Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cheese

Creamy, cheesy, and ready in about half an hour, this is comfort soup at its most foolproof. Tender broccoli and onion simmer until soft, then get folded into a rich cheese sauce.

The secret to its silky texture is Velveeta. It melts perfectly smooth every time, without the graininess or breaking you sometimes get from regular cheese, which makes this soup almost impossible to mess up.

Half-and-half and a little butter add richness, while a simple flour-and-water slurry thickens everything to a luscious, heavy-cream consistency.

The trick with the slurry is to add it slowly while stirring fast, so the soup thickens smooth instead of lumpy. From there it’s a warm, cheesy bowl that kids and grown-ups both come back for. Serve it with crusty bread or in a bread bowl.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the broccoli into small florets so it cooks evenly and quickly.
• Add the flour slurry slowly while stirring rapidly, so the soup thickens smooth with no lumps.
• Keep the heat gentle once the cream is in; a hard boil can cause it to separate.
• Blend part of the soup for a smoother texture, or leave it chunky for more bite.

Variations

• Use sharp cheddar in place of, or alongside, the Velveeta for a bolder cheese flavor.
• Stir in cooked, crumbled bacon or diced ham.
• Add shredded carrot or a handful of cooked rice to bulk it up.