Many years ago, a colleague shared a recipe for an easy cheese broccoli soup that used Cheez Whiz. Over the years, I made enough changes to that soup that I realized it is no longer the same recipe. While it no longer is a simple as dumping a few ingredients into a slow cooker and forgetting it, it is not complicated and can be made quickly.
I like the control I get in making my own cheese sauce. Ironically, I find my cheese sauce usually turns out best when I make it for a dish like broccoli soup where it will be blended with other ingredients. It never seems quite as good when I make it as a dip or topper. However, I have learned to use a secret tip: adding a few slices of American or Velvetta cheese to the sauce. They really help the ground mustard to keep the sauce emulsified even when using sharp cheddar.
I have also added ingredients and changed my method since I started making this soup. However, I must confess that I like today’s version much better.
Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp. Wondra or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. half-and-half or whole milk
- 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp. ground mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 3 +/- slices of American Cheese or Velvetta (optional, but recommended)
Soup
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 c. onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1/2 c. shredded carrots
- 3 Tbsp. Wondra flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 12 to 14 oz. frozen broccoli, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 c. half-and-half
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
- cheese sauce (listed above)
- white pepper, to taste
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Cheese Sauce
- In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour.
- Slowly whisk in half-and-half.
- Stir in cheddar cheese, ground mustard, and Worchestershire sauce.
- Add processed cheese, if desired
- Set aside for later.
Soup
- In a larger pot, melt butter.
- Saute onion, celery, and carrots until soft.
- Stir in flour.
- Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly.
- OPTION 1: You can use a stick or traditional blender to blend the vegetables for a smoother consistency now OR you can wait until the end to blend all of the ingredients.
- Add broccoli and cook for a couple of minutes. If you want to blend your soup after adding the broccoli, you may want to remove some of the broccoli florets to top the soup for serving or to add back in later.
- Stir in half-and-half, cream cheese, and the cheese sauce from earlier.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- OPTION 2: Don't blend the soup. Just serve it as is.
- OPTION 3: You may blend the soup with a stick or traditional blender now if you did not blend it earlier. Add reserved broccoli florets now or top with broccoli before serving, if desired.
