To make a creamy soup you can add carrot, celery, potato, garlic, flour, cornstarch, vegetable or chicken stock, milk or cream or half and half, hot sauce, paprika, mustard, cayenne or nutmeg.

Here you just need lots of broccoli, cheddar and onion. The grated cheddar does double duty: it gives a creamy-silky soup and turns the broccoli florets into a savory snack.

What you will need:

  • 2 medium plus 1 large diced onions
  • oil
  • 2 kilos of broccoli (about 2 large or 4 medium)
  • salt
  • 240 gr. grated cheddar

How to make it:

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Pour a little oil into a saucepan, over medium heat. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring and reducing the heat if necessary, until the pieces are tender and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes.
  3. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Put half of them in the bowl and the other half on a baking sheet with non-stick paper.
  4. When the onions are ready, add 6 cups of water to the pot, along with a little more salt. Increase the temperature to bring the water to a boil.
  5. While the water is heating, pour oil over the broccoli florets on the baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the stalks are golden brown and soft. When the water boils, add the broccoli stalks and florets that we have in the bowl. Boil until the broccoli stalks are tender, about 8 minutes.
  6. With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions and broccoli from the pot to the blender. Mix until they are homogeneous. Add the grated cheddar to the blender and reserve 1/4 of it. Mix again. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock from the pot and puree again.
  7. When the roasted broccoli is ready, remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese over the roasted broccoli florets and on the baking sheet and bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  8. Divide the soup into 4 bowls and evenly distribute the crispy broccoli florets, croutons, baby spinach, bacon on top.