Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Mustard Croutons

It is officially soup season!

Soups have become one of my favourite things to cook. They tend to be inexpensive to make, they tend to come together quickly and most recipes make a lot of servings so you have meals for days, or you can freeze them and eat when you don't want to cook.

I have had a lot of success with soups in the past (check some out here, here, here, here and here) and this one is another home run! If you do make this please do not skip the croutons (unless you hate mustard....) they send this soup to new heights. I added 3 or 4 to my soup but ended up dunking in another handful - I couldn't get enough!!



Try this soup to kick off the fall season, it's guaranteed to warm up your insides.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Mustard Croutons - Source: adapted very slightly from Shutterbean

Croutons:

6 oz. of whole wheat bread torn into pieces (should be about 3 cups worth)
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (I used whole grain Dijon)
sea salt

Soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled & chopped into small cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
32 oz. vegetable broth
1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets
3/4 cup freshly grated aged Cheddar
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard (I used whole grain Dijon)

Croutons:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, olive oil and mustard. Stir evenly and then add your torn bread pieces. Mix until all of the bread pieces are coated. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes until croutons are nicely browned. Make sure to stir the croutons a few times during the baking time.

Soup:
In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the onions with a pinch of salt until they become slightly translucent. Add the potato chunks and continue cooking with the lid on for about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and broth to the pot and bring to a boil. After about 5 minutes or so, the potatoes should be tender. Add the broccoli florets to the soup and cook for about 4-5 minutes for the florets to be tender.

Remove the soup from the heat and start pureeing with an immersion blender. Add half of your shredded cheddar cheese and mustard. Continue blending and then add the other half. 

Serve soup in bowls topped with a LOT of mustard croutons.

Enjoy!!