OK here's my Roasted Broccoli Salad and it's EVERYTHING! The broccoli's perfect fried roasted mess of shape, crisp, bright lemon & tangy feta — everything's around a big bowl. A true hero of a meal!

Here's the thing I want you to know about this roasted broccoli salad:

It is quite possibly my favorite way that I have ever eaten broccoli in my entire life.

This salad was introduced to me by my friend Liz, who got it from another friend, Amanda, which I like to think is just how the best recipes come about. Now to your screen, here, to be eaten in 5 seconds flat, from one food loving person to another, and onto another.

The ingredients here are humble and low-key, but together they make a FLAVOR BANG:

• shallot
• bacon
• feta
• lemon
• broccoli
• sourdough

Now toss in some olive oil, salt, pepper and you are on the beautiful roasted broccoli ride.

It Has Everything You Want In a Salad

The flavors in this are just everything I want in all my meals ever: Roasted broccoli, tangy, crunchy, slightly bitter and bright from the lemon zest, salty from the crisped up bacon, built around a big bowl of roasted broccoli (in and of itself, is a real hero).

Reasons I love this as an SOS meal:

• It's incredibly delicious. Good food, good mood. Instant lift.
• This is actually so minimal hands on prep. It pretty much all happens on a pan, marinating you all the time for… not being in the kitchen.
• This is super customizable. To take an example, perhaps you'd like to really bulk it up; you could add something like some rotisserie chicken or even some more roasted veggies.
• And it actually does keep really well as leftovers. Obviously, just keep those croutons nice and dry in a separate container, and the bread is the one tricky thing that can get soggy. But I promise you that this salad can be eaten garlic and all, hot, cold, room temp – I know you're going to ask, but I've even eaten these leftovers for breakfast. On that SOS train to the very last stop.

I don't mean that you should be jealous, but at this very moment there is a sheet pan of broccoli, bacon, and shallots in my oven.

My house smells amazing, I already am eating this and IT IS A GLORIOUS DAY.

ROASTED BROCCOLI SALAD: FAQS

I'm all out of bacon! What can I sub?

Pancetta would be delicious! Dice it up into tiny cubes – or lots of grocery stores sell pancetta pre-cubed (SOS win!). Fry it up in a pan for a few minutes, and then throw it on the salad.

When do leftovers still taste delicious?

If you can store the broccoli and other ingredients separately from the sourdough croutons, this will keep for 3 – 5 days in a covered container in the fridge. If they go in with the dressing, other ingredients along with the croutons they might breakdown quicker and get soggy the next day. I think I've eaten it as slightly soggy leftovers and it's still really good. 🙂

This looks great! Is this a full meal?

So this salad is extremely filling! Not that this isn't already full of bread, bacon and cheese but if you want something else with it, these chicken meatballs or store bought rotisserie chicken would be good.

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Absolutely! What you should keep in mind is that the oven cooking on the frozen broccoli option takes more time. You can either remove the shallots from the pan after 20-30 minutes or begin the broccoli first, adding the shallots to the pan 10-15 minutes later so that your other ingredients don't overcook.

The BEST Winter Grain Bowl! Earthy grains, dried fruit, dark leafy greens, buttery goat cheese, and lusciously creamy balsamic dressing, all with roasted root vegetables.

What's colorful and nutritious and playful and wakes up your tastebuds? This bowl.

Epoxy-vegan root vegetables, earthy grains and dried fruit. Buttery goat cheese, dark leafy greens and lusciously creamy balsamic dressing.

A) It's certainly a slice of healthy eating heaven, and B) this is the salad / bowl kind of situation you want to see on the shelves of your fridge come this winter!

Like, for days. Because you can meal-prep it! GRAIN BOWLS, thank you for knowing what we need.

So one of things I love about these wintery grain bowls is that they do well with fridge time. Yes, keep the kale, goat cheese and pistachios separate, to keep them fresh. That roasted vegetable, wild rice and dried cherry medley can stay chill in a little bit of balsamic dressing while it languishes in the fridge, and really keeps getting better and better.

