Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a Bread Bowl
November 6, 2009 | Print | E-mail | Filed under bread, cheese, soup
I have an unhealthy addiction to Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl (I have an unhealthy addiction to fresh, warm bread in general). But the soup is great too; perfect for cold, rainy days when all you want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good movie. It was one of those cold, rainy days when I decided that I wanted broccoli cheddar soup, but I didn’t want to go out into the crummy weather to get it. So, I decided to create my own. I made bread bowls using Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day dough that I had in the fridge – and by the way, have you heard that authors Zoë François and Jeff Hertzberg are coming out with a new book? It’s called Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and it’s full of delicious whole wheat and even gluten-free recipes. You could make your bread bowls using their master whole wheat bread recipe, and they’d be even healthier and just as delicious. Try it out this weekend! Here’s what you’ll need for the soup:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
- 1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces grated colby jack cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
First, prepare the bread bowls. To make two bread bowls, I took half a batch of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day boule dough out of the container in my refrigerator and divided it in half again. I let the dough rest on a floured pizza peel on my counter for about 40 minutes. While you’re waiting, make sure your baking stone and broiler pan are in the oven, and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
For the soup, sauté the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat.
Remove the onions and add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.
Add the onion and garlic back in, along with the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, bake the bread for 30 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool. When the bowls are still a little warm, cut out the centers.
Season the soup with the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom. Stir in the cheeses (and you can play around with the amounts; use however much or little you like) and let simmer for 10 minutes longer before serving. Pour the soup into the bread bowls, and enjoy!
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November 6th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Great idea!! Love the book
November 6th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Wow ~ great use of this recipe! Looks fantastic, and satisfying! Perfect for snow days.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Oh my gosh! That looks sooooooo good! (So when are you inviting me over?) (:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:36 am
This is seriously homey food! I love this and plan on getting in sweats this weekend and making it
November 6th, 2009 at 11:51 am
That looks super yummy! I might have to make it soon.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Man I HAVE to get that book!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
It’s a cold day today, so the soup looks even more appetizing!
November 6th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
wow….I’m sure which one I’m craving more…but I love it! I need, or shall I say knead (haha) to get one if not both of those cookbooks….and soon. like…tomorrow. (cuz I’m too tired to go out tonight and get it/them).
November 6th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
mmm.. i love bread bowls!!! and soup is the only way I’ll have broccoli.. healthy and comforting.. nice one!!
November 7th, 2009 at 10:59 am
That soup looks just divine – it’s 7am and already I’m craving it!
November 8th, 2009 at 2:49 am
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love Panera Bread’s soup and bread bowls too…YUM! Now I can have them at home
November 8th, 2009 at 4:51 am
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the soup looks so delish, delish, delish. It also looks soo presentable with the bread bowl. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I hope to make this one day.
November 8th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
this looks wonderful! I can’t wait to read a copy of their new “healthy” artisan bread…. yum.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
HOW I missed this post, I don’t know. I have an unhealthy addiction to Panera’s French Onion Soup in a bread bowl. And for the side, I always order bread.
You have inspired me!
November 10th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Oh yum… Your bread bowls look fantastic. I love chili in a bread bowl… Atlanta Bread (similar to Panera) serves their chicken chili in a sourdough bread bowl, and that is one of my favorites!
November 11th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I share the same addiction! We should go to help group together…or I should just learn to make it at home like you did! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
November 13th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I added a post about this delicious soup today! Thanks for the great recipe.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Thanks for visiting my blog. I replied to you there, but just in case you don’t get a chance to read it, I have copied and pasted it here:
“Hi, Tracy! I didn’t see when you were supposed to add in the garlic, so I added it in with the onions. Thanks for a great recipe!”
November 13th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Memoria – Ah yes, thanks for letting me know! I’ve updated the post.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I am like you, Tracy. I’m ADDICTED to the Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a Bread Bowl from Panera. And I’ve been meaning to make it at home forever… especially since there is no Panera near me in NYC. Thanks for posting this!
January 8th, 2010 at 12:16 am
I was looking for something different to serve my family on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful! I followed the recipe but let it sit in my slow cooker till guests arrived. Comfort food and delicious flavor added up to a new tradition started in 2010! Thank you!