Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Lunch
Ten minutes. Real soup doesn't need starch to stand up; we rely instead on the classic French velouté method—sheer vegetable bulk, a touch of cream cheese, and heavy cream—to build a luscious, perfectly stable emulsion in a heavy-bottomed pot. Loaded with sharp cheddar, it is profoundly savory and celebrates real fat without requiring another minute of your active attention; just plug in the immersion blender and blitz until the broth turns gold.
Per serving: NET CARBS: 5 g | Total carbs: 7 g | Fiber: 2 g | Fat: 38 g | Protein: 16 g | Calories: ~420
Before you start
Grate the cheddar.
Shred the cheese from a block using a box grater or a food processor attachment; do not use pre-shredded cheese.
Chop the florets.
Break down the broccoli into rough, bite-sized pieces so they cook rapidly and blend easily.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- garlic2 small clove
- fresh broccoli florets12 oz
- chicken bone broth2 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- dry mustard powder1/4 tsp
- full-fat cream cheese2 oz
- heavy whipping cream1/2 cup
- sharp cheddar cheese8 oz
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the garlic and sauté for thirty seconds until deeply fragrant.
- 02
Sauté the broccoli.
Toss the chopped broccoli in the butter to coat, cooking for two minutes to lightly brown the edges, then pour in the bone broth, salt, pepper, and mustard powder.
- 03
Boil and tenderize.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the soup boil aggressively for six to eight minutes until the broccoli is entirely fork-tender.
- 04
Emulsify the broth.
Remove the lid, drop in the cubed cream cheese and heavy cream, and pulse the soup four or five times with an immersion blender to thicken the liquid while leaving some hearty chunks intact.
- 05
Mount the cheese off-heat.
Remove the pot completely from the stove—boiling cheddar causes the proteins to seize and release their oil—then gradually whisk in the freshly grated cheese a handful at a time until perfectly smooth.
Notes
Why this swap?
To eliminate the 20+ grams of carbs found in standard diner recipes, we skip the all-purpose flour roux and regular milk entirely, substituting a classic French technique that uses pureed vegetable bulk and cream cheese for a naturally thick, zero-starch emulsion.
Label Check: The Pre-Shredded Cheese Trap.
You must grate your own cheddar from a solid block. Commercial bags are coated in potato starch to prevent caking, which ruins smooth melting and will inject up to 7 grams of hidden carbohydrates per serving into your soup.
Reheating for lunch.
Pack this in airtight glass containers and reheat gently in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every minute, to prevent the beautiful fat emulsion from separating under high heat.
From Keto 10 Minute Meals.