Print

Print Recipe

A creamy, cozy broccoli cheddar soup with a healthy protein boost from blended cottage cheese, delivering about 20 grams of protein per serving. A lighter alternative to traditional recipes using simple stovetop methods.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (not-chicken style)
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli
  • 2 cups 1% milk
  • 4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup low fat cottage cheese, blended
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
  2. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8–10 minutes.
  3. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle smoked paprika and flour over the vegetables, stir to coat, and cook 1 minute.
  5. Slowly pour in vegetable broth while stirring to avoid lumps, add chopped broccoli, and bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Simmer until broccoli is tender and bright, about 8-9 minutes.
  7. Reduce heat to low and stir in milk, warming slowly without boiling.
  8. Blend cottage cheese until completely smooth.
  9. Stir the blended cottage cheese and shredded cheddar into the pot over low heat, stirring until the cheeses melt, keeping heat low to avoid curdling.
  10. Transfer about 1 cup of hot soup to a blender (vent the lid) and blend until smooth, return blended soup to the pot, or use an immersion blender to partially blend for texture.
  11. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; thin with additional broth or milk if needed.

Notes

Start with 3 cups broth to control thickness; add more if needed for thinning., Grate your own cheddar cheese for smoother melt, avoid pre-shredded cheese., Blend cottage cheese separately to avoid lumps., Keep heat low after adding milk and cheeses to prevent curdling., If using frozen broccoli, add directly from freezer and simmer longer., Vent blender lid away from face and cover with towel when blending hot soup to prevent splatters., Blend only half the soup or reserve some broccoli for texture if desired., Reheat leftovers gently on stove or microwave, stirring frequently to maintain smooth texture., Do not freeze soup due to separation of dairy ingredients.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://theproteincook.com/high-protein-broccoli-cheddar-soup-2/