In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and let them cook until they soften about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and let it all cook another minute or two.
Add the flour, a little at a time, to the butter, onions, and garlic stirring constantly. Once all of the flour is added let it cook for another couple of minutes before slowly whisking in the vegetable stock. Whisk continuously to ensure there are no lumps of flour. Next, add the milk and half & half. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a simmer then lower the heat and add the broccoli florets. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
While the soup is simmering make the garnish. First, soak the sliced onions in the milk for a few minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the salt and pepper and set aside. Pour some canola oil into a medium pan until it reaches about 1 inch up the side. Heat the oil over medium heat to about 360 degrees.
Once the oil is at temperature, remove the onions from the milk and toss them in the flour mixture until coated. Shake off the excess flour and then add them to the hot oil. Using tongs gently move them around so they don’t clump up together. Keep an eye on them – once they turn a nice golden brown they’re done. Remove them from the pan to drain on a paper towel.
For the broccoli garnish, I just steamed the florets using a steamer bag in the microwave. You could also boil them on the stovetop until tender. Once cooked set them aside.
Once the soup has simmered and the broccoli is tender remove the pot from the heat. At this point, you can keep the soup as is, or blend it for a creamier consistency. I used an immersion blender to puree the soup, although you can also use a stand blender.
Once blended, stir in the grated cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until it’s melted. Reserved about 1/4 cup of the cheese to use for garnish, if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the steamed broccoli and crispy onions. Top with the remaining grated cheese and a little fresh ground pepper.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoRead more