My husband is a fiend for broccoli cheese soup, and his favorite is from Jason’s Deli. He always gets the Spud au Broc, which is a (no lie) FOOTBALL-SIZED baked potato smothered generously with broccoli cheese soup. We used to meet up there for lunch during our early dating days (d’aww) but haven’t been there regularly for quite a few years. Then one day last fall, we ended up heading there for lunch with our 11-year-old daughter Mallory, and she shared the ginormous potato with Paul. And that was pretty much it for Mallory – she has been crazy for broccoli cheese soup ever since, asking for it all the time. She’s also a big fan of my chicken and gnocci soup, too – my little soup lover! This soup is a reasonable facsimile of the broccoli cheese soup you might find at Jason’s Deli or even Panera. It’s super thick, super rich, and super bad for you. I make it like once a year. But man, is it good. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 stick butter
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 c. chicken stock
- 1 c. half and half
- 1 1/2 c. milk
- 2 large stalks broccoli, chopped
- 1/3 c. cornstarch
- 1/4 t. black pepper
- 1/4 t. garlic powder
- 1/4 t. dried thyme
- 1/2 t. salt
- 8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 1/2 c. cheddar, shredded
Instructions
- Saute’ onion and celery in butter in a large stock pot until onions are translucent. Stir in chicken stock, half & half, broccoli, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Whisk together milk and cornstarch in a separate bowl and pour into soup. Stir until soup starts to thicken, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and salt. Lower heat and stir in cubed Velveeta and cheddar cheese. Stir gently until cheese is melted.
- Ladle into bowls or serve on top of baked potatoes. Garnish with extra cheese.
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