Roasted Broccoli Soup with Melted Cheddar Croutons
creamy roasted broccoli soup with melted cheddar croutons and za’atar
servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ lbs broccoli (whole stalks), ends trimmed
- olive oil, as needed
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large leek, thinly sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp za’atar spice blend
- 1 ½ qts chicken (or vegetable) stock
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 2 oz fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp minced chives
for the croutons…
- 4 slices fresh grainy bread, about ½” thick
- olive oil, as needed
- 6 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp za’atar spice blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Divide the broccoli stalks into florets and stems. Peel the stems, dice them about a ½”, and set aside. Place the florets onto a sheet pan and drizzle with a generous coating of olive oil. Toss well and spread into an even layer. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly charred and tender.
- Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add the ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the leeks and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and za’atar, and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add the diced broccoli stems and pour in the vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 25 minutes until the broccoli stems are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add in half of the roasted broccoli, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and spinach. Stir until the spinach wilts. Ladle the soup into a blender and blend for 90 seconds until creamy, working in batches if needed. Transfer the soup back to the pot and stir in the cream. Season with salt to taste.
- For the croutons, place the sliced bread onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Top each slice with a mound of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the za’atar over top. Turn the oven to high broil and bake until the cheese is melted & golden (watch closely so they don’t burn).
- Place the sheet pan of remaining roasted broccoli back in the oven for just a couple of minutes to heat through. Serve the soup warm with a melted cheddar crouton and roasted broccoli on top. Garnish with the chives and more black pepper.
Notes
If you like lots of bread with your soup, I suggest doubling the crouton recipe and toasting 2 slices of cheesy bread per serving. You could also cut the bread into bite-sized pieces after toasting in the oven (more like regular croutons).