Ingredients
- 1 large head of Cauliflower (about 1.5 lbs), cut into florets
- 1 large head of Broccoli (about 1.5 lbs), cut into florets
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 slices thick-cut Bacon, chopped
- 1 large Yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 medium Russet potato, peeled and cubed
- 6 cups Chicken broth
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Roast the Broccoli and Cauliflower
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
On a large baking sheet, toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer and roast for ~25-30 minutes, until the edges are browned and the vegetables are tender.
Roasting intensifies the flavor, giving the soup a nutty, less vegetal taste than if you were to simply boil the vegetables.
Set aside about a cup of the smaller, crispier florets to use as a garnish later.
Cook the Bacon and Sauté the Aromatics
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it’s crispy.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving ~1-2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot.
Add the diced onion to the bacon fat and cook for ~5-7 minutes, until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
Simmer and Blend the Soup
Add the cubed potato, chicken broth, and the larger portion of the roasted broccoli and cauliflower to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for ~20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it’s smooth.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender.
Finish the Soup with Cheese
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it’s completely melted and the soup is creamy.
Stir in the reserved roasted florets and half of the crispy bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the remaining bacon bits.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large head of Cauliflower about 1.5 lbs, cut into florets
- 1 large head of Broccoli about 1.5 lbs, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 slices thick-cut Bacon chopped
- 1 large Yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 medium Russet potato peeled and cubed
- 6 cups Chicken broth
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Toss broccoli and cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper on baking sheet.
- Roast vegetables 25-30 minutes until browned and tender. Reserve 1 cup crispy florets for garnish.
- Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crispy; remove and reserve, leaving 2 tbsp fat in pot.
- Sauté onion in bacon fat 5-7 minutes until translucent.
- Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
- Add potato, broth, and roasted vegetables. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
- Blend soup until smooth with immersion blender.
- Remove from heat, stir in cheddar until melted.
- Add reserved florets and half the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot topped with remaining bacon.