This winter grain bowl is:

• really delicious
• colorful
• packed with nutrition
• calorie-dense (in a good way)
• super satisfying
• adaptable (choose your favorite roasted winter vegetables)
• really good with or without protein
• playful
• maybe the best 'salad' format for the winter

Make It Your Own

This grain bowl is one of the most versatile ones you can get.

Eat it warm or cold. Lunch it, on its own, or breakfast hash situation (gah!), some fried egg on it, or dinner, with some grilled chicken or pan fried halloumi (omg yum). Other dressings, for use on everything wintery, or just create the balsamic dressing and use that all over everything.

Don't have wild rice? Switch out quinoa for farro, or your other favorite grain. If you don't have the patience to roast beets, buy pre-cooked ones at the store. I hate pistachios and/or goat cheese? This works with any nut/seed or crumbly cheese.

This rainbowy winter grain salad has your back no matter how you do it.

A simple, low calorie cold Cucumber Soup recipe using Greek yogurt and your choice of fresh herbs. It is cheap, simple to prepare, and does not involve heating the kitchen, which makes it suitable for making on a hot summer day.

Cold Cucumber Soup

A cold soup in a hot season, for example, this cucumber soup is great both as a first dish before a main course and as an appetizer with a sandwich during lunch. It's like a salad in which people are submerged and removed from their everyday lives!

The recipe for cooler cucumber soup can be decorated with many variations but for my recipe I have chosen Mediterranean vegetables, such as cucumbers for base, yogurt for body, shallots for aroma, fresh dill and mint for flavor, and lemon juice as the kicker. Eating it with the cucumber-walnut garnish makes it that much more substantial and it picks up a wee bit of fat to boot. The crunchy texture of the walnuts is a nice contrast to the smoothness of the soup.

It does need a few hours in the fridge to meld but after 24 hours it starts to taste bitter so just chill for as little as needed.

How to Make Cucumber Soup

This is a very simple cucumber soup recipe: You just put all the ingredients into a blender! Please check the following recipe card for detailed preparation instructions.

Prep the Cucumbers:

Slice a 4 inch long part of one of the cucumbers. Cut it in half, take out the seeds and then chop it very finely, to use as the garnish. Remove the skin from the rest of the cucumbers and the seeds and roughly chop the cucumbers.

Blend the Soup:

Place the cucumber (skin removed), yogurt, shallot, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the blender and process until the mixture is smooth. To make it thick use more cucumber to thicken it and add a bit of water until you get the consistency you want.

Refrigerate the cucumber soup for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Stir the soup before you serve it and taste it to see if you need more salt and pepper, then just add what you need.

Walnut Garnish:

Reserve the cucumber, walnuts, oil and seasons, drain the excess vinegar, and lightly pinch of salt.

How to Serve Cucumber Soup:

Pour the soup into bowls, add garnishing ingredients on top, and then sprinkle chopped fresh dill.

Variations

• Cucumbers: English cucumbers are the ideal choice for this soup, though you can also use the regular ones if that's what's on hand.
• Yogurt: Use whole milk or low fat Greek yogurt if you want.
• Herbs: Use tarragon or basil instead of one of the other herbs.
• Nuts: Try pecan or almond in place of the walnuts.

What to Serve with Cold Cucumber Soup

Since cold cucumber soup is consumed as a first course, the dishes to accompany it should complement it. Although this rather plain cucumber soup can be okay as a slice with bread for a lunch dish, it may also be served either as a first course or as a vegetable side dish at dinner time. Below are some serving suggestions:

Green Salads:

• Corn, tomato and avocado salad
• Watermelon, spinach and feta salad
• Nicoise salad

Sandwiches:

• Open-Faced Tuna Sandwich
• Heirloom Tomato Sandwich
• Grilled Chicken Panini

Protein:

• Steak
• Lemon-Dijon Olive Skewers
• Herb & Dijon Pork Chops

Grilled Seafood:

• Grilled shrimp
• Grilled salmon bruschetta
• Grilled crab legs

Summer Salads:

• Easy Greek pasta salad
• Grilled Corn salad
• Mediterranean bean salad

This must be the absolutely outstanding slow cooker minestrone soup recipe – a tried and true Italian recipe with tomatoes, white beans, vegetables and pasta.

