Crisp and fall-like outside with crazy wind, so we’re huddling inside with a pot of soup bubbling on the stove.
Happy Tuesday, peeps! I’m actually attempting to not meld into a hermit and do want to be outdoors as much as possible to enjoy this glorious weather. Fall in Florida arrives late and drifts into wintertime, with maybe 1-2 weeks of the latter infiltrating our temperatures each year.
When this happens, I break out all the plaid, develop comfort food recipes like an insane person, and wish I had the patience and time to bake fresh bread every morning.
If you’re low on both time and get itchy with long winded recipes, this Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup is your ticket to weeknight comfort. The batch completes in 35-45 minutes depending on how fast you work with a dicing knife. It’s rib-sticking, nourishing, and warms the soul with simple flavors and savory aromas.
Think of this like a cross between a chain restaurant’s famous broccoli cheddar soup and a local haunt’s loaded baked potato soup. I finish off my bowls with as much shit as possible from my fridge to create a wholesome and filling meal, with leftovers that taste just as phenomenal as the first night’s bowl.
Broc Your World
We start with a base of butter, onions, and carrots to flavor our pot.
Melt the formermost in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then dump in the diced onion and carrot. Stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes until softened. Then, mix in a little garlic powder. Why that instead of cloves? I was too lazy to peel and mince, and using powder doesn’t shortcut the finished flavor whatsoever.
Next, whisk in some all purpose flour until no bits of powder remain. Carefully pour in vegetable broth, and drop in your peeled and cubed russet potatoes and broccoli florets.
Tip: Yellow potatoes are just as good in this recipe!
Season your pot – the components, not the pot itself – with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are very soft. They should fall apart when prodded with a fork.
If you’re a regular around here, you know I am passionate about immersion blender ownership. I generally scorn the use of a traditional blender to puree creamy soups. But not enough to tell you to go find a blog with a sweeter vernacular instead of making this recipe, because it’s worth working through my bitter words for.
In other words, if you don’t have an immersion blender, I’ll allow your alternative method. *Heavy breathing.*
Smooth out the soup with your choice blending method, until it reaches a consistency you like. I keep a few chunks in my soup but prefer a generally silky texture.
Finish your soup with a big helping of heavy cream and a whole-ass block of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts, then taste and adjust your salt and pepper as needed. Blow on your sampler spoon first else you’ll scorch your tastebuds.
For each bowl, I love loading it up with bacon bits, green onions, and Greek yogurt, and maybe a hit more cheddar if I’m feeling frisky. I like a good hunk of bread or one of my Festbier Soft Pretzels for dunking!
Leftovers? Soup keeps wonderfully for up to 5 days in the fridge. Freeze individual batches in ziptop bags for up to 3 months. To defrost, dump the contents into a small pot and heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
Don’t like heavy cream? Canned full fat coconut milk is your best nondairy alternative, and half and half lends a rich taste with a bit less of the intensity.
Happy fall, ya’ll! Enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Falling for soup:
Creamy Bacon Potato White Bean Soup
broccoli cheddar potato soup
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrot, diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- bacon, green onions, and sour cream/Greek yogurt, for topping
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onion and carrots until softened, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.
- Whisk the flour into the veggies until no streaks remain. Pour in the broth, then drop in the potatoes and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes and broccoli are softened.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until as smooth as you'd like it. I keep a few chunks of potato and/or broccoli for a slightly rustic feel. If you don't own an immersion blender you just won't listen to me you insubordinate child: Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender and whiz until you achieve desired smoothness. Add back to the pot.
- Pour in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Season further with salt and pepper if needed. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add another 1 cup of broth or so.
- Divide into bowls and top with bacon bits, green onions, and sour cream or yogurt, as desired. A touch more cheddar doesn't hurt either!
