Broiled broccoli and cauliflower cheddar soup is thick and hearty. Flavor from the charred veggies and cheddar make for a new twist on broccoli cheddar soup.

Think of this as my St. Patrick’s Day post. I should also say that this soup will be greener when you make it.

I caught myself snacking on the broiled broccoli before I added it to the soup.

One of my favorite soups during soup season is broccoli cheddar soup. The natural pairing of cheddar and broccoli is astounding to me.

It is one of those combos that just works.

The normal broccoli cheddar soup has small florets of broccoli throughout.

This soup is all pureed. This way you get a thicker soup without the use of a roux, flour, or cornstarch.

Season the broccoli and cauliflower with a little bit of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and a dash of cayenne. We are building flavor at each step.

Toss the veggies with olive oil and broil on high or like 5-10 minutes until all the edges of the florets are charred.

Next up, we have the usual suspects to build the base of the soup:

• butter
• onion
• garlic
• celery

Sauté those until the onion is translucent, the celery tender, and the garlic aromatic.

Add in the stock and bring to a simmer.

Toss in that charred broccoli and cauliflower. Simmer away for 25 minutes.

Add in milk and cheddar.

Be sure to save some cheddar for topping the soup before serving.

In broiled broccoli and cauliflower cheddar soup, you can use either a white cheddar or an orange cheddar.

I might suggest if this is being served at St. Patrick’s Day, then maybe use the orange to stay on theme.

Here is another part where you can choose your own adventure.

I used an immersion blender to puree the soup. I feel this doesn’t get it as liquified.

Choose that path if you want more mouthfeel to your soup.

If you like a liquified, smooth soup, I would say to wait for the soup to slightly cool and then add to a blender. Puree until smooth.

Adjust your salt and pepper to taste.

This soup would be excellent topped with croutons along with the cheddar.

I saved a few broiled florets to add to the soup as garnish. That was your benefit.

So you know what this random bowl of puree is really made of.

Feel free to save a few florets if you want to be fancy like me when making this broiled broccoli and cauliflower cheddar soup.

Broiled Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

A creamy, gluten-free soup made from broiled broccoli and cauliflower pureed together with celery, onion, garlic, stock, milk, and cheddar cheese.

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Ingredients

• 2 medium/large heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 8oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Set the broiler to high, Line a medium baking hseet with foil. Add florets to the prepared pan. Toss together with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.
2. Broil thew cauliflower and broccoli for 5-10 minutes, until deeply charred. Remove the pan and flip the broccoli and cauliflower about halfway through so all sides get charred. Once done, swet to the side to cool.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium/low. Melt the butter. Add the onion and celery. Cook until translucent and tender. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cauliflower and broccoli to the pot. Simmer for 25 minutes until tender.
5. Reduce heat to low. Add milk and half the cheese. Mix to combine.
6. Once the cheese is melted in, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool, and then add to a blender in batches until the soup is liquified.
7. Return soup to the pot, if using a blender. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
8. To serve, add soup to bowl, and then top with more shredded cheese and maybe croutons.

Notes

You can use either orange cheddar or white cheddar for this soup.