Creamy Garlic Parmesan Veggie (Print)

A hearty, cheesy blend of fresh vegetables in a creamy garlic Parmesan base.

# Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
09 - 1.5 cups small broccoli florets
10 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Liquids & Dairy

11 - 4 cups vegetable broth
12 - 1.5 cups whole milk
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - 1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
15 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Seasonings & Thickener

16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
17 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
18 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
19 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, corn, broccoli, and potatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth while stirring well to combine and dissolve the flour. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover and cook for 15 to 18 minutes until potatoes and vegetables are tender.
07 - Stir in milk, heavy cream, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
08 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually add Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, stirring constantly until fully melted and soup achieves creamy consistency.
09 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cheese melts into the broth so gradually that each spoonful gets creamier, like discovering a secret your mouth didn't expect.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means dinner can be on the table before anyone gets too hungry and cranky.
  • Fresh vegetables keep it feeling light enough for a weeknight, but the cream and Parmesan make it feel indulgent.
02 -
  • The flour really needs to cook in the butter for those two minutes before you add the broth, otherwise it stays grainy and you can taste the flour—I learned this the hard way with an early batch.
  • Once the cream is in, the heat needs to stay medium or lower or the milk can separate and look broken, which doesn't affect the taste but definitely affects how nice it looks.
  • Don't skip the slow cheese addition; rushing it turns your beautiful soup into something with stringy melted cheese that doesn't incorporate smoothly.
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and finish at the same time—this one habit changed my soup game completely.
  • Keep your vegetable broth at room temperature or warm before adding it to your vegetables; cold broth will lower the temperature and extend your cooking time unnecessarily.
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