Pioneer Woman Broccoli Cheese Soup (Homemade)
A thick and creamy broccoli cheese soup made from scratch with fresh broccoli, sharp cheddar cheese, and a rich milk and half-and-half base. Ready in under an hour.
Equipment
- 1 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
- 1 Large whisk
- 1 Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- 1 Box grater
- 1 Cutting board and chef's knife
- 1 Large microwave-safe bowl
- 1 Potato masher or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick (113 g)
- 1 medium yellow onion diced, about 1 1/2 cups (200 g)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (42 g)
- 4 cups whole milk warmed for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave (946 ml)
- 2 cups half-and-half warmed with the milk (473 ml)
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated or ground
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste (3 g)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (1 g)
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets cut into 1-inch pieces, about 1 1/2 lb (680 g)
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded from a block (340 g)
- 1 cup chicken broth for thinning as needed (237 ml)
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces. Shred the cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater and let it sit at room temperature.
- Warm the milk and half-and-half together in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes until lukewarm.
- Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until it foams. Add the onion and stir.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pieces turn soft and see-through. Pull the heat down if the edges start to brown.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until it smells lightly toasted. Pour in the warm milk and half-and-half one cup at a time, whisking continuously after each pour.
- Keep whisking for about 5 minutes over medium heat until the base coats a spoon and bubbles at the edges.
- Stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and broccoli. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and scraping the bottom so nothing sticks. The broccoli is done when a fork slides into a stem piece with no crunch.
- Turn off the heat. If you prefer a smoother soup, mash the broccoli with a potato masher or immersion blender now. Add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted and glossy, about 3 to 5 minutes total.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time. Taste and adjust salt or pepper before serving.
Notes
Always shred your own cheese from a block. Pre-bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch that prevents it from melting smoothly and creates a gritty texture.
Never boil the soup once the cheese is added. Heat above a simmer forces the fat out of the cheese, creating an oily slick and rubbery strings. Always take the pot off the heat before stirring in the cheddar.
If the soup turns grainy, take it off the heat, add 1/4 cup of cold half-and-half, and blend with an immersion blender for 30 seconds to smooth it out.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in airtight containers. Consume within 4 days.
Freezing is not recommended, as the milk and cheese will separate and turn grainy when thawed.
Never boil the soup once the cheese is added. Heat above a simmer forces the fat out of the cheese, creating an oily slick and rubbery strings. Always take the pot off the heat before stirring in the cheddar.
If the soup turns grainy, take it off the heat, add 1/4 cup of cold half-and-half, and blend with an immersion blender for 30 seconds to smooth it out.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in airtight containers. Consume within 4 days.
Freezing is not recommended, as the milk and cheese will separate and turn grainy when thawed.