Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup

Making Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Heartwarming and filling, cheesy and somewhat healthy with the addition of Broccoli. Made relatively quickly, especially if using store-bought stock, combining Broccoli, sharp Cheddar (with some Swiss Cheese) and crispy Bacon. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or just a way to use up the Broccoli in the back of your fridge.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick and Easy - ready in about 45 minutes, perfect when craving a homemade meal even on busy weeknights. Plus no roux, it easily thickens with Potatoes
• Family Friendly - even the kids will love this cheesy soup, Broccoli blending in seamlessly hiding the vegetables
• Make Ahead Friendly - tastes even better the next day, tasty as leftovers or for meal prep
• Incredible Flavor - the perfect blend with Cheddar Cheese, smokey Bacon and fresh Broccoli is creamy and cheesy - caramelizing the Onions and Carrots boost the flavor!

Ingredients

• Bacon Slices (Streaky Bacon)
• Butter (or save some of the Bacon Fat)
• Aromatics - Onion and Garlic
• Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
• Dairy - Milk and Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)
• Vegetables - Broccoli Florets, Potatoes and Carrots
• Spices - Smoked Paprika, Mustard Powder, Bay Leaf
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Emmental Cheese (Swiss Cheese)
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup

1. Fry Bacon - in a large pot, fry bacon until crispy. Remove Bacon and set aside, leaving 2 tablespoons of Bacon Fat in pot.
2. Sauté - cook Onion in fat (or Butter) until caramelized. Add grated Carrot (with extra butter if needed) and cook for a 3 minutes. Add Garlic for 60 seconds.
3. Add Liquids and Thickeners - pour in Broth, Milk and Heavy Cream.
   Add diced Potatoes, Broccoli, Bay Leaf and Spices.
4. Simmer - bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until Potatoes are soft and Broccoli is tender. Stir occasionally.
5. Blend - using an Immersion Blender, puree half the soup directly in the pot, leaving some chunks for texture. If you don't have an Immersion Blender, place 3 to 4 cups in a blender and blend in batches.
6. Add Cheese - reduce heat to low and slowly stir in grated Cheese until melted. Stir in most of the Bacon, leaving some to garnish when serving.
7. Adjust - too thin? Simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Too thick? Add Milk or Broth. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Broccoli Soup Variations

• Cheesy Cauliflower - replace half of the Broccoli with Cauliflower florets for a milder flavor
• Smokey Southwest - add a Chipotle Pepper, a diced Red Pepper, can of Corn and can of fire-roasted tomatoes. Add teaspoon of Chili Powder and Cumin
• Vegetarian - skip the Bacon and use Vegetable Stock. For extra depth, sauté mushrooms and add Smoked Gouda for "bacon-y" flavor
• Blue Cheese - crumble in Blue Cheese at the end before serving
• Italian - stir through sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil for an Italian twist

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Make It Lighter - use 2% Milk and less Cream, increasing the Broth. Add Zucchini or Spinach
• Cheese Blocks - don't buy pre-shredded Cheese as they are coated with anti-caking agents which impacts the smooth melting in the soup. It only takes a few minutes to grate Cheese
• Cool Before Blending - boiling soup is hot, allow to slightly cool before blending to avoid splatters
• Don't Over Salt - I usually don't add Salt as the Bacon and Cheese are both salty enough, resist the urge to salt until all ingredients are added
• Homemade Broth - making Instant Pot Soup Broth is really speedy and much more nutritious than store-bought. Make ahead the night before

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

Yes. No need to thaw, just add into soup frozen. Cooking time will reduce to 8 minutes, so make sure Potatoes are cooked.

Can I Thicken with Sweet Potato?

Yes, usually one is enough. Adding too much will overpower flavor and make it taste like Sweet Potato Soup instead of Broccoli Soup.

Other Ways to Thicken Broccoli Soup

Instead of Potato, you can thicken by making a Roux by adding ¼ cup flour over the caramelized Onions (add carrots later). Alternatively, make a Cornstarch Slurry by adding 2 tablespoons of Cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of Water, and stir in after blending to thicken.

Storage

• Fridge - refrigerate in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Soup will thicken as it cools, add a splash of milk when reheating
• Freezer - place in a freezer safe container, in individual sized servings, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge overnight before reheating.

Soup Recipes You'll Love

• Italian Cherry Tomato Soup
• Bread Bowl Clam Chowder
• Pumpkin Leek Soup
• Beet Borscht
• Whole Chicken Noodle Soup
• Summer Vegetable Minestrone
• Solyanka - Meaty Pickle Soup

Next time you are craving a warm and comforting soup, look no further than Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup. I call this the flavors of America, with all the Cheese, Bacon and Broccoli. Restaurant quality but tastier as it's homemade. Happy Cooking! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

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