Creamy Broccoli & Potato Soup

In my house, we enjoy soup year round. That's why air conditioned was invented, right? For soup eating purposes? No? Let's just roll with it for the sake of this post.

Creamy Broccoli & Potato Soup 

1 lb. broccoli, divided

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 tbsp butter

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

½ tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Parmesan cheese rind, cubed

6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups milk

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp celery salt

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp red chili pepper flakes

Cajun seasoning, to taste

French fried onions, for garnish

Bacon, cooked and crumbled for garnish

Green onions, chopped for garnish

 

Cut the florets off the broccoli and rinse in a colander. Set aside. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick outer layer of the broccoli stems. Dice up the stems. Set aside. In a 4-quart stock pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the broccoli stems and onions and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onions are translucent. Stir in the carrots and ¼ tsp Cajun seasoning and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the Parmesan rind and vegetable broth. Cover the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the soup to a boil and stir. Then, uncover and reduce heat to medium. You want the soup to stay at a simmer. Reduce heat more if necessary. Add the broccoli florets and potatoes. Cook for about 30 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring gently. Heat until the soup returns to a simmer. Add the cheese into the soup. Stir until the cheese has fully melted. Stir in black pepper, celery salt, Dijon mustard, and chili flakes.

 Remove the soup from the heat. Remove about half of the broccoli and potato pieces and place them in a bowl and set aside. Carefully, puree the remaining soup using an immersion blender. Add the reserved broccoli and potatoes back to the soup. 

Return the soup to the heat and bring back to a simmer allowing it to cook for about 10 minutes more or until tender. Add Cajun seasoning, if needed. Garnish with French fried onions, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Serve immediately with some pieces of French bread.

NOTES:

 Depending on how thick you prefer your soup, you can substitute the milk with either half and half or heavy cream. Also, keep in mind if you use pre-shredded cheese it will thicken the soup due to the cellulose coating.

ENJOY!

~ Asha Cole