It seems counterintuitive, but cooking the daylights out of the broccoli is the key to this soup’s sweet, nutty vegetable flavor. Our first step was to call for a full 2 pounds of broccoli.
Following a technique from renowned California chef Alice Waters, we sauteed the broccoli in a little butter, added a cup of water, and let it cook until it was very soft and nutty and sweet. We discovered that adding just a pinch of baking soda with the water accelerated the braising time by helping to break down the cell walls of the broccoli.
Adding fresh baby spinach right before pureeing ensured that our soup had a bright color and it also enhanced the vegetable flavor. As for the cheese, a mix of sharp cheddar and nutty Parmesan gave the soup enough cheesy flavor and richness that we didn’t need to use any cream.
BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP
Servings: 6-8
Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
3-4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 ounces (2 cups) baby spinach
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
Nutrition information per serving: 143 calories; 69 calories from fat; 8 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 380 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 9 g protein.
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