(Recipe can be found on Sunset Magazine’s site here.)
Step by Step Instructions:
This recipe is fast to put together and all you need are the following items: Salt and Pepper, 1.5 pounds of broccoli florets, 2 cups of chicken broth, 3 tablespoons of butter, a small onion, 1/2 cup of blue cheese/gorgonzola cheese, and half and half (I used the fat-free variety).
The only prep work I needed to do was chop up a small onion. So easy!
Then I heated my large sauce pan over high heat (at about an 8 on my stove) and once it was hot, I added the butter to melt.
When the butter is mostly melted, the onions get added. Stir them pretty regularly for about 4 minutes until they are softened.
On a whim, I decided to add crushed red pepper flakes to the onions about a minute after I put them in the pot. They continued to cook along with the onions. This was a fabulous decision because the subtle heat in the soup as a result of the red pepper flakes really added to the flavor profile!
While the onions cooked, I measured 2 cups of chicken broth.
After the onions cooked for 4 minutes, the broccoli florets and chicken broth are added and everything is stirred together. Just cover your pot and let the broccoli cook for 7 minutes.
My broccoli was nice and tender after the 7 minutes, but cook yours longer if it is still tough. You’ll need the broccoli to be tender in order to blend it in a few minutes.
Then I pulled out one cup of small broccoli florets from the pot and set them aside for garnishing.
I added 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper along with 3/4 cup of half and half and 1/4 cup of blue cheese to the pot.
Everything gets stirred together and then I removed the pot from the heat.
I used my hand-held immersion blender to get the soup nice and smooth. You can also use your regular blender, but be sure you blend a few batches of the soup and don’t do it all at once.
Then it’s time to eat! I ladled my soup into the bowl and garnished it with some of the broccoli I had set aside and sprinkled a bit of the remaining blue cheese over the top as well. You could add croutons at this point, but they aren’t my favorite thing, so I just skipped that step. This was outrageously good, and you could taste the blue cheese but it wasn’t too much. And the subtle heat from the red pepper flakes really kicked up the soup a notch as well. This is so freaking good and super simple…I hope it warms you up as the weather begins to drop. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup croutons
Preparation Instructions:
1. Melt butter in a medium pot over high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add broccoli and broth and cook, covered, until florets are tender, about 7 minutes.
2. Spoon out 1 cup small florets and reserve. Add 1/4 cup cheese, the salt, pepper, and half-and-half to pot. Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until very smooth, about 2 minutes per batch.
3. Divide mixture among 4 bowls. Garnish each with reserved florets, a sprinkle of remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and a few croutons.
Nutritional Information:
Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 314
Calories from fat: 65%
Protein: 16g
Fat: 23g
Saturated fat: 14g
Carbohydrate: 16g
Fiber: 0.6g
Sodium: 921mg
Cholesterol: 65mg
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