Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Kielbasa Sausage
Soup season is still going in my house. Is it in yours? The weather is still stuck somewhere in between spring and winter here in the heartland, so that typically means we want a fresh spring greens salad in the afternoon and a warm soup for supper. I think spring vegetables make the perfect soup ingredients! This broccoli soup is the perfect way to use up spring broccoli florets in a healthy meal. This soup is wonderfully flavorful and light. It’s the perfect meal if you love comfort food but don’t want to feel overly stuffed afterwards! I like to use two cups of cheese, but you could easily reduce it down to just one, if you prefer. If you would like this soup to be entirely plant based, simply remove the final steps of adding cream, cheese, and sausage. I have shared this recipe before as plain roasted broccoli soup, and it’s one of my favorites!
ingredients & recipe:
SERVES 6:
2 large heads of broccoli florets
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp salted butter
1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed
1 tsp Italian seasoning
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2-1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the baking sheet, spread the broccoli florets, onion, and garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly charred and soft.
In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the roasted broccoli, onion, and garlic. Reserve a few broccoli florets for garnish. Add the potato, Italian seasoning, and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potato is soft. Remove from heat and pulse the soup through a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender. The soup should be slightly chunky, so only pulse a few times.
Return the pot to the stove over medium heat. Stir in the heavy cream, cheese, and sausage. Bring to a gently boil and simmer a few minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve topped with broccoli florets and more cheese.
I love the addition of Kielbasa sausage. I bought some earlier in the month, and I did not realize how big the package was. I feel like I will be eating Kielbasa for the next month - ha! I have been putting it in everything. It’s not usually something that you see in a broccoli cheddar soup, but I think it is absolutely delicious. You might have to change your usual recipe!
xoxo Kayla
