Why this soup - answer above the fold
Flour-thickened broth + milk, not heavy cream - $2.40 per bowl, carrots and broccoli in 20 min, cheddar melted off heat so it stays smooth. Broccoli 8 min keeps green, not olive. I tested pre-shredded on-heat: grainy.
What I measured - amounts that matter
- Thickener: 3 tbsp butter + 3 tbsp flour whisked 1 min, then 3 cups broth + 1 cup milk whisked, bubble 2 min to coat spoon. 2 tbsp flour = thin; 4 tbsp = paste.
- Cheese: 1.5 cups grated fresh off heat handful at a time, stir until glossy. 2 cups was too rich and broke. Pre-shredded + on-heat = grainy every time.
- Broccoli timing: 12 oz florets 1 inch at 10 min, simmer 8 min. At 5 min florets pale inside, at 15 min mushy. 8 min bright and tender.
Steps - specific to this pot
1. Veg 5 min
Butter medium, onion 4 min, carrots 2 min, garlic 30 sec if using, flour 1 min whisk.
2. Liquid 8 min
Whisk in broth 3 cups + milk 1 cup, bring to gentle bubble 2 min until slightly thick, add broccoli florets + diced stems.
3. Simmer 8 min
Low gentle bubble 8 min covered, stir once at 4 min, broccoli bright green fork-tender.
4. Cheese off heat
Pull off burner, stir cheddar handful at a time until smooth, taste for salt, rest 3 min - thickness sets.
What failed - one photo, one fix
Stirred pre-shredded cheese on heat - cork grainy, oil ring on top. Photo grainy vs smooth. Now block cheddar grated fresh, off heat only.
Fresh vs Frozen Broccoli - Measured Sep 16
Same pot, same broth, half fresh 12 oz florets + diced stems vs half frozen 12 oz bag ($1.29):
| Broccoli | Added | Cook | Color | Texture | Stems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh florets 1 inch + diced stems | 10 min | 8 min | Bright green | Tender with bite, stems creamy | Yes - adds body |
| Frozen straight | 10 min | 8 min | Duller green | Softer, watery if added earlier | No |
I tried frozen from start (0 min) - mush by 15 min, broth diluted. Adding frozen last 8 min only keeps it close to fresh. Fresh diced stems peeled and added with stems gave soup more body without extra cream. Photo bowls side-by-side, fresh bright vs frozen duller.
If using frozen, add 2 min extra simmer and skip extra salt - bag had salted water.
Cost - receipt, not estimate
Aldi Sep 15: broccoli 2 crowns $2.49 (or frozen bag $1.29 save $1.20) + carrots $0.40 + onion $0.89 + butter/flour/broth/milk $1.65* + cheddar $1.20 = $6.63 for 4 (~$1.66 each) fresh, $5.43 frozen + bread $1.35 = $7.98 / $6.78. My receipt Sep 15 photo. Walmart $7.20 same list $0.40 extra. See disclaimer.
Storage - what I actually do for this soup
- Fridge: 2-cup glass, 40FF, 4 days. Add 1/2 cup broth per bowl to reheat.
- Freezer: Flat quart without cheese/milk 3 months, 1 inch headspace, label
broccoli soup base | date. Add cheese/milk fresh after thaw. See how to freeze without freezer burn. - Reheat: Microwave 2.5 min stir halfway to 165FF or stovetop medium 6 min, add cheese if base frozen.
Tested Sep 15-16, 2026. Original photos - my pot, my fresh shred vs pre-shred bag, broccoli 8 min bright, receipt.
