Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1/2 cup celery sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 6 cups fresh broccoli about 2 heads
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Heat butter in a small pan over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until tender, about 3 minutes.
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Wash and chop the broccoli and place in the slow cooker. Add cooked onion, garlic powder, bay leaf, chicken broth, cream cheese and salt & pepper to taste.
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Cook on low 6-7 hours (or high 3-4 hours) or until broccoli is tender. Add evaporated milk and cook 30-60 minutes more. Discard bay leaf.
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Remove one cup of broccoli and coarsely chop. Puree remaining soup using a hand blender. (You can puree a bit to break up the broccoli or until completely smooth depending on preference).
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Add chopped broccoli back into the soup. Stir in all of the cheeses until melted.
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Garnish with additional shredded cheeses, or 1/2 tsp of pesto sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 301
Carbohydrates: 12g
Protein: 16g
Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 67mg
Sodium: 870mg
Potassium: 534mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 6g
Vitamin A: 1135IU
Vitamin C: 71.1mg
Calcium: 472mg
Iron: 1.2mg