Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup

When October rolls around, my Staub pumpkin pot comes out of the upper cabinets and remains a fixture on my cooktop throughout the fall season. It’s so cute and provides extra incentive to make a pot of soup. Overnight, it seems, it feels like fall in my area. We love soup, especially when it’s cold outside. There’s just something about a hot bowl of soup and some crunchy bread that makes a person feel cozy!

This soup recipe comes from the Half Baked Harvest blog. My Hubbers loves Cream of Broccoli soup so I thought he would enjoy this variation. It gets a lot of its flavor from the pumpkin ale and the cayenne pepper adds just the right amount of heat. We enjoyed this!

Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 12 ounce pumpkin beer

3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

1 large pinch kosher salt and pepper

4 cups broccoli florets

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrot and cook until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the broth, beer, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, cayenne, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Remove the soup from the stove and puree in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.  Return the soup to the stove and set over low heat. Stir in the cheese until melted and creamy. Add the thyme and cook another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle into bowls and top with a little extra cheddar and fresh thyme.