Soup reminds me of my bonus mom Val—she’s the Soup Queen. Whenever friends or family came for dinner, soup and muffins were almost always on the menu. Val argued they were inexpensive, simple to prepare, and reliably delicious. Her soups are a study in frugality, flavor, and warmth.
I’ve been lucky to learn from her for more than twenty years. Here are the most important soup lessons I picked up at her elbow.
- A little of this and a little of that can make a large pot of excellent soup. You rarely need a lot of any single ingredient.
- Don’t overthink it. Soup should be straightforward.
- Keep tasting and adjusting. If something isn’t right, add a small tweak. If you’re truly stuck, ask Val—she almost always has the answer.
- If a soup needs something, nutmeg often helps. Freshly grated nutmeg is ideal.
- Soup hides many culinary sins. Overcooked meat, charred vegetables, or items that are close to past their prime all find new purpose in a pot of soup.
- Soup plus bread or muffins feeds a crowd happily every time.
A few weeks ago Panera invited me to visit one of their restaurants. As a self-proclaimed soup enthusiast, I was genuinely excited—I’d heard people rave about Panera for years, but never had the chance to go.
What a spread: soups, breads, pastries—the kind of comforting fare I love. There’s little better than a steaming bowl of soup with a crusty piece of baguette. My mom chose black bean soup because she follows a vegetarian diet, and I ordered Broccoli Cheddar Soup because, honestly, broccoli and Cheddar are two of my favorite things. I tasted her black bean for research, but when I reached back for more, I noticed a protective glint in her eye and decided to focus on my own bowl. Look at it—how could you not want to dive in?
Panera is now my go-to for a quick, satisfying meal in town. My mom and I agreed we’ll check their daily soup offerings each time we visit the city. Their “Good Goes In” philosophy inspired me to share my favorite winter soup here.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup has been a regular in my rotation for years. It’s the ideal cold-weather comfort: indulgent, creamy, rich, and unmistakably cheesy, yet it also contains broccoli—so that must make it somewhat healthy, right? At least that’s what I’ll tell Val.
Long may soup and the Soup Queen reign!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter 8 tablespoons (4 ounces)
- 2 medium onions peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour about 2 1/8 ounces
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 2 broccoli crowns cut into small, bite-sized pieces
- 6 cups milk
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3-4 cups grated Cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over low heat. Add the chopped onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent at the edges, about 4 minutes.
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Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic and stir until evenly coated, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock, raise the heat to high, and stir to combine. Add the broccoli, stir, and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 3 minutes.
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Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the milk, shredded carrot, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and grated nutmeg. Simmer gently—lower the heat if it begins to boil—until the broccoli is tender but still has some texture. Remove from heat, stir in the cheese until melted, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the specific ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition tool.
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Pin Recipe
Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I received a gift card to try Panera Bread and a stipend to cover ingredients used in recipe development. All opinions and the recipe are my own.