Creamy Broccoli-Pea Soup with Bacon and Cheddar

Cooked broccoli is quite mild in flavor, so we punched things up with sweet frozen peas and added potatoes for a creamy texture. Topped with bacon, Cheddar, sour cream, and chives, it’s like eating a veggie-stuffed baked potato in soup form. Pair any leftovers with half a sandwich for a filling, nutrient-packed lunch.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES / SERVES: 4








Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1¼ cups)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1⁄8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 pounds broccoli, trimmed, florets chopped
1 small Russet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1½ cups)
2 cups frozen peas
3 strips lower-sodium bacon, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons reduced-fat (light) sour cream
2 ounces reduced-fat Cheddar, grated (about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 HEAT the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add 5 cups water, raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.

2 ADD the broccoli and potato and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the peas and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Return the soup to the pot.

3 COOK the bacon in a large skillet on medium heat until browned and crisp, turning once, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and press with more paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool enough to handle and set aside.

4 REHEAT the soup on medium-low heat. Stir in the vinegar and season with ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into 4 bowls and top evenly with the sour cream, cheese, reserved bacon, and chives.

NUTRITION (per serving: 1½ cups) 279 calories, 16 g protein, 35 g carbs, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 611 mg sodium