Broccoli Cheese and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice, uncooked
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 tbs. butter
- 2 tbs. garlic powder
- A dash of ground sage
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tbs. flour
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. block sharp orange cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (see note about cheese)
- 3 cups (about 1 bag) frozen broccoli florets
Instructions
Cook your rice according to the directions in a saucepan or rice cooker. Fluff and set aside.In a large dutch oven or soup pot, melt 1 tb. of the butter. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic powder, sage, salt and pepper then melt the remaining butter and saute together for a moment. Sprinkle the flour and stir until it is a golden paste. You do not want it to burn so keep it moving, this should just take a minute.A half cup at a time, whisk in 3 cups of chicken broth, whisking the mixture smooth at each addition. Bring to a boil. Stir in the 1 cup of heavy cream. Lower the heat to a simmer.Add the shredded cheese and slowly stir until its melted and combined smooth. Note About Cheese: I recommend when making a soup like this that you purchase a block of cheese and shred it freshly for two reasons: 1) You can shred it on the finest side of a box grater and it will melt and blend more smoothly without clumping and 2) bags of shredded cheese are often coated in a powder that dries the cheese a little to prevent the shreds from clumping together in the bag, however, this moisture is important because it seems to prevent the oil in cheese from separating when it melts into the soup.Stir in the rice and frozen broccoli and cook until the broccoli is warmed through. While the broccoli cooks, taste your soup and re-season as needed. Serve immediately and enjoy.Storage Note: This soup is enjoyed best fresh. When it is refrigerated and stored the rice will absorb the broth over time and will become more of a casserole and less of a soup. It is still very tasty, and actually serves better to kids this way - less loose broth = less spills.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 8-10 servings