My Broccoli, Bacon, & Cheese Soup recipe takes a favorite classic (Broccoli and Cheese Soup) to a whole new level with the addition of bacon and shallots. The bacon and shallots add a depth of flavor to this soup that makes it even more delicious than the original! This soup can be pulled together in under and hour and is enjoyed by kids and adults alike. So delicious you just have to give it a try!
Ingredients:
4 -5 c broccoli florets
5 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 1/2 c – 3 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
2 c whole milk
1 c half and half
3 Tbls flour
2 Tbls butter
1 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
To start, slice some bacon into small pieces. I keep my bacon in the freezer so I just slice off some pieces from the end and throw them right in the skillet. You can see here how much I used but I will be using a little bit more the next time :) Saute the bacon in a large, deep skillet until nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 Tbls of bacon drippings and remove the rest.
Dice up the onion and shallot. I ended up with about 1 cup total. I love using shallots when I’m cooking. I think they add such a nice flavor to recipes and they are my secret ingredient for many wonderful dishes. I tell you, there is nothing butter than the fragrance of onions or shallots cooking in bacon fat or butter!
Add the butter to the bacon drippings and let it melt. Add in the onion and shallot. Cook for several minutes until translucent. Add the flour and combine well. Let this cook for a minute or two to cook out the raw flour taste.
Add in the chopped broccoli and remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Let the soup come to a simmer and then cover with a lid. The soup needs to simmer for about 25-30 minutes – just until the broccoli is nice and tender. Go ahead and turn the heat off. Now comes some more delicious flavor – the CHEESE! Depending on how ooey-gooey you like your soup to be you can add in more. I’d suggest starting with 2 cups and then adding in 1/2 cup increments till you reach your desired cheesiness. Mix the cheese in until it’s melted into the soup.
If you like your soup chunky, you’re done! If you like a more creamy, consistent texture, use an immersion blender of a blender to get your desired consistency. I used my blender and did it in two batches.
Broccoli, Bacon & Cheese Soup is delicious in bread bowls topped with a little extra cheese or just serve it up straight in a bowl. This is pretty much the only way I can get my kids to eat broccoli and have them say “yum!”
Ingredients
- 4 -5 c broccoli florets
- 5 slices of bacon
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 1/2 c - 3 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
- 2 c whole milk
- 1 c half and half
- 3 Tbls flour
- 2 Tbls butter
- 1 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To start, slice some bacon into small pieces.
- Saute the bacon in a large, deep skillet until nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 Tbls of bacon drippings and remove the rest.
- Dice up the onion and shallot. I ended up with about 1 cup total.
- Add the butter to the bacon drippings and let it melt. Add in the onion and shallot.
- Cook for several minutes until translucent.
- Add the flour and combine well. Let this cook for a minute or two to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add in the chopped broccoli and remaining ingredients except for the cheese.
- Let the soup come to a simmer and then cover with a lid.
- The soup needs to simmer for about 25-30 minutes - just until the broccoli is nice and tender.
- Go ahead and turn the heat off. Now comes some more delicious flavor - the CHEESE! Depending on how ooey-gooey you like your soup to be you can add in more. I'd suggest starting with 2 cups and then adding in 1/2 cup increments till you reach your desired cheesiness. Mix the cheese in until it's melted into the soup.
- If you like your soup chunky, you're done! If you like a more creamy, consistent texture, use an immersion blender of a blender to get your desired consistency. I used my blender and did it in two batches.
Notes
Serves 6
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Linking up here, Home Stories A2Z, Savvy Southern Style, and My Repurposed Life.
Broccoli, bacon and cheese – my faves!
I love broccoli cheese soup. Adding the bacon would make it that much better!! Your directions call for adding butter and flour. How much of each do I add? My family is going to love this. Thank you for sharing!!
Thank you for catching that! Just updated it :)
I love broccoli cheese soup and I don’t think I have ever had it with bacon, who would have guessed that LOL
I know I would love this, looks great, hard to resist a bread bowl and bacon.
This has everything I love in it. It HAS to be delish!!!
This looks to die for!
Hope you’ll link up to my link party! :-)
Vintage Mauve Link Party
Cheers,
Jessica, your newest Linky follower
Yum, I think I’ll try the soup recipe this week end, sounds yummy!! Thanks for the recipe.
-Kim :)
Thanks for stopping by Kim :) Have a great weekend!
Wow that looks really good!
Thanks for the recipe! Going to make it tomorrow!
This looks really good! I also love your tip about freezing the bacon. I do that, too, but I never thought about just cutting little pieces off. Brilliant! :-)
This looks scrumptious! Great tutorial too!
I had to “pin” this. Looks more than wonderful. Linda
Oh yum! Looks really delicious! Great post!
Trish, this looks “melt in your mouth” good! Thank you so much for linking to Foodie Friday. Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Not Your Ordinary Agent
Oh YUM…we used to have a restaurant in town that made a great broccoli cheddar soup…the restaurant is now gone and I had forgotten about the soup until I saw your post! Thank you for sharing! Would love for you to link up: http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.com/p/link-party.html
Have a great weekend!
wow. this sounds and looks delicious!
megan
craftycpa.blogspot.com
Yum. I am thinking that I could convert this to a crockpot recipe and then just take the immersion blender to it at the end. What do you thinK?
I’m sure you could Erin. I would brown the bacon first though I think. Great idea!
this looks so delish! Made my mouth water!
It is GOOD! Thanks for stopping by Patti!
This looks really tasty!! I have never tried to make this soup before but want to try now!
This looks sooo yummy! Thanks for sharing at Terrific Tuesdays.
Rachel
adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com
This sounds wonderful. Particularly on these tricky March days. I’d love to have you join me at Seasonal Sundays.
- The Tablescaper
Wow… yet another recipe that my hubby with LOVE. We already love doing broccoli cheese but why have we never considered adding bacon?!
Mmmm how wonderful this looks! Especially in the bread bowl! Comfort at its best!
It absolutly looks scrumptious!!! This would be the first time im going to make it so wish me luck. :)
It absolutly looks scrumptious!!! This would be the first time im going to make it so wish me luck. :)
Just a quick question- how many servings does this make? I want to make it for a work potluck and I’m trying to figure out if I should double the recipe to get a full crock pot.
Great recipe! Would you happen to know what kind of bread you used to use as a bowl? Or a recipe for it..? Thank you!
You know Becca I just picked up a sourdough round from our local market – a small one near their soups :)