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

This soup recipe is SO easy to make in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, and I've included instructions for both below. If you don't fancy the idea of purchasing additional appliances, don't worry – you can view my stove top minestrone soup recipe. One thing I like about this soup, I blend the beans and this gives it a thickness which I also like for the fussy eaters.

My suggestion is to include the rind of a wedge of parmesan or Romano cheese to the soup when cooking next time! I always put them in my freezer for these purposes alone. If you don't have one, then sprinkle some grated cheese on the soup while it is still cooking.

Helpful Cooking Tips

In order to preserve pasta texture, I boil pasta separately and add it later when serving instead of adding it directly into the soup – it just absorbs all the liquids. Well, it's completely up to you; you can even just stir in the pasta into the soup at the last minute.

Freezer Directions

You can put the leftovers in the refrigerator to freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool then pour it into appropriate freezer-safe containers.

Minestrone Soup Variations:

• Replace the spinach with Swiss chard or baby kale, if available.
• If you want to keep this low-carb, you can just leave out the pasta as you wouldn't miss it with all the other ingredients in the soup.
• You could throw in some mini turkey meatballs or you could do crumbled turkey sausage that has been sauteed.

This healthy Carrot Ginger Soup is prepared simply using fresh carrots, a pinch of fresh ginger and a smear of sour cream, pureed until smooth and the right texture for lunch or dinner preference. If you prefer, you can remove the cream and replace it with coconut milk to make this a vegan or dairy-free meal.

Other Creamy Soup Recipes

Other creamy soup recipes include Potato Leek Soup, Dad's Cauliflower Soup and Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potato and Macadamia Soup.

Childhood Memories

As a child, soup was taken almost every night before other meals because my Dad liked soup and, looking back, most likely as a means of making us eat our vegetables. I was usually not thrilled about this because I was pretty picky. However, if it was filtered and made into a creamy pureed soup, I liked it because it was very tasty.

I say this because I don't really like cooked carrots, but when ginger and sautéed onions are added to be blended into a creamy soup, then I love it. It reminds me of those days when I was at Mom's kitchen table with my pureed soup.

This delicious soup packed with healthy beta carotene can be prepared in less than 40 minutes.

What to Serve with Carrot Ginger Soup

• I enjoy having a soup and salad combination, especially for lunch.
• A half sandwich like a grilled cheese (My recipe of Brussels Sprout Havarti, and Apple Grilled Cheese from the book Skinnytaste FAST & SLOW would be great!)
• Easy Baked Coconut Shrimp is best baked but I have included instructions for air fryer lovers as well.
• Easy Garlic Knots are one of the meals my husband loves most when paired with soup.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or oil for dairy-free version)
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 lb peeled baby carrots
• 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup sour cream (or tofutti sour cream, or coconut milk for dairy-free)
• Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh micro greens, or chives for garnishing

Instructions

Stove Directions:

1. Heat butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add onions and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, around 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, ginger and broth to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower flame and let it continue to cook until the carrots become tender, approximately 30 minutes.
3. Add sour cream, then using an immersion stick blender (or in batches with a regular blender), blend gently until creamy. Ensure that the soup is heated through, then add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon into 4 bowls and sprinkle with extra sour cream and thinly sliced fresh chives, if desired. Makes 5 cups.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Press sauté in the pot and melt the butter. Add the onions and stir until the onions get tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the broth, carrots and ginger. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Natural release.
3. Add the sour cream then, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. If using a regular blender, blend the mixture in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon into 4 bowls and, if desired, add a drizzle more of sour cream and snipped chives. Makes 5 cups.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 1/4 cups, Calories: 115 kcal, Carbohydrate: 16g, Protein: 3g, Total Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 13.5mg, Sodium: 114mg, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 8g

Wine Pairing

This simple yet nourishing Soup recipe combines fresh carrots, a hint of fresh ginger, and a dollop of sour cream. You can make it vegan or dairy-free by using coconut milk instead of the cream.

I like having a soup and salad most of the time, it can be for lunch or even dinner. A half sandwich could be a grilled cheese (My Brussels Sprout Havarti and Apple Grilled Cheese from my cookbook Skinnytaste Fast and Slow would be awesome!). If you're looking for crispy baked coconut shrimp, I've got you covered. I also have instructions for air-fried shrimp. These Easy Garlic Knots are my husband's most preferred side dish for soup.

This red lentil soup with Spinach is rich, tasty and satisfying, and can be prepared pretty easily anytime of the year. It's rich in plant-based protein and fiber from the lentils and vitamins from the spinaches so it's a healthy meal that can be prepared quickly. From a warm meal for dinner to a lighter option for lunch, you can find everything in this one pot recipe.

Ingredients:

• 500g of boiled and well rinsed red lentils
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 6 cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 7 to 8 sprigs of fresh parsley or cilantro (optional for garnish)

Instructions:

Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables

In a large pot, put olive oil and set the heat on medium. Then add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and fry for about 5-7 minutes till the vegetables become tender. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric and paprika mixture to the pot and let cook for one more minute.

Step 2: Add Lentils and Broth

Now add the red lentils, tomato and vegetable broth in the pot. Add all the ingredients together with the food and mix it, let it boil. After bringing it to boil and stirring, decrease heat to low, then let the soup cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until lentils soften.

Step 3: Add Spinach and Seasonings

Upon the lentils are done, add the spinach into the pot and mix it up with the lemon juice. Cook for a further five minutes in order to wilt the spinach. Finally, add salt and black pepper and let the soup to test.

Step 4: Serve

Pour the soup into bowls and if preferred garnish with green parsley or cilantro. It is good to serve hot with some crusty bread, or pita bread on the side and that could make it rather filling serving.

Tips:

• To give some body to the soup you can puree a portion of it using an immersion blender.
• You can make your vege nize by replacing potato with zucchini, colored peppers or sweet one.
• For those who could desire a now and again a hot option, you can add a pinch of red pepper, or hot sauce to your dish before you serve it.

Storage:

This red lentil soup is an amazing meal to prep in advance and saves well in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight container and put in the refrigerator for 4 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Stir it over low heat on the stove or warm in the microwave if it becomes too thick, you can add a little water.

Hello everyone, I am happy to share with you today how you can prepare this Red Lentil Soup with Spinach in a nutshell. Fiesta lime chicken is full of flavor and best of all, it is simple to prepare: everyone is to love it!

This is a will-boost-your-immune-system, loaded baked potato soup recipe that is warm, tasty and simple to prepare! Made with hidden veggies!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This baked potato soup gives you all the best parts of a baked potato including, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, and chives at only a fraction of the calorie. To make it less 'carb-y', cook them by replacing part of the potatoes with cauliflower and you won't even notice! Your whole family will enjoy this creamy homemade soup affair. Plus, it cooks quickly. The soup takes only 20 minutes to cook once the potatoes and cauliflower are prepped.

For more on potato soup, you might want to read more on Potato Leek Soup, Kale Potato Soup with Turkey Sausage, and Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup.

What you practically do is cut a baked potato in half, load it with your favorite toppings and then enjoy this delicious soup I first posted in 2011. A reader, in fact, dictated that it was a 'warm bowl of awesomeness' and I couldn't have said it better myself! It's the best baked potato soup recipe you'll ever come across with. Oh, and one more thing – it won't hurt that it is appropriate for kids! It would be perfect, if a Thermos is placed in the bag and that's goto school with hot lunch pack.

Ingredients for Loaded Baked Potato Soup

• Potatoes: Thoroughly cleaning with water and pat-drying selected potatoes of medium size, measuring about nine ounces each and scientifically termed as russet.
• Cauliflower: Take the stem off from a small cabbage like cauliflower and wash, then chop into florets. It should give you approximately 3 ½ cups after baking.
• Broth: I suggest using fat free chicken broth or chicken stock.
• Milk: I use 1% milk for creaminess not necessarily fattening.
• Sour Cream: You will require one half cup of light sour cream.
• Seasonings: Salt and pepper to taste.
• Toppings: Low fat shredded cheddar cheese, finely chopped green scallion, cooked and crumbled bacon

Printable Creamy Baked Potato Soup Recipe

1. Prep the Potatoes: Prick the potatoes with a fork and placed the potatoes in microwave for about 5 minutes. Feel free to flip them and then to warm them on the microwave for another 3 to 5 minutes until they get soft. And they can be baked in the oven at 400°F for 45-60 minutes. After they've cooled, remove the skin from the potatoes.
2. Cook the Cauliflower: Meanwhile, place the cauliflower in large pot with little water. Cover and steam until tender. Pour it out and put the cauliflower back into the pot.
3. Start the Soup: With the pot placed back on the heat, pour in chicken broth, milk, and the potatoes which-have had their skin removed. Bring everything to a boil.
4. Blend Until Smooth: The soup must be pureed until it is creamy, preferably in their liquefied state using the the immersion blender.
5. Add Flavor and Simmer: Mix sour cream, half of the chopped chives, salt and pepper in this preparation 5-10 Enough time to make soup thick enough on low heat.
6. Serve and Garnish: Pout off the soup into bowls when the pot has been taken of the heat source. Spoon each serving with shredded cheese, the remaining chives, and crumbled bacon. Bon appétite from your delicious creamy baked potato soup!

Variations

• Potatoes: Yukon Gold always works much better than Russets.
• Cauliflower: If using frozen cauliflower, pour in 3 ½ cups of the thawed the cauliflower; if using riced cauliflower, 16 ounces should do.
• Not a fan of sour cream? Substitute Greek yogurt.
• Reduced Sodium: Choose low sodium broth and reduce salt added.
• Vegetarian Potato Soup: Just omit the bacon and top the soup with chopped broccoli.
• No immersion blender? Place the soup in batches into a regular blender. venture your hand in and pull out the plastic cap, toss a towel over the top and let the steam escape as you puree.
• Chunky Potato Soup: But if you want some texture in the soup, don't puree it all the way. Or maybe skip the immersion blender and just use a potato masher in place of the big chunks.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup With What

It's a complete meal in one serving because this healthy baked potato soup has tons of veggies and protein. You could eat it with some piece of bread or crackers or a simple green salad. Pair with roasted chicken or pork with broccolini or Brussels sprouts on the side if you want it a side dish.

Baked Potato Soup Freezing Instructions

Loaded baked potato soup is a wonderful make ahead meal, freezing nicely. For up to three months I like to freeze the soup in small single serving containers. When you're ready, thaw the soup in the refrigerator, warm on the stove or in the microwave until it is warm.

Simple, wholesome and cozy, this Potato Leek Soup is the perfect homegrown soup ready in a snap!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

This is the kind of soup you can make so easy you think you probably have a clue what the hell you're doing in a kitchen. When I was a kid I loved this classic soup, and eating it always reminds me of a good place. I've got a ton of soup recipes because I grew up with my parents making soup from scratch.

When I eat a bowl of potato leek soup I always think about my childhood. I know I sure had my fair share of soup since my parents made soup for dinner as their starter or as a main dish almost every day. The purees were the soups I enjoyed most as a kid, because I was pretty picky. The weather is cold, and I still crave this soup, yet on nights we had potato leek soup, I never complained!

Potato Soup Ingredients

• Onions and Leeks: Chop 4 medium leeks with dark green stems removed and 1/2 large white onion.
• Potatoes: Peel your 2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes and cut into cubes.
• Roux: All purpose flour or gluten free such as the Cup4Cup and salted butter
• Broth: Use 4 cups chicken broth, or use vegetable broth for vegetarians.
• Milk: 2% milk or dairy free milk of choice (1/2 cup)
• Chives: Fresh, optional to garnish
• Salt and fresh pepper: To taste

How To Make Potato Leek Soup

Once you've cleaned the leeks, making potato leek soup is easy!

1. Roughly chop the leeks.
2. Roux is used most often to thicken soups and stews in a heavy pot or Dutch oven, along with butter and flour.
3. Add leeks, onion, chicken stock and potatoes to potatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender then.
4. Now we blend the soup with an immersion blender or if you'd like, in batches with a regular blender until it's smooth.

Tips and Variations

If you are looking to make potato leek soup, I made that one very easily because it has mild flavors that go so well together. I actually like mine pureed but if you prefer it with chunks just use an immersion blender instead of mashing your potatoes with a potato masher for bigger chunks.

