Cheesy, Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

Snow is falling and I have been craving a hearty, warming soup. I was thinking broccoli, potato, cheese and bacon, but figured if I was going to eat broccoli, why not make something lighter but still full of flavor. So, I roasted the veggies to bring out really deep flavor, used white beans to thicken instead of potatoes, used light processed cheese because it melts so well without clumping and it has less fat/calories than even 2% shredded cheddar. I also added just a bit of bacon that is already cooked to give me great flavor without extra fat. I am my harshest critic and I have to say that this is one of the best soups I’ve ever made.  

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into quarters

3 medium cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole

3 cups fresh broccoli (florets and stems), cut into chunks

3 cups fresh cauliflower, cut into chunks

3-4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 (15 ounce) can white beans (like Great Northern or Cannellini), drained and rinsed

3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled (microwaveable bacon is great here)

8 ounces processed light American cheese, cubed (like Velveeta Light ®), about 2 cups

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Toss the onions and garlic on one baking sheet. Toss the broccoli and cauliflower on the other. Using 1-2 teaspoons olive oil for each tray, toss the veggies in the oil, making sure the pieces are completely coated, and sprinkle lightly with a bit of kosher salt. Make sure all the veggies are in a single layer with a little room between each piece, if possible. Put in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, stirring around half way through. I put the onions/garlic on the middle oven rack so they don’t burn and found that they are done while the broccoli and cauliflower (which I put on the top rack) took a few minutes longer.  The veggies should be just starting to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven.

Toss the veggies, stock, white beans and bacon into a Dutch oven and heat to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour (the longer the better in my book).  Use an immersion blender to cream everything together (or add cups at a time to a blender and process until creamy).

Add in the cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve in bowls and garnish with extra crumbled bacon, fresh parsley, some chopped green onion and/or maybe a little shredded cheddar or light sour cream.