Cozy Comfort In a Bowl: Cheesy Broccoli Soup #Recipe

Two weeks ago, we experienced a rare winter weather event in North Carolina. This Jersey girl is all about lovin' some snow, but a snow day in the south is quite a different scenario than a snow day up north. When I was growing up in New Jersey, a snow day was usually an indicator that there was over a foot of snow on the ground, or blizzard-like conditions. In the beautiful south, the threat of snow has everyone going crazy- buying up all of the milk and bread (yes- the stereotype is typically true, as I have found through the years). Southern friends, please forgive me... I think you know what I'm talkin' 'bout.

This snow event was a little different, however. The predicated accumulation from said snow storm was a 'dusting to an inch' in some areas. Well, the snow started late in the evening and didn't stop falling until late afternoon the following day. We wound up with a whopping seven inches of snow, and school was cancelled for three days. That's a pretty exciting snow event for us!

We found ourselves snow/iced in, and just wanted everything in our realm of comfort food. We made snow cream, enjoyed lots of hot chocolate, and some delicious homemade Cheesy Broccoli Soup. My husband isn't always a big fan of soup, but this recipe was a big hit... so big, in fact, that hubs was eating the leftover soup for lunch the following day. Wifey win! This soup is creamy and filling... the perfect soup to fill your tummy and warm you right up!

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

30 Minutes to make it!
-Serves 3-4

You Will Need

2 1/2 cups Broccoli florets, small
1/2 cup Onions, yellow or white
1 1/2 cups Chicken broth
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup Butter, unsalted
2 cups Cheddar cheese
1 cup Heavy whipping cream
1 cup Milk

In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5-10 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut). My veggie pieces were a little larger, so it took the full 10 minutes for them to fully soften. Just remember- you want them to be soft, but not mushy. *I used a Dutch Oven and had fantastic results.

Add in your liquids: broth, milk, and cream, slowly. Sprinkle with the flour and add salt, and pepper. You can also add in red pepper flakes if you'd like the soup to have a little extra heat. Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until the soup is thickened. Don't walk away from the stove during this step. Keep gently stirring the soup to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan/burning. If this occurs, reduce the heat a bit. This will take about 10-15 minutes.

Time to add the cheese! Once the soup has thickened, add the cheese and stir until it's all incorporated- melted and smooth.

Serve it up & enjoy!

We had a loaf of homemade bread to go along with our soup, and the combination was so delicious! It was rustic, comforting, and velvety elegance all in one bowl.

My husband has already asked for me to make this again, so I am planning to double the recipe and make some this weekend. I'll freeze the leftovers so we can enjoy it again for other meals. Freezing smaller portions is perfect for quick lunches and dinners!

I hope you'll give this yummy recipe a try. It's definitely a keeper!

Bon appetit!