Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Based on a classic favorite cheesy soup but made with tons of added veggies and no additional cream or dairy (other than the necessary cheese!)
Servings 4
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Immersion Blender or High-Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large head broccoli stalks and florets chopped and separated
- 2 carrots separated (we will dice one and shred the other)
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 medium Russet or Idaho potato peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: For the broccoli, separate all the florets from the stalk. Chop the stalk into 2-inch chunks. Break the florets into small pieces. Set aside. For the 2 carrots, peel both. Chop one into a medium dice, then shred the second carrot and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the diced carrot,celery and onion and let cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper and let it sizzle for another 2 minutes.
- Toss in cauliflower florets, broccoli stalks (leave the florets for later!), chopped potato, lemon juice and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Once vegetables are cooked, blend the soup to a smooth consistency using an immersion blender or a high-speed blender. Then toss in the broccoli florets and the shredded carrot. Let simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Let it cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the cheese melts evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot.