Broccoli Cheese Soup

This recipe makes about 8 cups of soup

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth.
2. Add all the vegetables except the broccoli and sauté until tender and fragrant.
3. Add the remaining vegetable broth and milk to the vegetables, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes.
4. In a separate pan, cook the broccoli by covering the bottom of a frying pan with water, adding the broccoli and a lid, and “steaming” the broccoli for a few minutes.
5. After the vegetable and milk mixture has cooked for 5 minutes, add it to a blender and blend until smooth (you can add about ½ cup of cashews if you want a creamier soup). After blending,  pour it back into the soup pot.  (For a chunkier soup, skip this step)
6. Gradually add the shredded cheese, stirring constantly until it is fully melted and the soup becomes smooth and creamy.
7. Add the chopped, cooked broccoli and stir
8. Remove the pot from heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
9. Evenly spread the cooled soup across silicone or parchment-lined trays
10. Add dividers if using.  We like the 10-portion setting. 
11. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 30 hours)
12. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage

Rehydration:

To rehydrate a single serving, add 1 cup of hot water to 2 divider portions or about 1 ½ cups of freeze-dried soup and stir until well combined. Let the mixture sit for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the soup to fully absorb the water and regain its creamy texture. Adjust the consistency by adding more or less water to suit your preference.

Notes:

The blended version rehydrated better than the chunky version

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.