• Gluten Free– Substitute wheat by using an all purpose gluten-free flour mix like Bobs Redmill or Cup4Cup.
• Easy Dairy Free– No problem if you want dairy free, simply leave the milk out and replace with some broth.
• Cheese: To top: some shredded cheddar cheese
• Vegan: Use dairy free milk instead of milk and use vegetable broth in place of the stock.
• Add herbs: When you cook, use bay leaves or thyme sprigs to the pot.
• Refrigerate– Refrigerate in an airtight container 1-4 days or in the freezer 1-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat on stove or in microwave.

How To Clean Leeks

How to clean leeks as it's the most important thing to know about making this soup. They're sandy and dirty and they do so good work hiding the fact, so make sure to wash them well.

1. First cut of and then discard root ends and thick dark green stuff.
2. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise & rinse under cold water, separating leek layers as you go to remove any grit tucked inside.
3. When they are clean, you can go ahead to chop them.

Chicken and Lentil Soup, Slow Cooker

This healthy slow cooker chicken and lentil soup is a no fuss recipe, just toss everything in and no sautéing required! It's hearty, and nutritious, and just packed with flavor.

Lentil Soup You'll Love This

A slow cooker cooked chicken and lentil soup is a perfect high fiber protein meal. I really liven things up by using my homemade sofrito (onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro, etc.) in the form of a flavorful blend. The amount this recipe gives you makes enough for meal prepping. It is also easy to customize it – adding extra veggies, or changing the spices to suit your taste, for instance. If you're in a hurry, take a look at my Instant Pot Chicken and Lentil Soup or the stovetop version, Chicken Lentil Soup.

Chicken and Lentil Soup Ingredients

• Lentils: Red lentils break down too much, so use green or brown lentils for this recipe.
• Chicken: Take chicken and either choose six boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed of fat) or six chicken breasts.
• Chicken broth: The base of this soup.
• Tomatoes: One of Rotel canned tomatoes diced.
• Carrots: Get 1 ½ cups of carrots by chopping enough.
• Sofrito: Key to flavoring the soup is this classic Latin sauce of onions, peppers, garlic and cilantro. When I have some time, I make a batch of my sofrito and freeze any leftovers behind an ice cube tray for later use.
• Seasoning: I also use adobo seasoning, salt, pepper and a bit of cumin to keep the flavor strong but not overpowering.

Chickpea and chicken soup recipe

But this recipe couldn't be easier; only 3 simple steps!

1. Dump Everything In: Dump all of these ingredients into your slow cooker.
2. Cook: Put the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
3. Finish: Ready to cook time is up, shred chicken with two forks, taste soup and adjust seasoning if you need to.

Variations and Substitutions

• Tomatoes: Swap 8 ounces of canned diced tomatoes with 4-ounce can of green chiles if you don't have Rotel.
• Adobo Seasoning: Cumin, coriander, oregano is this Latin spice mix that you know. You can put it in most supermarkets or you can make it yourself from my adobo seasoning recipe.
• Vegetables: You can add other veggies like potatoes, celery, bell peppers or leafy greens leafy greens spinach or kale.
• Vegetarian Option: Don't even bother with the chicken because there will be plenty of protein from the lentils in the soup.

Chicken and Lentil Soup: What To Serve it With

• For a fresh salad of tomatoes, avocado, and cucumber, pair this soup.
• Either serve it up over crusty bread or crackers to soak up the tasty broth.

Storage Tips

Perfect for meal prep, this is the soup. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Just add a splash of water if you find your soup is too thick as you are reheating. It will warm up on the stovetop or in the microwave.

FAQs on lentils

Do you need to soak lentils before they are cooked?

Lentils do not require soaking as you would with beans. Next add them into the slow cooker and the broth.

Is lentils soup healthy?

Of course! this is one of the best soups ever – packed full of protein, fiber (and beneficial healthy fats), vitamins and minerals. It also gives you B vitamins and protein. The lentils are rich in iron, folate and fiber. Carrots are high in beta carotene, as one would expect, as well as potassium and they help.

