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Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Cheese

Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Cheese

When we were looking for a new idea for broccoli soup, we came upon this recipe by chef and restaurant owner Gordon Ramsay. It was hard to believe that broccoli and water could make a great soup, so we had to test it. And now we are true believers! We added cheddar to ours, but feel free to swap in your own favorite cheese.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

kitchen gear

  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife (adult needed)
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Medium Pot
  • Slotted spoon
  • Pot holders
  • Blender (adult needed)
  • Cutting board

Ingredients
 

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen broccoli
  • 1⁄2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 lemon, quartered

Instructions
 

  • Put the water in the pot and put the pot on the stove. Cover it, turn the heat to high, and bring the water to a boil (you’ll know it’s boiling when you see bubbles breaking all over its surface). 
  • Add the frozen broccoli. (The water should cover the broccoli by about 1 inch. If it doesn’t, add a little more water.) Put the lid mostly on, but leave a little opening for steam to get out, and cook until the water returns to a boil, about 3 minutes.
  • Remove the broccoli with the slotted spoon and put it in the blender. Put the top on tightly and blend until almost smooth. 
  • Carefully add 2 cups of the hot broccoli liquid. Add the cheese and salt and put the top on tightly. Remove the cap from the center of the lid and hold a towel over the hole to allow steam to escape while blending, then blend until silky smooth, adding more broccoli liquid if you like.
  • Serve right away, and garnish each bowl with a lemon quarter for squeezing into the soup.

Notes

OR ELSE

If you’d rather use fresh broccoli, use your hands and a small, sharp knife to separate a head into florets. (Florets are the little “trees” all over the top of the broccoli.) Cut any large florets in half. Trim off the ends and tough peel from the thick stem, then cut it into small pieces. You’ll end up with about 5 cups of florets and chopped stem, and you’ll need to boil it in step 2 until it’s just tender, around 5 minutes.