Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Sourdough Croutons (original) (raw)

Description

Sooo in love with this broccoli cheddar soup with sourdough croutons! It’s super easy to make, extra creamy, and insanely delicious. Made a little more cozy (and dreamy!) with buttery, toasted sourdough croutons and crispy prosciutto pieces, swoon. Dare we say this one is the only broccoli cheddar soup recipe you need!

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, de-stemmed
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken stock or broth
• 12 ounces (4 heaping cups) fresh broccoli florets, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups half and half
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, optional
• 3–4 pieces thinly-sliced prosciutto, optional
• grated parmesan or parmigiano reggiano cheese, optional

For the sourdough croutons:

• 1 lb sourdough (loaf or baguette), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, de-stemmed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat, add in the butter. Once the butter is sizzling, toss in the onion and sauté until tender and lightly caramelized, about 4-5 minutes. Then add in the garlic and continue cooking, stirring often, for another 1 minute.
3. Add in the fresh thyme, salt/pepper, to taste, along with the smoked paprika, and ground nutmeg. Stir everything together to combine. Then add in the flour and stir together, the flour should sop up all remaining fat in the pot. Continue stirring to cook off the flour until the mixture takes on a golden color, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock/broth along with the broccoli and carrots. Stir the mixture well to combine, incorporating the floured mixture with the liquid. Allow the pot to come up to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium- the mixture will thicken some from the flour. Let cook for 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots become tender.
5. Then pour in the half and half along with the grated cheese, and heavy cream (if using). Stir the soup well to thoroughly combine and all the cheese melts beautifully. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for another 10 minutes or a bit longer (with the burner on the lowest setting). Be sure to taste the soup and adjust the seasoning to your personal preference, if needed.
6. Meanwhile, while the soup is simmering, make the sourdough croutons. In a large bowl, combine the sourdough pieces with the melted butter, olive oil, and fresh thyme. Use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) to toss everything together. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle the garlic powder over the top, toss together once more. Bake the croutons for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Then set aside.
7. Next, to make the crispy prosciutto: place the slices of prosciutto onto a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly crisp. Once cooled, tear the prosciutto into bite-sized pieces. Note: you can also cook the prosciutto simultaneously with the sourdough croutons, above, to save time a bit of time.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the sourdough croutons, crispy prosciutto pieces, and grated parmesan/parmigiano reggiano cheese, if desired. Serve soup immediately and enjoy!

Notes

1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.