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Cheesy Broccoli Soup in a Bread Bowl

Source of Recipe

From "Taste of Home: Farm to Table Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"This creamy, cheesy broccoli soup tastes just like it came from a popular restaurant chain. My family requests it all the time. You can even make your own homemade bread bowls with the recipe on my blog, Yammie's Noshery."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¼ cup butter, cubed
â—¦ ½ cup chopped onion
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
â—¦ 1 large carrot, finely chopped
â—¦ 3 cups chicken stock
â—¦ 2 cups half-and-half cream
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon pepper
â—¦ ¼ cup cornstarch
â—¦ ¼ cup water or additional chicken stock
â—¦ 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
â—¦ 6 small round bread loaves (about 8 ounces each), optional
â—¦ Optional toppings: Crumbled cooked bacon, additional shredded cheddar cheese, ground nutmeg and pepper


Recipe

In a 6-quart stockpot, heat butter over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream and seasonings; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cheese until melted.

If using bread bowls, cut a slice off the top of each bread loaf; hollow out bottoms, leaving ¼-inch-thick shells (save removed bread for another use). Fill with soup just before serving. If desired, serve soup with toppings.

Makes 6 servings



• Test Kitchen Tip:
Remove larger leaves and tough ends of lower stalks; wash. If using whole spears, cut lengthwise into 1-inch-wide pieces; stalks may also be peeled for more even cooking. If using florets, cut ¼- to ½-inch below heads; discard stalks.