Tomorrow marks the first day of fall, so warm comforting soups will be showing up on dinner menus across the country.  Why not try making this broccoli and Stilton soup?  If you have broccoli in the fridge and you’re looking for broccoli recipes to use it up, this is your answer.  Once the ingredients are prepped, this broccoli and cheese soup is ready in 30 minutes.

Unlike most great British broccoli soups, this version has no potatoes in it.  Instead I’ve chosen to use a combination of pureed soup and a beurre manie, which is simply a paste made from flour and butter, to thicken it.

How do you make broccoli and Stilton soup?

Prep all the ingredients by cutting up the broccoli, onion, celery, and garlic.

Sauté the onion and celery in olive oil and butter until soft.  Add the garlic, tarragon, and salt during the last minute or two.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the broccoli stems.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the stems are soft.

Purée the soup in 2 cup batches, then return to the pot.  This will help thicken the soup and make it creamy.

Add the broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes.

While the florets are cooking, make the beurre manié by combining flour and softened butter with a fork.  This mixture will thicken the soup and give it a silky texture.

Mush the flour and butter together until it looks like a paste.

Remove from the heat and gradually whisk it in, one heaping tablespoon at a time, until it is all gone.  The soup should be still be hot enough to cook the flour.

Add half the Stilton cheese to the pot and stir until it melts.

Garnish with a grind of fresh black pepper and more crumbles of Stilton blue cheese.  Enjoy this soup with a crusty bread, like our homemade caraway rye, or our overnight pumpernickel.

How long can you keep broccoli and Stilton soup in the fridge?

• This soup should keep well in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge.
• Remember to cool the soup on the counter before putting in the fridge.
• Reheat the soup slowly on the stove top on low to medium heat, whisking occasionally to keep the cheese from burning.

Can I freeze broccoli soup?

• Yes.  Stilton cheese can freeze very well.
• If you’re substituting with another blue cheese, make sure to leave out the cheese from the soup.  Dairy products typically don’t freeze well, and can cause the soup to separate or taste grainy.
• If you’re making the soup without Stilton, set aside the soup you want to freeze without adding the cheese.
• This will keep in the freezer for 2 months.  Mark the date on the container in case it gets buried and you forget what it is.

A Variation for Christmas

This versatile soup can be also served as an appetizer at Christmas.  Just puree the whole soup to make it look more elegant.  Omit the black pepper and garnish with fresh nutmeg and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pro Tips

• Add the tarragon with the onions to allow the flavors to bloom.
• Use a cloth on top of the blender’s lid to help catch any splatters.
• Broccoli and Stilton soup can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
• Use fresh broccoli for better flavor and less watery soup.
• Add the stems and florets separately.
• Don’t overcook the broccoli florets, or they will taste mushy.

These other comfort food soups will warm you up on a cold day.

• Detox Moroccan Lentil Stew: a healthy vegetarian stew packed with protein and vitamins.
• Chunky Cabbage Soup: this low-calorie soup is super simple to make.
• Potato Leek Soup: an elegant, creamy soup perfect for Christmas with its smoky hints of bacon.

We’d love to know how you liked this broccoli and Stilton soup recipe.  Please leave a recipe rating below.

Broccoli and Stilton Soup

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• Author: Brooke
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 7 1/2 cups
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: British

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Description

Broccoli and Stilton soup is an easy and healthy recipe to make for dinner.  This quick soup is pureed in a blender before the florets are added.  It’s a creamy, homemade comfort food that tastes best served hot with a garnish of Britain’s finest blue cheese.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh broccoli stems, peeled and chopped (about 3 stalks)
• 6 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (140g)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Saute the onion, and celery in olive oil and butter over medium high heat until soft.  Add the tarragon, salt, and garlic, and cook for one minute or until fragrant.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and the broccoli stems.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 10 minutes or until the stems are soft.
3. Puree the soup in a blender in 2-cup batches, then return to the pot.  Take care not to burn your hands with the steam or a splatter of hot soup.  As an extra caution, use a tea towel on top of the blender’s lid to absorb any spills.
4. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes.
5. While the broccoli florets are cooking, make the beurre manié by adding the softened butter to the flour in a small bowl.  Mash with a fork until well combined to make a paste.
6. Remove the soup from the heat.  Whisk in one rounded tablespoon of beurre manié at a time until all the paste is gone and has dissolved in the soup.
7. Stir in half of the crumbled Silton, then transfer the soup to a serving bowl.  Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and crumbled Silton.  Serve immediately.

Notes

• Keep broccoli and Stilton soup in the fridge for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container.
• This soup can be frozen with the Stilton, but not with other kinds of blue cheeses.  If you’re substituting the Stilton for another blue cheese, add the cheese once the soup has been thawed and reheated.

Keywords: broccoli soup, Stilton cheese