hearty broccoli is combined with sharp cheddar, parmesan and quinoa for a warm & comforting soup that’s perfect for the winter season!
Not only is it super comforting, but it’s an awesome way for me to sneak some extra veggies into the day for both myself and Owen!
I have been DYING to make broccoli and cheddar soup at home since the cooler weather hit and I’m so glad that I finally got around to it! It’s one of my absolute favorite comfort foods!
Seriously though, this soup is everything you could want from a winter meal – it’s warm, comforting and packed with nutrients (which will help fend off all those cold weather colds!).
With each spoonful you’re getting a good dose of plant-based protein from the quinoa, vitamin C, K, iron and potassium from the broccoli and spinach not to mention additional protein as well as calcium from the cheese. If that’s not a meal worth celebrating, I’m not sure what is!
As impressive as this meal is nutritionally, it’s true superpower is how easily it comes together. Most of the work comes from the prep. Once that’s set, it’s more or less set it and forget it!
It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days making it a perfect dish to prep on Sunday and eat all week!
broccoli, cheese & quinoa soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3-4 heads broccoli, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda baking soda simply makes the broccoli cook faster speeding up the cook time of the dish!
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add butter to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Once butter is melted, add onion, garlic, broccoli, ground mustard and cayenne and stir.
- Add 1 cup of water and baking soda to the pot, stir and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and let broccoli cook until soft (about 20 minutes).
- Once broccoli is soft, bring heat back up to medium-high and add remaining 2 cups of water and all the vegetable broth, stirring to combine.
- Once mixture is gently bubbling, add spinach and stir. When spinach is wilted, add cheese to the mixture and continue to stir. Add salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy. Fold in cooked quinoa and stir to combine.
- Top with crackers or homemade croutons and additional cheese as desired.
recipe from cook’s illustrated with a few tweaks!
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