Description
This comforting One Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Dumplings recipe combines tender broccoli and rich cheddar cheese in a creamy broth topped with fluffy homemade dumplings. Perfect for a cozy vegetarian dinner, it’s easy to prepare on the stovetop with a combination of savory spices and fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped small
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Dumpling Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook broccoli and spices: Add the chopped broccoli, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and smoked paprika. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently to combine the flavors.
- Make roux base: Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Cook for 1–2 minutes more to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add broth and simmer: Slowly pour in the 4 cups of vegetable broth while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
- Finish soup base: Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese melts and the soup is creamy and smooth.
- Prepare dumpling dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the milk and melted butter, stirring just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Add dumplings to soup: Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of dumpling dough gently into the simmering soup.
- Cook dumplings: Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid to allow dumplings to cook through.
- Serve: After 15 minutes, uncover and check doneness of dumplings. Stir gently to combine, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Frozen broccoli can be used; just thaw and chop before adding to the soup.
- For a lighter soup, substitute heavy cream with whole milk or half-and-half.
- Do not overmix the dumpling dough to keep dumplings tender and fluffy.
- Keep the lid on while dumplings cook to ensure even steaming.
