Ingredients:
- Tbsp (57g) Unsalted Butter
- medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- medium Carrot, finely diced
- stalk Celery, finely diced
- cloves Garlic, minced
- /4 cup (30g) All-Purpose Flour
- cups (950 ml) Chicken or Vegetable Broth (low sodium)
- cup (240 ml) Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half
- cups (450g) Fresh Broccoli Florets
- /2 tsp Dried Mustard Powder
- /4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- cups (225g) Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
- oz (56g) Cream Cheese (full-fat)
- /2 cup (120g) Plain Greek Yogurt (2% or 5%)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste (creating the roux).
- Slowly whisk in the cold broth, ensuring no lumps form. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir in mustard powder and smoked paprika.
- Add the broccoli florets. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer batches to a standard blender) to purée the soup until mostly smooth, leaving some small chunks for texture if desired.
- Return the pot to very low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated.
- Reduce heat to the absolute lowest setting (do not boil!). Gradually add the grated cheddar, stirring constantly until each addition is fully melted before adding the next.
- Remove from heat completely. Whisk in the Greek yogurt for the protein boost and silkiness. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.