everyone likes it, even the kids. My kids ate it!! Listen, we try. But things get a little boring around here in kid land. We don’t do chicken nuggets or anything like that, but we do have a hearty rotation of pasta and we always push the veggies. (“Eat your vegetables!” is kind of a family motto that we jokingly yell in a gravely voice.). But the kids ate this soup! We upsold it, obviously, and they didn’t eat three bowls or anything miraculous like that. But they ate many bites, and when you’re talking about something as nutrient dense as this, that is a definite jackpot win.

So add this soup to your winter rotation. Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy it, and always, enjoy time with your family, too!

*Two last notes:

Here’s the link to the original recipe at Wegmans.com https://www.wegmans.com/meals-recipes/meals/soups-stocks/broccoli-cheddar-soup.html

Here’s a link to check out the Pampered Chef blender. And yes, I am a (slacker) consultant ☺️💕. I just can’t let it go because I love the stuff 🙌🏻 https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Bundles+%26+Sets/Value+Priced+Sets/Deluxe+Cooking+Blender+%26+Strainer+Set/100164