Recipes

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Cheddar Cheese Crisps

Broccoli and cheddar cheese are truly soulmates. They deserve a celebrity couple nickname, like Breddar. Or maybe Choccoli.

Whatever you call ‘em, the pair complement each other beautifully in this flavorful, veggie-laden soup seasoned with garlic and red pepper. Make it creamy with sour cream, or opt for Greek yogurt to pack in some probiotics.

For an even more flavorful soup, save your veggie scraps and turn them into broth, then use that instead of water.

While your soup is simmering, bake up these super easy cheddar cheese crisps for a garnish and added crunch. It’s Choccoli Breddar perfection.

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tbsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 potato (any kind), peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
2 heads of broccoli: florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups water
10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided
½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic, season with red pepper flakes, a generous pinch of salt, and ten cracks of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and garlic have softened and begin to pick up some color, about seven to ten minutes.
Add potatoes and broccoli stalks to the onion mixture. Pour in water and bring to a simmer, continue to cook until potatoes are fork tender, 20 minutes. Add half of the broccoli florets into the pot and cook until bright green, three to four minutes.
With an immersion blender (or a regular blender), blitz until the soup is smooth. Transfer soup back to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt to taste.
Add the remaining florets to the pot and cook until bright green, three to four minutes. Add six ounces of cheese into the soup and stir until melted. Add in sour cream and combine. Cover and turn the heat to low while you make the cheese crisps.
For the cheese crisps, heat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Arrange the remaining cheese into 1½ tablespoon mounds one inch apart on the baking sheet, spreading each out into an even layer. Bake for six to ten minutes until the cheese has melted and is no longer bubbling. Let cool completely.
Divide soup among bowls and top each bowl with a cheese crisp. Give yourself a virtual high five for making dinner delish.