Broccoli “Cheddar” Soup
No winter is complete without some robust soups. This healthier version of Broccoli “Cheddar” Soup is packed with a load of nutrient dense ingredients like broccoli, carrots, coconut milk & nutritional yeast, which gives this soup its cheesy flavor. No matter where you’ve eaten & loved Broccoli Cheddar Soup before, this version will be a strong rival.
The rich onion & garlic base of this soup combined with some warm spices like smoked paprika & turmeric make this soup irresistible. And knowing you can make an extremely healthy version at home, will keep you from ever wanting it at restaurant again.
Serve this soup as a stand alone with some grain-free crackers or top it with some leftover grilled chicken.
Broccoli “Cheddar” Soup
INGREDIENTS
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
2 large carrots, sliced into thin pieces
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can full fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
3 tablespoons arrowroot flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
in a large stock pot heat the ghee over medium high heat. sauté the onion until slightly browned, stirring occasionally.
add in the garlic & sauté an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly to keep the garlic from burning.
sprinkle the arrowroot flour over the onion & garlic & stir quickly to make a roux.
immediately add in the vegetable broth & coconut milk to the pot. mix well to combine. add in the nutritional yeast & whisk to combine.
carefully drop in the broccoli & carrots, then mix in the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dry mustard, turmeric & cayenne pepper if using.
bring to a soft boil, then cover the pot & reduce heat to low. cook 30 minutes or until the broccoli is easy to cut through with a table knife.
turn off the heat & carefully transfer 2 cups of the soup (including pieces of the veggies) to a blender. blend on high 30 seconds, then pour the mixture back into the pot & stir to combine.