Broccoli Cheese Soup (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken my broccoli cheese soup? ›

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting into a lusciously creamy soup. To ensure that your broccoli cheddar soup has the best smooth and creamy texture, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.

A bakery-cafe inspired favorite made with chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and select seasonings simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. No artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors or colors from artificial sources.

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly. With soup, you might be able to fix it with an immersion blender, or you might not. At a temperature of 150 or so, the protein bonds in the cheese break down and as a result, too much fo the moisture escapes too quickly.

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

You end up with a grainy, curdled consistency. Unfortunately there is no way to fix it once it's happened, so just be really careful to keep this soup on a very low flame once the dairy has gone in. If the soup remains hot and steamy, without boiling, it will stay beautifully silky and creamy.

Before adding the cheese, you can add one small peeled and diced russet potato to the soup. Once it's cooked, use an immersion blender to puree the potato as you add the cheese. This will help emulsify the milk and cheese, keeping the soup creamy without affecting flavor.

The temperature you cook Broccoli Cheese Soup at is key to making sure it doesn't end up grainy or curdled. Medium heat is best for dairy-based soups so it doesn't boil and curdle.

A bowl of broccoli cheddar soup is a comforting and delicious meal, but it can always be improved with the right sides. Salads, grains, crackers and breads, proteins, and desserts all work great with this soup, and the combinations are endless.

What is in Jason's Deli broccoli cheese soup? ›

EVAPORATED MILK (WATER, MILK, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CARRAGEENAN, VITAMIN D3), BROCCOLI, AMERICAN CHEESE (CULTURED MILK AND SKIM MILK, CREAM, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SALT, COLORED WITH PAPRIKA AND ANNATTO, ENZYMES), SPICES (BLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR {CONTAINS NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, AND ...

There are 165 calories in 1 cup of Broccoli Cheese Soup (Prepared with Milk). * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

If you are using pre-shredded cheese it has been coated with an anti-clumping agent, which may mean it melts more slowly or needs more heat. If you are adding cold cheese to the soup, adding too much at once will lower the temperature of the soup.

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

Provolone

You can use sliced provolone, available at any supermarket deli, or for a more intense flavor, look for dense and spicy aged provolone from the likes of Auricchio or Wisconsin's BelGioioso. Medium and sharp varieties are also among the best cheeses for melting.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Starch: I use tapioca starch to thicken the garlic sauce for broccoli. You can also make an arrowroot starch, potato starch, or cornstarch slurry (if you tolerate it).

A steamer basket will lift your broccoli out of the liquid and off the bottom of the pan, preventing it from becoming soggy.

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Other Thickener: Starches thicken soup and give it body. Whisk a few tablespoons of starch into a little of the broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This prevents the starch from clumping and helps it dissolve into the soup evenly.