James Kenji Lopez-Alt

Caramelized Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Added 2025-04-04 18:00:17 +0000 UTC

Broccoli cheese soup is not something I grew up with, but it's something I've grown to love. My favorite versions are intensely cheesy, but I wanted to create a version that actually celebrated broccoli, without sacrificing that creamy, cheesy goodness. Here's how I did it:

Layering Broccoli Flavor:
- I separated the broccoli into stems and florets.
- The stems were sautéed with onions, carrots, and garlic, then simmered to create a deep broccoli base.
- The florets were seared for a sweet, nutty flavor boost, and added back in at the end.
Achieving Maximum Cheesiness:
- I used a combination of sharp cheddar and American cheese for a balance of flavor and creaminess.
- Instead of a flour-based roux, I added potato to the soup base. Blending the potato acted as a natural thickener and emulsifier, preventing the cheese from clumping or becoming greasy.
- I added a teaspoon of dried mustard and a dash of hot sauce to accentuate the sharpness of the cheese.
Key Results:
- The soup has a rich, layered broccoli flavor, with both depth and brightness.
- It's incredibly cheesy, with a smooth, creamy texture.
- No starchy or grainy texture.

My goal was to make a broccoli cheese soup that was as comforting as the classic, but with a real, honest-to-goodness broccoli backbone. And I think I nailed it.

You can find the recipe and more details of its development it here at Serious Eats: https://www.seriouseats.com/broccoli-cheddar-cheese-soup-food-lab-recipe

My friend Deb Perelman and I recently recorded an episode of our podcast, The Recipe with Kenji and Deb where we talked about our two different versions of broccoli and cheese soup. You can listen to it here: https://www.therecipepodcast.com/episodes/ep23-broccoli-cheddar-soup

Deb's recipe for Broccoli Cheddar soup can be found here: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/deb-perelman-broccoli-cheddar-soup.html