Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, use regular or light – not extra virgin
1 cup diced carrots, about 2 medium to large
1 cup diced celery, about 2 large ribs
1 cup diced onion, about 1 small to medium
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups water
4 teaspoons chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
1 cup half and half
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a large pot (I use a 4-quart or larger), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring.
Combine the water and chicken base. Add to the pot along with the broccoli and cauliflower.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Using a potato masher, mash the veggies until they reach the desired consistency.
Add the half and half and the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.


Notes
This recipe makes 4 generous servings of about 2 cups each, which is perfect for a bowl of soup as the main dish, but you could stretch it out to 6 servings of about 1 1/3 cups each if you were serving it as a starter – more like a cup of soup rather than a bowl.
You can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time so that they don’t get mushy.
You can use 4 cups of canned or boxed chicken stock in place of the chicken base and water, but the flavor will be a bit different (I think the chicken base has much more flavor).
Omit the flour to make the soup gluten-free. Use your favorite gluten-free thickening agent and method to thicken the soup (cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca starch, etc.).
I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Soups with dairy can separate and take on an odd texture when frozen and reheated.

Soup