The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat)

The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat) - Make the best soup of your life at home in 1 hour! Beyond words amazing!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 small/medium sweet yellow onion, diced small
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced finely
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock may be substituted)
• 2 cups fat-free half-and-half (regular half-and-half may be substituted; whole milk or 2% milk will work but soup won’t be as creamy)
• 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, diced into bite-size pieces + 1 cups stems, optional (I used 3 cups florets and 1 cup stems as not to waste them)
• 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into very thin rounds, about 1/16th-inch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika, optional and to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder, optional and to taste
• pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste (doesn’t make soup spicy and serves to enhance flavor)
• 8 ounces grated high quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese, with a small amount reserved for garnishing bowls

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter, the diced onion, and sauté   over medium heat until the onion is translucent and barely browned, about 4 minutes. Stir intermittently.
2. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
3. In a large heavy-bottom pot (I use this Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 6-3/4-Quart Oval French (Dutch) Oven) add 4 tablespoons butter, flour, and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened. You are making a roux and it’s very important the mixture is thick or soup will never thicken properly later.

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