Broccoli Cheddar soup with seasoned pretzels {A recipe by Tieghan Gerard}

 The theme this week at I Heart Cooking Club is warming soups and stews.  There were a few on my menu planning such as gumbo and a chicken gnocchi soup but I decided on the Broccoli Cheddar with seasoned pretzels.

I'm including the full recipe from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook but I did half the ingredients.  It's just two of us so we didn't need that much soup and I wasn't sure how well it would store in the freezer.  I mean, I can always make more if we want it.

After making this I know I will, more than likely, return to a different broccoli cheddar soup recipe as this one didn’t turn out as I hoped. I liked the SkinnyTaste recipe more but Doug said this one tasted fine.

The addition of a seasoned pretzel topping seemed like a good idea.

See these flat pretzels below? It was all I could find at the nearest store to us. They were the problem with the seasoned pretzels. Not robust enough and thin enough that some burned. Ok, so lesson learned on that one.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion diced

1/4 cup AP flour

2 cups whole milk

4 cups broccoli florets

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

salt and pepper

3 to 4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 TB fresh thyme

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and saute the onion. Once softened mix in flour and gradually add the milk. As it thickens add the broccoli, bay, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Simmer about 15 minutes then remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Pour some of the soup mixture in a food processor or use an immersion blender to pulse.  You don't want it completely smooth so leave some texture there. Return tyhe soup to the stove and add cheese and thyme. Divide the soup into 6 bowls and top with seasoned pretzels.

Seasoned Pretzels

3 cups broken pretzel rods

4 TB salted butter, melted

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 TB Everything Bagel spice

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large boel combine all the ingredients, toss well to be sure the pretzels are well coated.

Bake on prepared baking sheet about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Sharing with I Heart Cooking Club and Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday.  

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