Here in New England, we still have some cold weather in the forecast. Cold weather days demand comfort food, which means creamy, cheesy and warm. Cream of broccoli soup is delicious without cheese, but if you choose to add a bit of cheddar cheese at the end, you get a little more decadence and a little more comfort! The best thing about this soup, besides the fact that it tastes super good, is that it is also super easy to make. The carrot, fennel, onion, and potato enhance the broccoli that stars in the dish, giving your meal added flavor dimension.
We still have some cold days here in New England. Cold days call for something creamy, warm, and comforting. This cream of broccoli soup, using a few different vegetables in addition to the broccoli to add flavor and texture in all the right places, will warm your body as well as your soul! You can make it with or without cheddar cheese. I prefer the extra flavor dimension that cheddar cheese adds, and I like the richness of cheese. If you want something less rich, you can leave out the cheese at the end. Either way, it is delicious and comforting. If you have some good whole grain homemade bread to go with it, all the better!
Think about where the ingredients originate.
Think about where the ingredients originate when you shop for groceries. Things to think about when sourcing the ingredients: local if possible, organic if possible. That means look to see if you can purchase milk and cream that come from a farmer in your state or perhaps your region, if your state doesn’t have dairy farmers. Here in Connecticut we have a brand called Farmer’s Cow that sources milk exclusively from Connecticut farms, so I buy that brand whenever possible. But if I am outside of Connecticut, I will try to buy a brand that sources milk from a farm as close as possible to wherever I am. And about the cheddar cheese, if you please: are there any local cheese makers you can find? If so, support them, and your soup will likely taste all the better for it! Otherwise, buy cheese that is made as close to where you live as possible, as that means that the transportation resources consumed to get that cheese to your kitchen were less than if the cheese came from far away.
Choose organic vegetables when possible.
There’s a good chance you will not be able to source the vegetables from nearby in March, though perhaps that depends on exactly where you live. But if you can choose organic vegetables over conventional produce, you choose to support agricultural practices that are friendlier to the soil, the animals, and even to your own health.
Cream of Broccoli Soup (Cheddar Optional)
Course: SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy5
servings15
minutes40
minutes55
minutesIngredients
4 cups chopped broccoli
1 carrot, diced
2 TBS butter
1 large onion, diced
1 cup chopped fennel
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 potato, cut into 2″ chunks
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
freshly ground pepper to taste
cheddar cheese slices or grated, optional
Directions
- Saute onion and fennel in melted butter in large saucepan until translucent.
- Add diced carrot and carrot chunks. Then add vegetable broth and salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Add broccoli and tarragon. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
- Stir in milk, cream and pepper to taste. Over low heat, blend with stick blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth, then return to pan and heat gently until soup is warmed through.
- If desired, put a few pieces of cheddar cheese in serving bowl with soup, or sprinkle some grated cheddar on top of soup in serving bowl.