Cheddar Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 13, 2011
Time
40 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 7 cups)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)1 medium carrot, minced (about ⅓ cup)1 small rib celery, minced (about ¼ cup)1 medium clove garlic, minced2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 ½ cups half-and-half 1 bay leaf Pinch cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons dry sherry 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Before You Begin
This soup isn’t the best candidate for making in advance. Reheat the soup in a saucepan over low heat, whisking gently to prevent the soup from separating. Do not bring above a bare simmer.
Instructions
- Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until mixture begins to brown on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half and add bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
- Off heat, add cayenne and sherry; cool soup for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in cheese and thyme; season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Time
40 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 7 cups)Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For cheddar soup recipe with deep flavor and velvety texture, we sautéed carrots, celery, and onion to create a flavor base. We used a roux (a mix of flour and butter) to thicken the soup and keep it from separating, and combined chicken stock and half-and-half (instead of milk) for richness that wasn’t over the top. Finally, we added plenty of sharp cheddar cheese for a soup that was undeniable cheesy.
This is a members' feature.
7 Comments