Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Sometimes you just need to be comforted with a big bowl of hot, creamy, cheesy broccoli soup but don’t want (or need) all of the fat and calories.  I recently made a lower-fat version:  Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

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During our recent cross-country road trip, I noticed my clothes getting a little tighter about half-way through the trip.   All of that eating and sitting while traveling was starting to take it’s toll on my butt waistline!  I started watching what (and how much) I ate and have lost a few pounds so far.

I want to be able to still enjoy the foods I love with a little compromise.  I used lower-fat ingredients in this recipe, but one thing I did NOT do is use margarine instead of butter.  That is not an option for me… I just used a little over half of the butter that my original recipe calls for.  Guess what?  I hardly noticed a difference overall!

So going low(er)-fat in this recipe bought me a few extra calories for sopping that soup up with a crunchy and soft french baguette… my all-time favorite way to enjoy Broccoli Cheddar Soup!

Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: About 6 servings 1x

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Description

A lower fat version of traditional Broccoli Cheddar Soup… you’ll never miss the fat!

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Ingredients

• 1 (24 ounce) bag frozen baby broccoli florets
• 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1–1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth or stock
• 2–1/2 cups low-fat 1% milk
• 8 ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 1–1/2 teaspoons salt (more or less, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon pepper (more or less, to taste)

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Instructions

1. Place frozen broccoli florets and carrots in large pot, cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 3 minutes.
3. Drain vegetables in a colander and set aside.
4. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.
5. Add onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
6. SLOWLY add in flour, about a tablespoon at a time, while stirring with a whisk constantly.
7. Once all of the flour is added and there is a nice paste formed, slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly with whisk.
8. Add milk slowly, continuing to stir.
9. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
10. Once mixture reaches a boil, slowly add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.
11. Add broccoli and carrots, salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
12. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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