Macaroni And Cheese Soup With Broccoli

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

Now that the weather is getting colder, we are having soup for dinner quite often. We love this easy mac and cheese soup made with sharp cheddar cheese, broccoli, vegetables and elbow macaroni. The kids love it too, a great way to get kids to get more veggies in their diet. More soup recipes we also love this time of year are Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Minestrone Soup and Cheeseburger Soup if you want to have some meat in your dish.

Broccoli is one of those gateway vegetables that kids start liking at an early age. I was a picky kid growing up, I remember the first time I liked broccoli it was smothered with melted cheese. Of course, as I grew up my palate changed and I explored new ways to love broccoli. Using the same principal, this soup will please those picky palates while getting carrots, celery and broccoli in each bite.

Tips and Variations

Cook the broccoli to your family’s liking. Adults tend to like it tender crisp, while kids may like it cooked a little more. Cheese– For best results use a block of cheese and grate it yourself rather. This will give you the creamiest results. Pre-grated cheeses have additives like cornstarch to prevent the cheese from sticking to each other. They also effect the outcome of cheese soups, often breaking down or having a gritty texture. Broccoli swap– You can swap out the broccoli for cauliflower if your kids won’t eat green food. Macaroni– Any small shape pasta can be used here. Try ditalini or small shells instead. Refrigerate and leftovers–This soup is best the same day. Leftovers can be reheated the next day, more broth may be needed as the macaroni soaks up most of the liquid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.