Can comfort food be made even more comforting? Yes, if you transform it into an even more inviting shape! Mac-and-Cheesy Soup takes mac and cheese and makes a warm and welcoming soup, perfectly suited to keeping you wrapped in happiness in even the coldest winter. The broth is cheesy and savory, the noodles are tender, and the broccoli is refreshing! Who could want anything more than another bowl of Mac-and-Cheesy Soup? It’s like a new hearth in your home!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry elbow pasta
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- pepper, to taste
- 2 1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup fat-free milk
- nutmeg, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
Directions
Step 1 –Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta.
Step 2 –In a large soup pot or a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
Step 3 –Reduce the heat to low and add the onion, the carrot, the celery, and the garlic to the butter.
Step 4 –Sauté the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 5 –Add the flour and the pepper to the pot and stir until it is smooth and the raw flour smell disappears, about 2 minutes.
Step 6 –Slowly add the chicken broth, the milk, the nutmeg, and the dry mustard to the veggie mixture while whisking constantly.
Step 7 –Set the heat to medium-low and let the soup mixture come to a slow boil.
Step 8 –Cover and cook the soup mixture over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the broccoli and the parmesan to the soup mixture and stir well.
Step 10 –Season the soup mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 11 –Cook the soup, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 12 –Transfer the pot from the heat and allow it to stop boiling.
Step 13 –Add the cheddar cheese to the soup, a little at a time, and mix well until the cheese melts.
Step 14 –Add the elbow pasta to the soup and mix well.
Step 15 –Taste the soup for seasoning.
Step 16 –Serve.