Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is creamy, thick and so rich in flavors. Made with nutritious real food ingredients such as broccoli, carrots and creamy-cheddar cheese. You will love this lightened-up version as it is made creamy with cashew-milk instead of cream. It all comes together in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 large carrots
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 2 cups unsweetened cashew milk
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1.5 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Start by thinly dicing onion and mincing garlic. Chop broccoli florets off of stems and measure out 3 cups. Peel and julienne carrots.
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Place a 5.5 quart dutch oven or similar sized large pot on stovetop. Turn heat to medium-high and add in unsalted butter to melt. Once butter starts to melt, toss in onions and garlic and stir. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until onion starts to translucent. Sprinkle in salt and pepper and stir to combine with garlic and onions.
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Sprinkle in tapioca flour and give it a stir to mix in with garlic and onions. Once flour has mixed in with aromatics, pour in cashew milk and chicken broth. Give everything a quick stir. Turn stove up to high-heat and bring to a boil.
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Once soup is boiling, add in broccoli florets and carrots. Turn heat down to low and allow soup to simmer for 15-20 minutes until veggies have softened.
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Scoop about about half of the soup and place in a blender. Blend together until smooth creamy texture is reached. Pour blended soup back into pot with the rest of the soup.
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Turn heat back up to medium-high and bring soup back to a simmer. Once it starts simmering, slowly add in cheddar cheese stirring to assure it melts and doesn't clump up. Once all cheese has been added to soup and it has melted, turn heat off and remove soup from stovetop. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese while stirring to combine.
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Serve broccoli cheddar soup hot and top with more cheddar cheese, croutons or some baguettes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
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- Shred your own cheese- Pre-packed shredded cheeses contain preservatives which don't allow them to melt as well as bricked cheese does. Instead, get the brick of cheese and grate it yourself. it will melt into the soup completely making it nice and creamy.
- Chop broccoli into bite size pieces- The broccoli will cook faster and evenly.
- Use a pot that's big enough- You want to have enough space for the soup to simmer and to stir comfortably.
- Substitute for cashew milk- You can use unsweetened almond milk to keep it plant-based.
- Substitute for tapioca flour- Use arrowroot flour or corn starch to keep it gluten-free.