• 3+ cups chopped broccoli

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ cup butter

• ¼ cup flour

• 1 cup onions,diced

• 1 cup carrots, diced (can also just buy matchstick carrots in produce section)

• 4 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

• Pinch nutmeg (optional)

• 2 cups grated Cheddar (or 3 cups if you like it cheesier), plus more for garnish (I also like to add ½ cup of pimento cheese to give it a little more kick)

[optional to roast broccoli: Remove 2 cups of the broccoli, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the air fryer or oven at 350 degrees until broccoli begins to crisp and turn slightly brown (15 minutes or so)]

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top. Stir to combine and cook until the flour is absorbed and smells lightly toasted, 1 minute or so.

Add the milk and stir until it thickens. Add the nutmeg if using. Stir in the broth, then add all the broccoli and carrots, a small dash of salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Stir in the cheese and allow it to melt. Keep heat on low or else the cheese will be grainy. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

Serve the soup as is, use immersion blender, mash with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely.  (If you puree in a blender, return the soup to the heat to heat back up. Add more broth if needed for thinning.) Garnish with the toasted broccoli or grated cheese and serve.