I said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not a big broccoli or cauliflower fan. But for some reason I was craving broccoli cheddar soup on Sunday. And so I decided to make a version that features not one but both of these objectionable vegetables. Crazy, right?
Wrong. This healthy broccoli cheddar soup is heavenly. Like the cauliflower and roasted corn chowder I cooked a few months ago, it’s delicious and nutritious. (There are two pounds of broccoli and a whole head of cauliflower in it, for goodness’ sake!) A touch of sweet hot mustard, honey and smoked paprika and a modest amount of sharp cheddar cheese add just the right amount of spice and piquancy.
Dish up a big bowl of this broccoli cheddar soup, sprinkle on some homemade croutons (and additional cheese for good measure), and dig in.
Recipe adapted from The Scrumptious Pumpkin.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 2 cups milk
- 2 pounds broccoli, stems removed and florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sweet hot mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- salt and pepper croutons (see notes)
- In a large pot, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large heat-proof bowl.
- Wash and dry the pot and heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and shredded carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the mustard, honey and smoked paprika. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Transfer about 1 cup of vegetables from pot to bowl with cauliflower mixture. Season with salt and pepper and purée; return to pot and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Remove soup from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with croutons and additional cheese.
[…] Healthy broccoli cheddar soup by Two of a Kind. Featuring both broccoli and cauliflower, this is the perfect soup for light […]