Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Cheesy broccoli cauliflower soup is a deliciously creamy vegetable soup packed with broccoli, cauliflower, and cheese pureed into a creamy vegetable chowder kids love.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup is the perfect combination of nutrition and flavor. Packed with vegetables, this soup recipe is great for any weeknight meal. Plus, it makes a delicious lunch the next day. The key is being lucky enough to end up with leftovers!

As times continue to change and kids look for different ways to stay busy, encourage your kid(s) to spend more time in the kitchen. As a Registered Dietitian, I believe that it is important to get kids cooking. Let your kid(s) follow these six easy steps to create this cheesy vegetable soup recipe!

HOW TO MAKE

Grab the equipment you need to get started. Then, head to the pantry and fridge to gather the ingredients.

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Stockpot
• Stir spoon
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Medium-sized skillet
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 32 ounce 2 32 oz. cartons chicken or veggie broth, divided
• 2 heads broccoli, broked into small pieces about 5 cups
• 1 head cauliflower, broken into small pieces about 5 cups
• 15 ounce can evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour
• 2-3 tablespoons tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

PRO TIP: The ingredients are listed in the order that you will use them in the recipe.

Once you have all the equipment and ingredients, follow the next six easy steps in order.

1. Sauté the onions and garlic:

“Sautéing” is a cooking method that cooks the ingredient(s) quickly in a small amount of oil or fat. For this recipe, you will sauté the onions in olive oil.

Add 1 TBSP of olive oil to a skillet over medium-high and heat for 1 minute. Then, add the diced onion and sauté until translucent (about 3-4 minutes). “Translucent” means that you should be able to almost see through the onions. Stir the onions – watching for your onions to turn from solid white in color to translucent while shrinking in size. The onions will also start smelling sweet because sautéing helps onions develop a sweet flavor.

Add the minced garlic to the sautéed onions and stir for an additional 1 minute. You should start to smell the garlic as it cooks. The garlic adds an extra boost of flavor.

INGREDIENT SWAP: You can swap the 4 cloves of fresh garlic for 1 + 1/3 teaspoon of garlic powder.

2. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower:

Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the stockpot. For this recipe, you will use approximately 5 cups of both cauliflower and broccoli (10 cups of vegetables total). Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pot.

PRO TIP: Add other vegetables like celery, carrots, peas, corn and/or potatoes. This is a great way to use up any produce before it spoils.

Cover the stockpot with the lid.

Then, steam the vegetables over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes. “Steaming” allows a liquid to heat to a temperature where steam is created, which then cooks the food. In this recipe, the broth creates the steam that cooks the broccoli and cauliflower.

3. Add the liquids and spices:

To the stockpot, add the rest of the chicken stock, evaporated milk, tamari, and pepper. Bring to a low simmer. 

Simmering the liquids and spices really helps to create the delicious flavor of this soup.

PRO TIP: If your soup is at a rapid boil (lots of bubbles at the surface), lower the heat to prevent the soup from burning.

4. Make the roux:

Mixing fat, flour and liquid together over heat makes a roux. This helps to create a thick & creamy soup.

For this soup recipe, you will use butter as the fat. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in the skillet. Then, whisk in the flour. For the liquid, you will use some hot liquid from the soup. Using a measuring cup, add 1/4 cup of hot liquid from the stockpot into the skillet. Whisk the liquid into the flour mixture. Repeat adding 1/4 cup of hot liquid 7 more times until you’ve whisked in a total of 2 cups of liquid into the flour mixture.

5. Thicken the soup:

While the soup is simmering, whisk the homemade roux into the soup. Continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the cheese:

Stir the cheese into the soup until completely melted. The 2 cups of cheese will help the soup to thicken too. Puree the soup if desired then serve hot.

FAQs

OTHER CHEESY VEGETABLE RECIPES:

• Cheesy Mashed Potato Bites
• Vegetable Strata Recipe
• Healthy Cheesy Potatoes
• Easy Crockpot Potato Soup
• Cheesy Slow-Cooked Corn
• Cheesy Baked Asparagus