The Crucial Tip That Keeps Broccoli Cheese Soup Extra Creamy

Ever made a classic broccoli cheese soup and found that the texture has come out grainy instead of smooth and luscious? We've got a crucial tip to guarantee your next batch of this comforting dish has a creamy consistency that's off the charts: Always steer clear of pre-shredded cheese.

While super-convenient, the pre-shredded cheeses available at the grocery store tend to contain additives and preservatives, like anti-caking agents, to prevent them from clumping while they sit in the packet. For example, cellulose is a common anti-caking agent found in shredded cheese that also inhibits mold growth. It's safe to eat these preservatives but the real problem lies in the fact that these extra ingredients can hinder cheese from melting more readily into soups and fondues (they will melt eventually but they won't have the same texture as cheese free from additives). Plus, when your dish cools down, it can have an unappetizing grainy texture.

To make the creamiest, smoothest broccoli cheese soup, shred your cheese directly from the block. You can grate it moments before adding it to the base of your soup or do it earlier and set it aside in a box in the fridge if it's more convenient. Then, instead of dumping all the cheese straight into your brothy base, add it slowly and stir until each handful melts in before incorporating more.

Shredded cheese is brilliant for those moments when you need to cobble together a quick grilled cheese or a bubbly savory topping for a gratin or casserole. However, grating your own is cheaper and it doesn't take a lot of time if you use the shredder attachment on your food processor. You can prep huge blocks of cheese in seconds and simply grab as much as you need from the fridge when you want to lend a veggie soup some umami depth. Alternatively, lay a box grater on its side and shred your block of cheese; it's faster than keeping it upright.

One of the other benefits of shredding your own cheese for soup? It's an awesome way to use up any leftover chunks of cheese knocking about in your fridge that would otherwise be forgotten. Combining cheeses also lends a broccoli cheese soup a complex flavor profile. For example, a classic cheddar is high in moisture and will therefore melt in seamlessly, a nugget of sharp Stilton will elicit an interesting tang, and a wedge of Gruyere will provide a creamy nuttiness.

If you only have pre-grated cheese on hand, all is not lost. Simply wash your shredded cheese and drain it in a colander to remove as much of the additives as you can.