I went back and forth about putting the word “healthier” in the title of this recipe since healthy is a very subjective word. My healthy is not your healthy, and vice versa. But to me, eating more veggies is healthy. And since this broccoli cheddar soup is loaded with more veggies than the typical soup, I am going with it. It’s still loaded with cheese, which some people do not consider healthy (especially those in the paleo community), but I’m currently down to clown with cheese so here we are. And since I’m particularly selfish and make recipes that I would want to eat, especially since I DO eat them after they are created, cheddar cheese is going DOWN in this one. But don’t worry, if cheese isn’t down to clown with you, you can always use a dairy-free alternative since there are about a million out there these days.
All I’ve been wanting is comfort food lately. I think this is due to the fact that Avery is going through another sleep regression while also teething. Teething is so cruel. Like, I’m super pumped for her to have teeth and be able to chew her food instead of simply mash the food between her gums and gag at random times when she doesn’t mash away enough…BUT, a gummy smile is adorable and hearing your baby scream bloody murder while needles push through their gums is kind of a major bummer. Can you do anything? No. Do the screams pull your heart out of your chest and make you sick to your stomach because there is nothing you can do? Yes. Do we have 29 more to go? Definitely yes.
But enough about her teething because you could care less. I get it.
Since Colorado has been ultra depressing with freezing temperatures every day, all I’ve craved is soup. I’ve made my Chicken Pot Pie Soup more times than I can count so I thought it was time to mix things up with this one. Do I want this served in a bread bowl like I used to get in college at a place called Spoons? Yes. But a normal bowl will have to do for now since I don’t have a gigantic sourdough loaf to give up. But if you do, you should TOTALLY put this in a bread bowl. Nothing better than scraping the edges of a bread bowl as you finish your soup. That is…if you think bread is healthy. See how I came back to that? That’s how you bookend, my friend.
Healthier Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt, to taste (throughout cooking)
- 32oz chicken bone broth
- 16oz frozen cauliflower florets
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour
- 10oz broccoli florets
- 8oz freshly grated sharper cheddar cheese (or dairy-free alternative) – leave some behind for garnishing
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or coconut cream)
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 3 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add bone broth, cauliflower florets, gluten free flour, and another heavy pinch of salt. Mix and cover to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until silky smooth. Taste to see if the soup needs any more salt.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the broccoli. Cover and let cook for another 5 minutes.
- Lastly, add in the cheddar cheese and black pepper. Mix until cheddar cheese has melted into the soup then lastly stir in the heavy cream. Serve with some remaining cheese on top!
What I Used to Make This Recipe:
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You May Also Like:
Instant Pot Creamy Gnocchi Soup
Roasted Garlic White Bean Soup
Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup
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