Broccoli cheese soup: a creamy and comforting recipe

Broccoli soup has been a staple part of many diets since Roman times. It’s a delicious, surprisingly healthy, and warming meal. The Romans initially used it, as broccoli was recognised for its digestive benefits.

Naturally, as the years have passed, many variants of broccoli soup have arrived. One that has become particularly popular is broccoli cheese soup. It’s easy to see why.

Ingredients for the perfect broccoli cheese soup

There are two key ingredients for broccoli cheese soup – that’s broccoli and cheese. However, it takes more than that to secure the creamy and comforting meal that you desire. To make the best possible broccoli cheese soup, you’ll also need an onion, some vegetable broth, a little cream, and salt and pepper. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll need the finest quality olive oil. It’s the best way to fry the onions before adding them to the mixture.

Once you’ve cooked the onion, you simply need to blend all your ingredients and heat them, allowing them to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

Choosing the best cheese for a rich, creamy texture

The key to the perfect flavour is in choosing the right ingredients. That starts with the cheese. Many recipes will call for cheddar cheese. Its sharp tang and ease of melting make it a good choice. Should you fancy the soup a little spicier, then Gruyère is an excellent choice.

However, if you want a creamier texture, we recommend mixing your cheeses. Mix some parmesan, feta, and even mozzarella in with your cheddar. It’s not just creamier, the flavour variants will make a huge difference to the taste of your soup.

Fresh vs. frozen broccoli: what works best?

Technically, there is no right or wrong answer to this dilemma. Many people will tell you that fresh broccoli is more nutritious and has a crisp texture. You’re also likely to notice the improved flavour. It’s generally agreed that frozen broccoli loses some of its nutrition and is less crispy. However, it is very convenient. That makes it a good option for people with little time who still want to enjoy healthy vegetables in their food.

Secret ingredients to enhance the flavour

Extra ingredients are a matter of personal taste. We recommend you experiment with different options to create your perfect soup. A good starting point is nutmeg. This often overlooked spice will transform any cheese and broccoli soup. It’s nutty, earthy, and also slightly sweet.

This helps to balance out all the flavours in your soup, heightening the sharpness of your cheese and increasing the subtle tang of broccoli.

A delicious variation: broccoli cheese casserole

There’s always time for broccoli and cheese soup. However, if you fancy mixing it up a little, you should consider broccoli cheese casserole. It’s not so different from broccoli cheese soup. Again, we recommend a mixture of cheeses to create that creamy texture. It still uses broccoli, cheese, cream, and onion. You’ll need to choose between vegetable broth and chicken broth and add a little flour.

When creating a casserole, you’ll want to focus on making a cheese sauce, then add the broccoli. With that in place, you simply need extra cheese on top and to bake it.

What makes broccoli cheese casserole different?

The real difference is in the addition of flour and cooking the dish in the oven as opposed to on top of the stove. It changes the texture and flavour, creating a delightful variation of broccoli and cheese soup.

Try it for yourself!

Conclusion

You can’t go wrong with a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup. However, if you want to enjoy these delightful ingredients in a different format, a broccoli cheese casserole is an excellent choice.

Try both and let us know what you think.