Feed Your Body Friday: Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Homemade Croutons

As a child, I hated broccoli - so my mom invented a “tree and cheese soup,” so that I would eat my vegetables. You may have guessed it, the trees were the broccoli! 

Since I didn’t know the soup had broccoli in it, this was one of my favorites. 

Now as an adult, this Broccoli and Cheddar Soup is my version of her comforting and super simple soup. Hearty and smooth, this soup will make the whole family happy.

Want more comfort food? Try our Coconut Curry Noodle Bowl recipe.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup With Homemade Croutons

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• Head of broccoli (including the stalk), in pieces
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Croutons

• 1 French baguette
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. dry chives
• Fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Soup

1. In a saucepan, sauté the onion in the oil until it becomes tender.
2. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add the broccoli. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Add the seasonings.
4. Remove from heat and with an immersion blender mix until a smooth consistency is obtained.
5. Add the grated cheese to the top and mix.
6. Once combined, serve with croutons on top.

Croutons

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Slice the baguette into disks (about ½ inch).
3. Place the bread slice on a baking sheet and brush olive oil on top.
4. Sprinkle chives on top and ground pepper on the bread slices.
5. Cook in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp.
6. Add to your soup and enjoy!

If you don’t have fresh broccoli on hand, you can always use frozen broccoli, you will get the same results. Depending on your taste, you can also change the type of cheddar. If you want a less pronounced taste, use a mild cheddar instead of a strong one.

Your soup will be just as creamy, but the taste of the cheese will be less present. As it is spring and there is a lot of asparagus on the market right now, you can very well make a variation of this soup by using asparagus instead of broccoli. Use 3 cups of chopped asparagus instead of broccoli.

Try this next: Winter Squash Soup