The weather turned chilly recently, and when it’s cold outside there’s nothing better than a big pot of hot soup. In my book, this soup is classic comfort food. Both creamy and cheesy, and packing a lot of flavor. I love to make soups. They’re surprisingly easy to make and canned soups can’t hold a candle to them.

I loved the consistency of this soup. Not too thick and not too thin. Just perfect. If you’re drawn to the Broccoli Cheddar soup at Panera Bread and other restaurants like it, this recipe is for you. The recipe calls for pureeing the soup in a blender. I used my immersion blender instead and it worked perfectly. Taste the soup before you season it with any salt because the cheddar on its own can add a lot of saltiness to the soup.

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Recipe from Cooks Country

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stems peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces, florets chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese shredded, plus extra for garnish
Salt
Cayenne pepper

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broccoli stems and cook until bright green and just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Add florets, cream, and nutmeg and simmer until florets are tender, about 5- 10 minutes, depending upon how big your florets are.

Puree soup in two batches in blender until smooth, return to pot, and bring to simmer over medium heat. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Stir in cheddar until melted and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Serve, garnished with extra cheese. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat over medium heat until hot, but do not boil or cheese will separate.)

Yield: 6 servings

One year ago: French Silk Pie
Two years ago: Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie
Three years ago: Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding
Four years ago: Another Delicious Blueberry Muffin