For winters, I always prefer thick soups over thin ones. The cream and other rich ingredients like cheese warm me up better than thin soups. I especially love it if it’s extra hot and extra creamy. If it has a dash of something spicy (just a little), then I would love that too. It tastes really good. It’s one way of coercing non-vegetable lovers to eat something healthy. The cheesiness and the creaminess of the recipe overpower the fact that it’s a vegetable soup.
It’s also one way of cutting down on the calories since this is a “healthified” recipe despite its rich taste.
Ingredients
1 bunch broccoli
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium red-skinned potato, diced
1/4 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
3 cups College Inn low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon McCormick freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Sargento extra-sharp Cheddar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
One 12-ounce can Borden fat-free evaporated milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Separate the stems and the florets from the broccoli. Trim and discard the bottom of the broccoli stems and peel the tough outer layers. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the florets and set aside separately.
Mist a large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the broccoli stems, onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the reserved florets and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and continue to steam until the florets are bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the entire contents of the pot with the florets to the soup along with the nutmeg. Stir to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the Cheddar, Worcestershire and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the scallions.
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Quick Tip: Leftover soup should be reheated in the microwave rather than the stovetop, where the cheese will “break” or separate from the broth.
