Making soup at home is simple - and TOTALLY worthwhile. This one is incredibly creamy + delicious (and tastes just like one of our restaurant faves!). Pair it with a hunk of the easiest homemade crusty bread
1 and 1/2cupsshredded carrotsbuy pre-shredded! way easier!
2 and 1/2cupschopped broccoli florets, uncooked
1stalkcelery, diced
10ounce blocksharp cheddar cheeseSEE NOTE
5stripscooked baconoptional
For the Bread:
2cupsall-purpose flour
1cupwhite whole wheat flourcan sub AP flour
1 and 1/2tspsalt
1/4tspinstant yeast
1/2cupmild lager, room temperatureI use Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss
3/4cupwater, room temperature
1tbspdistilled white vinegar
Instructions
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds. Don't let it brown. Next, add the flour, and whisk to combine it with the other ingredients in the pot. Add a splash or two of half and half to help prevent the flour from burning. Whisk for 3-4 minutes to cook the flour taste out. Next, slowly whisk in the half and half - you'll have a thick, creamy sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth next. Simmer for 5-8 minutes to thicken. Add the shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, and celery and simmer 8 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Grate the cheese while the veggies are simmering, and once the veggies are tender, slowly whisk in the cheese, a handful at a time, to prevent gritty lumps from forming.
Optional Things: Stir the cooked bacon (chopped) into the soup or use as a garnish on top of the bowls. Cube 1-2 slices of the bread and lightly fry on both sides in olive oil for some quick homemade croutons!
Serve + Store: Serve immediately! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the Almost No Knead Bread: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Whisk water, beer and vinegar together in a separate bowl or glass measuring cup. Gently fold water mixture into the dry ingredients, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl, until dough starts to form and no dry flour remains. It will look scrappy and shaggy and weird. Don't try to shape it at all - and stop stirring once you have that scrappy bowl of dough (see photo below). Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for 8-18 hours. Spray a large piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and set on counter. Next, transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead for 30 seconds to 1 minute - stopping when it's smooth. Form a ball the best you can - doesn't need to be perfect! Lower the loaf into a dutch oven, using the parchment paper to lift it, letting any excess parchment hang over. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 1.5 to 2 hours - or until loaf has doubled in size, and dough springs back minimally when poked gently.Next, use a knife to score the bread, making two slashes to form a cross. Cover the dutch oven and place in cold oven. Turn oven on to 425 degrees and bake for 30 minutes while the oven heats. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is golden brown and registers 200-205 degrees F, about 23-27 minutes. Lift the parchment paper out of the pot to transfer bread to counter, and enjoy warm!
Serve + Store: Enjoy bread warm! Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag at room temp for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat slices in the toaster to get some of that crusty texture back!
Notes
NOTE: I find that buying block cheese and grating if yourself gives the best results with soups that involve cheese. Pre-shredded cheese can cause a gritty texture and may not melt as smoothly into the soup. NOTE: Bread recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Bread Illustrated Cookbook. Highly recommend it!