Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup - Iowa Girl Eats (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my cheese melt in my broccoli cheddar soup? ›

Grate the cheese yourself.

Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting into a lusciously creamy soup. To ensure that your broccoli cheddar soup has the best smooth and creamy texture, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

Adding a potato to the simmering soup provides a natural thickener that helps the cheese emulsify and gives the soup a creamy texture.

Sometimes an acidic ingredient, like wine, can prevent the soup from curdling. Slowly add the cream or milk and continually stir after adding. This will help prevent it from curdling. Use shredded cheese and always reduce the heat to about low to medium before adding.

If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly. With soup, you might be able to fix it with an immersion blender, or you might not. At a temperature of 150 or so, the protein bonds in the cheese break down and as a result, too much fo the moisture escapes too quickly.

You end up with a grainy, curdled consistency. Unfortunately there is no way to fix it once it's happened, so just be really careful to keep this soup on a very low flame once the dairy has gone in. If the soup remains hot and steamy, without boiling, it will stay beautifully silky and creamy.

One of the most common ways to help cheese melt smoothly is to add starch: this is a process that works in sauces like mornay, or nacho cheese sauce. Starches and other thickeners will physically impede fat molecules from joining up into larger droplets, as well as making the water phase of the cheese more viscous.

If it is too hot when you stir everything in, the cheese may curdle and clump! Storage: This delicious broccoli cheddar soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftover soup in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top (on low heat so it doesn't become grainy).

There are a few factors that can contribute to a bland soup. If the broth you used is sodium free you may need to add extra salt and seasonings. An extra splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice or vinegar can elevate the brightness of a bland soup as well.

Is broccoli soup good for you? Most of the time, broccoli cheese soup isn't the healthiest option since it has lots of cheese and heavy cream. This version is lightened up with evaporated skim milk and less cheese. It also uses extra vegetables that are blended to create some of the creaminess in the soup.

Why is my broccoli cheddar soup thin? ›

Add more cheese

One of the easiest ways to thicken up your broccoli cheddar soup is by adding more cheese. The cheese not only enhances the flavor but also contributes to a thicker texture. Consider adding extra sharp cheddar or even some Gruyere cheese for an extra depth of flavor.

If you are using pre-shredded cheese it has been coated with an anti-clumping agent, which may mean it melts more slowly or needs more heat. If you are adding cold cheese to the soup, adding too much at once will lower the temperature of the soup.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

Some cheeses melt better than others in soup. Good melting cheeses include cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Gruyere, and Monterey Jack. These cheeses have a higher moisture content and lower melting temperature, making them ideal for melting into soups.

Younger cheeses tend to melt more easily than older ones, so a younger cheddar will melt much better than an aged one. Older cheeses like aged cheddar are actually poor melters and can become grainy or oily when melted. How it's made: Certain cheeses will also have a harder time melting based on how they are made.

When it's time to add the cheese into the soup, sprinkle it in in batches, stirring until each batch is melted before adding the next batch vs dumping it all in at once. This will ensure there are no clumps in the final soup.

Pile the shredded cheese into a non-stick pot with ample room that can easily accommodate it. Use low heat. Put the pot of cheese over the lowest heat setting your stove will allow. Always melt cheese at the lowest heat possible.