Winters are perfect for rich, creamy, comforting soups and this Broccoli Cheese Soup is one of my favorites.  This soup is cooked with real ingredients; shredded white and orange sharp cheddar cheese, fresh vegetables, (both broccoli and carrots), and half and half which gives it the richness it needs without all the added calories of full heavy cream.  I much prefer this soup to Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup – it’s way less expensive, easy to make, and can be on the table in less than 45 minutes!

A couple of tips for this recipe:

• Shred your cheese and prep your veggies early in the day to make dinner time even quicker and easier!
• You can use the matchstick pre-chopped carrots for this to save time, but a couple of big carrots grate quickly and easily to give you the cup and I love the smaller pieces.
• I prefer to cut the big parts of stem off the broccoli and discard, but you do you!
• Do not use pre-grated cheese, grate it yourself. It will melt much better without the no-caking coating the pre-shredded has on it.
• As a note, I grate 8oz of white sharp and 8oz of orange extra sharp. You can use whatever sharp or extra sharp you have on hand, but this is a fabulous combination.
• Warm your half and half for a couple minutes in the microwave to bring it down in temperature so you aren’t adding cold half and half while trying to melt the cheese. This helps it all come together better without separating.
• If you want to make this soup smooth with no chunks, you can use an immersion blender at the end or add it in batches to a regular blender.  Always be careful when blending hot soup.  If using a regular blender, remove the small vent from the lid to let the steam escape and cover with a folded towel while blending.
• Always taste your soup at the end and add additional salt and pepper to taste!

1. In a large non-stick stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
2. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (The mixture will be thick.)
3. Whisk in the chicken stock until the flour has dissolved.
4. Stir in the broccoli florets, shredded carrot, salt, pepper, mustard powder and nutmeg and allow the mixture to simmer over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir in the half and half and the grated cheese. Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes (still on medium-high heat) until everything is melted and well combined.
6. Serve immediately with crusty bread and garnish with extra cheese if desired!

Looking for other delicious soup recipes?  Try this Easy Potato Bacon Cheese Corn Chowder or one of my Olive Garden Copycats:  Zuppa Toscana or Chicken Gnocchi.