3 broccoli soups to please hungry Kats

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

As promised, this week’s column is all about soup. Specifically broccoli soup. The first is cheesy, the second is spicy and the third is rich and creamy, but almost dairy-free.

“I’m sure you have many recipes for broccoli cheese soup, but this one was not heavy on the cheese and tasted light and fresh. I found it in the Harrison [junior auxiliary] cookbook called Kindle Thy Flame and adapted it,” Missie Smith writes.

“I thought I would share and hope you like it. I want to also try this recipe and substitute potatoes for the broccoli and carrots. I bet it would make a delicious potato soup.”

Broccoli Cheese Soup

¾ cup chopped onion

¾ cup chopped broccoli

¾ cup diced carrots

½ cup butter

4 cups milk

5 ounces cubed American cheese

4 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder

½ teaspoon salt

Dash celery salt ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup flour

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Saute the onion, broccoli and carrots in butter until tender.

In a large pot heat milk, 4 cups water, cheese and bouillon powder on medium until cheese is melted but the liquid is not boiling.

Combine salt, celery salt, baking soda, flour and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour some of the milk mixture into the flour mixture and make a paste with enough liquid that it will smoothly pour back into the soup without lumping. Pour the sauteed vegetables and a lot of the original milk mixture into a blender and pulse multiple times until the vegetables are pureed. Pour everything together in large pot and cook over medium heat until thickened.

A Springdale reader wishing to remain anonymous shares this one.

“It is meatless but satisfying.”

Southwestern Broccoli Soup

1 vegetable bouillon cube

3 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut up small

1 ½ cups frozen hash brown potatoes

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup milk

½ cup chunky salsa

Combine 2 cups water, bouillon cube, broccoli, hash brown potatoes and black pepper in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and milk until smooth, gradually stir into soup. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat, stir in salsa and continue cooking just until heated through.

Makes 1 quart.

And finally, I came across this one while leafing through a review copy of The Keto for Two Cookbook by Lindsay Boyers. What makes it stand out is the use of coconut milk. Vegans and vegetarians can easily swap vegetable oil and vegetable broth for butter and chicken broth called for here.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium rib celery, diced

¼ cup diced yellow onion

2 cups broccoli florets

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½ cups chicken broth

½ cup canned full-fat coconut milk

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the celery and onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the broccoli, salt, pepper and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and blend using an immersion blender (or transfer to a traditional blender) until smooth.

Makes 2 servings.

REQUEST

■ The best recipes for using gluten-free flour for Jo Paulus.

Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203; email: kbrant@arkansasonline.com

Please include a daytime phone number.