"Cheesy" Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe - Running on Real Food (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep broccoli cheese soup from separating? ›

Sometimes an acidic ingredient, like wine, can prevent the soup from curdling. Slowly add the cream or milk and continually stir after adding. This will help prevent it from curdling. Use shredded cheese and always reduce the heat to about low to medium before adding.

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

Is broccoli soup good for you? Most of the time, broccoli cheese soup isn't the healthiest option since it has lots of cheese and heavy cream. This version is lightened up with evaporated skim milk and less cheese. It also uses extra vegetables that are blended to create some of the creaminess in the soup.

TROUBLESHOOTING: WHY IS MY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP GRAINY OR CURDLED? This can happen if the temperature gets too high. Basically the proteins in the cheese tighten up and squeeze out the fat. You end up with a grainy, curdled consistency.

MDP: The key is to add cheese at the very end, with just residual heat -- either after turning off the heat or at the very end. It's a similar technique as with pasta, how you have the burner very low or turned off. If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly.

If you soup is a bit thin either take some of the vegetables from it or cook a few extra vegetables and blend them with a stick blender to a paste. Then add them back to the soup as a thickener. If you soup has curdled use a stick blender to smooth it out and recombine it.

If you are using pre-shredded cheese it has been coated with an anti-clumping agent, which may mean it melts more slowly or needs more heat. If you are adding cold cheese to the soup, adding too much at once will lower the temperature of the soup.

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

The benefits of broccoli may include…

Good for heart health, broccoli may help to reduce the total amount of cholesterol in the body. Contains cancer-protective compounds. May be good for eye health. Acts as a plant oestrogen and may help to support hormonal balance.

Does Panera broccoli cheddar soup have added sugar? ›

Milk, Chicken Stock (Chicken Base [Chicken Meat Including Chicken Juices, Salt, Chicken Fat, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Natural Flavor, Potato Flour, Carrot Powder, Turmeric]), Water, Broccoli, Pasteurized Process Cheddar Cheese (Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Whey, Whey Protein ...

Broccoli contains carbohydrates, such as dietary fibers, that can cause gas. This is because bacteria in the colon break down carbohydrates and produce gas as part of the digestive process.

Broccoli also can be the culprit behind a slew of stomach-related symptoms. Not only does the veggie — or more specifically, the intestinal bacteria that breaks the fibrous content down — cause gas, but that gas can actually be painful, too.

Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup. Add a small amount of acid to the soup and stir until well combined.

If it is too hot when you stir everything in, the cheese may curdle and clump! Storage: This delicious broccoli cheddar soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftover soup in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top (on low heat so it doesn't become grainy).

Add Cream or Milk

If you find that your soup is still prone to curdling, add a splash of cream or milk to help stabilize the mixture. The added fat and liquid can help create a smoother and more hom*ogeneous soup.

Stabilize with a Starch

Starches like flour or cornstarch help stabilize the milk emulsion. This will prevent it from separating. A common technique is to thicken your sauce or soup with roux before adding the milk. This changes the makeup of the liquid and prevents curdling.

Cheese Sauce Method 1: Cornstarch

This helps the entire mixture stay smooth and emulsified, resulting in a creamy sauce.