Simple Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

You can use broccoli instead of cauliflower, or both, based on preference. Either way is tasty!

This recipe is adapted from Allrecipes.com

Cauliflower is available year-round, but the heads are large and particularly flavorful in late fall and winter months, just when soup is appreciated. Cream soups may not have enough texture for some diners, so for this recipe, you may want to keep some cooked florets out of the blend and add them in at the end of the cooking process. Broccoli, another winter vegetable, can be substituted for the cauliflower in this recipe, or a combination of both works well. Brussel sprouts or other vegetables might also be added in for texture and as an excellent way to use dinner leftovers. This recipe can be re-invented by adding any leftover soup to pasta for a mac and cheese variation or ladling it hot over a baked potato. It is as delicious as it is versatile, plus it freezes well.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 (32 fluid ounce box) container chicken broth or 2 - 15 ounce cans of broth

• 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

• 1 (16 ounce) package aged Cheddar cheese

• 5 cups milk

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour salt and ground black pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add onion and fry until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add chicken broth and cauliflower; bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and boil gently until cauliflower is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, grate cheddar cheese.

5. Whisk milk and flour together in a bowl. When cauliflower is tender, slowly add milk-flour mixture, stirring until combined.

6. Simmer until soup has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in grated cheddar until melted and blended together. Season with salt and pepper.