Here is a sure favorite – this particular Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a great and filling vegetable soup that can be prepared any time of the year and served as lunch or dinner meal.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

He thinks Cheddar Broccoli Soup is the epitome of all comfort foods. It's great eaten cold for lunch with a salad or half sandwich, sandwich or for busy weeknight dinners as a starter. While most of them are healthier and lighter than Panera's since most recipes use heavy cream as well as a lot of butter. I also opted for milk and whole cheese and mix a portion of the soup to try to make the soup as creamy as can be done without the use of heavy cream! Other favorite Broccoli Soup recipes featured here include Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Broccoli and Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A Low Fat Broccoli Cheese Soup. Many broccoli and cheese soups contain 300-400 calories and 20 g fat and more per serving, include butter and/or heavy cream to cheese which is a fattening food in itself. rather I use a roux to thicken up the soup, also I chop of a portion of the vegetables and blend making it creamy without additional saturated fats.
• A Perfect Make Ahead Meal. This soup may be made 4 days prior to serving to reheat it with other meals for the week.
• A Super Idea For Increasing The Intake Of Vegetables. If you're attempting to make yourself eat more of the five servings of vegetables per day this kid-friendly, vegetarian soup will enhance your plate with the portion of vegetables.
• Easily Made Gluten-free. I tried this with gluten-free flour and it turned out well: perfect and very creamy.

Ingredients

• Small onion, medium carrot, celery stalk, and garlic: These vegetables form the customization of the soup which is also referred to as mirepoix, which forms the foundation of the soup's taste as well as builds the foundation of its aromatics.
• Butter: Employed for softening the vegetables and as a fat in making the roux. Further, it brings a lot of depth and taste, a sort of savory note to the soup.
• Flour (all-purpose flour, whole wheat, or a gluten-free blend): it was used in making a roux which is used in thickening of the soup.
• Less sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth: This liquid is the bulk of it and some additional flavor is added to it. Low-sodium is better for the control of salt to be used since those already contain I amount of salt.
• Fat-free milk: Used to give body to the soup so that the fat content is not too high.
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper: Can improve the flavors of the soup and the seasonings used are variable mostly to the individual's taste and preference.
• Fresh broccoli florets: The primary ingredient in the recipe prepared in this manner to be cut into smaller size for uniform browning and ease in incorporation.
• Shredded sharp cheddar: This cheese not only boosts the effect of taste and thickness in the soup but also gives the soup a strong sour taste. Ideally I like to shred it myself right off the block, but you can use store bought pre-shredded cheese.
• Grated Parmesan cheese: Enhances its taste a little to more of a nutty flavor and contributes to the thickening of the liquids in the soup.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

1. Prepare the Vegetables: Or chop the onion, carrot, celery, garlic finely with a chopper or mini food processor.
2. Cook the Vegetables: Melt butter in a large pot, over low heat. Chop the vegetables and toss in with kosher salt and black pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Make the Roux: Cooking the raw flour taste out takes 2 minutes, stir in the flour.
4. Add the Broth: Whisk slowly in chicken or vegetable broth, making sure you have a smooth, lump free mix.
5. Incorporate Milk and Broccoli: And, on high heat, add the milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Add your broccoli florets and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Season with salt and pepper as in. Simmer uncovered, about 10 minutes lower the heat until broccoli is tender.
6. Blend the Soup: To make the soup much thicker, give the soup a quick whirl in the immersion blender to partially puree it. Instead, if you are getting a bit too thick, remove 1 – 2 cups, blend, sift back into the pot and mix with the rest of the soup.
7. Add the Cheese: Add in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and fold gently until it is melted and has combined well.
8. Serve: Put the hot soup into bowls and add extra cheddar cheese, if you like. Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar soup is both tasty and full of nutrients. Broccoli has a ton of health benefits like supporting healthy digestion, reducing inflammation and boosting immunity, just like broccoli itself.

Good good dose of protein calcium and other necessary minerals Cheddar cheese provides. Together these ingredients make for a nutrient dense food that is kind of filling.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup: What To Eat With Yours

When I worked in the city, I normally bought soup for lunch and if Broccoli Cheddar Soup was on the menu, that is what I ordered! If you want a lighter and healthier version, my homemade is way lighter!

To make into a meal you can serve this for lunch alongside a piece of bread, or cheddar biscuits, some fruit or a side salad.

With half sandwich on it, this will do for dinner, or be a starter to a light meal. The bready part of what you're about to eat can be hollowed out to make the bowl part of a small round bread.