Meatless Monday: Roasted broccoli, garlic & cheddar soup

Turn on the oven for soup. That’s right, because the first order of business for this recipe is to roast the veggies. They’ll transform wonderfully into a creamy, flavorful and classic soup.

Surely everyone has seen broccoli and cheddar soup on a restaurant menu. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes — ahem — not. But this Meatless Monday recipe for roasted broccoli, garlic and cheddar soup stands apart from the rest. Why? Because you begin this recipe by roasting the broccoli and garlic, and that brings on some fab flavor!

Guaranteed that after roasting the veggies for this soup, you’ll be tempted to pick up a few florets and cloves of garlic to enjoy with a piece of crusty bread. And that’s OK. Just be sure to leave enough for the soup! Roasting transforms the broccoli by caramelizing it and adding a touch of sweetness, and even the garlic mellows after some time in the oven.

I served this soup in bread bowls, but regular bowl works nicely, too. I must advise that you’ll probably want some crusty bread on hand. What better way to help mop up every drop of this tasty soup?

Roasted broccoli, garlic & cheddar soup recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound broccoli, washed and ends timed, cut into florets
• 5-6 garlic cloves, peels left on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded plus extra for garnish
• Additional salt and pepper, to taste
• Bread bowls to serve the soup in (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Add the broccoli florets and the garlic to a baking pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
2. Place in the oven to roast. The garlic will finish before the broccoli, so check on it at about 15 minutes into cooking. Remove the garlic when the peels pull away and they are golden in color.
3. Continue to roast the broccoli for about 25-30 minutes total, tossing once or twice as they cook. When finished, the florets will be dark in color where they have come in contact with the pan.
4. Bring the vegetable broth and water to a boil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the broccoli and garlic, reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes with the lid partially on.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, flour and dried mustard until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the liquid mixture until well combined. Remove the pot from the heat.
6. Use an immersion blender to carefully puree the broccoli and garlic in the soup. You can also use a blender to puree the soup, but wait until it has cooled and work in batches before returning the soup to the pot to warm it.
7. After pureeing the soup, add the cheese and stir until it has melted.
8. Serve the soup immediately, with extra cheese as garnish.

Get your oven going for this soup!

More Meatless Monday recipes

Curried sweet potato, green bean and tortellini soup
Cauliflower “couscous” with caramelized onions, cherries & goat cheese
Carrot and kale stir-fry