Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

I was craving broccoli and cheese soup one day and the one at Whole Foods was not stellar, so I decided to come up with my own version.  JK and I had this one evening before shopping and it was a hit.  I made it again on Thanksgiving and even my finicky mom loved it!  Be warned though, this soup is very very filling.

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup skim milk

3 cups frozen broccoli florets

8 oz (3/4 package) reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

olive oil and margarine

salt

pepper

Directions:

1.  Melt 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until soft, about two minutes. 

2. Add in the flour and stir to form a roux.  Cook for two minutes. 

3.  Pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil.



4.  Add in the broccoli florets, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes.



5. Scoop out the broccoli pieces and a little bit of the liquid and pulse in a blender or food processor.  You can also use an immersion blender if you have one.  

6.  Pour the blended broccoli back into pan and stir.  This thickens the soup.

 

7.  Add in the milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil once again.



8.  Turn off the heat and sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, reserving a little bit for garnish.



9.  Stir the soup constantly until the cheese is completely melted.

10.  Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with a bit of cheddar cheese. 

Nutritional Information:

Makes 4 servings, each serving is:

Calories: 271

Carbs: 16

Fat: 15

Protein: 16

Fiber: 2

Sodium: 916