There are days that are simply meant for soup. From the moment I looked into the fridge and saw the head of broccoli, I knew what I was going to make to go along with dinner (and have leftovers that are perfect for the freezer).
Broccoli cheddar soup is one of those recipes that my kids will easily eat, but it hasn’t always been that way. Soup is something that had taken a bit of effort to get them to try in the past - but the cheesy flavour and creamy belly-warming soup won them over.
If you do have kids that are resistant to soup, try serving it over some rice - this helped us to ease the kids into eating soup for dinner with some delicious homemade breads.
Easy Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
3-4 cups of broccoli
I use the florets and the stems
1/2 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 pinch of italian seasoning
2-3 cups of shredded cheese
2 tablespoons cream cheese
3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
3 cups of milk
pinch of salt and pepper
First, melt the butter in a sauce pan and whisk in the flour, creating a roux for the soup base. Add in three cups of milk and set stir until a thick sauce forms, this will stop the milk from curdling in the soup.
Chop the broccoli and onion roughly, and add to the slow cooker. Add the cloves of garlic (I add them whole) with the salt, pepper, italian seasoning and the cream cheese.
Add chicken stock to the slow cooker, then add the white sauce over top of that.
Reserve most of the cheese for the end, when it comes time to mix and serve, adding in about a quarter of the cheese to the slow cooker with the soup. Stir to combine.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add in the remainder of the cheese and either stir, or use an immersion blender to stir before serving - depending on the texture and consistency you prefer for your soup.