Description
This healthy high protein broccoli cheddar soup is gluten free, creamy, and high in protein with cottage cheese and sharp white cheddar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (more if needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme or a small bundle of fresh thyme (tie with a string)
- 4 heads of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (see note)
- 2 quarts vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups cottage cheese, blended until smooth (see note)
- 2 heaping cups of white sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a stock pot over medium heat. Add in the olive oil, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until the shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme and broccoli. Saute for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broth and bay leaves and bring to a rapid simmer. Remove the fresh thyme (if using) and bay leaves. Turn the heat down to keep the soup at a light simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, uncovered.
- Turn the heat off and let the soup cool slightly. Using a hand blender or a stand blender, blend the soup. Once blended, stir in the cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. Reheat slightly but don’t boil before serving.
Notes
- If you are using fresh thyme, tie it up with a string to keep it together. This helps you fish it out after the soup is finished cooking. The thyme leaves will fall off leaving you with the twigs to remove easily.
- Broccoli is hard to measure so what I used and what you will, will probably be different. This will not effect the soup. I used 4 large heads of broccoli.
- If you aren’t using cottage cheese, replace with 1 8 oz. can of unsweetened coconut milk. This keeps it light without adding heavy cream or milk – its also easier on your gut.
- Blend or not. You do you. Blend the entire soup or blend half or blend 3/4, like I do. This is personal preference. If you are using a stand blender, you will have to do it in batches. I like to transfer the blended soup to a large bowl as I go. You can then transfer the blended soup back to your pot to reheat and serve.
- If you are freezing this soup, remember to let the soup cool completely before placing in the freezer.
