Meat And Broccoli Cheese Soup: Perfect Pairing Ideas

Broccoli cheese soup is a hearty, comforting dish that can be served with a variety of meats and sides. While the soup itself is a complete meal, adding meat can enhance the flavour and make it even more satisfying. Meats such as bacon, ham, sausage, and beef are popular choices to pair with broccoli cheese soup, with their savoury profiles complementing the creamy soup. Alternatively, a charcuterie board with an assortment of meats and cheeses can be offered on the side, allowing for customisation and a variety of flavours.

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Ham, bacon, or sausage

Broccoli cheese soup is a hearty and comforting meal, and adding meat to it can make it even more satisfying. Ham, bacon, and sausage are all excellent choices to pair with this creamy soup.

Ham is a versatile option that can enhance the flavour of the soup. Its savoury and salty notes complement the cheese in the soup, creating a rich and indulgent taste experience. Whether baked, fried, or grilled, ham adds a delicious texture to the soup.

Bacon is another popular choice to pair with broccoli cheese soup. Its crispy texture and salty flavour enhance the creaminess of the soup. Bacon can be crumbled or chopped and added directly to the soup, or used as a topping, providing a delightful contrast in texture and a savoury punch to the dish.

Sausage is a versatile meat that can be used in various ways to complement broccoli cheese soup. Crumbled sausage adds a hearty texture and a burst of flavour to the soup. Grilled or fried sausage links can also be served on the side, providing a juicy and savoury contrast to the creamy soup.

These meats can be added directly to the soup or served on the side, such as in sandwiches or as part of a charcuterie board. For a complete meal, serve the soup with bread, such as crusty bread, garlic bread, or bread bowls, which are perfect for dipping into the soup.

For a heartier meal, meats like ground beef or hamburger can be added to the soup, as suggested in a recipe found online. This creates a thick and satisfying soup, perfect for a chilly night.

Bread, including garlic bread, Turkish bread, or sourdough

Bread is a great side to serve with broccoli cheese soup, and there are several options to choose from. If you're looking for something quick and easy, garlic bread is a perfect choice. You can make it in an air fryer in just 5 minutes, or try a gluten-free option. For something a little more special, try Turkish garlic bread. This popular loaf of white bread is long and rectangular and often sold seeded. To make Turkish garlic bread, you'll need butter, garlic, dried herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, and chives, and optionally some pecorino romano or parmesan cheese. The bread will only take about 15 minutes to cook, resulting in golden brown and crispy edges with a fluffy, garlicky, and cheesy centre.

Another option for bread to serve with broccoli cheese soup is sourdough. You can bake your own gluten-free sourdough bread or make sourdough crackers to go with the soup. If you're looking for a more indulgent option, rosemary and goat's cheese focaccia or a bread bowl made from a homemade sourdough loaf are sure to impress.

Finally, if you're looking for a simple option, crusty bread or bread buns are always a good choice to accompany a comforting bowl of broccoli cheese soup.

Rice or pasta

If you're looking for a quicker option, pasta is a good alternative. Fusilli pasta is recommended as a side for broccoli cheese soup, and it's likely that you'll already have some in your pantry.

If you're looking for a more substantial meal, you could try adding meat to your soup. Ground beef is a popular choice, as are bacon and sausage.

For a vegan option, you could try making a tempeh bacon marinated in teriyaki sauce and Old Bay seasoning. Serve this with a refreshing salad to complement your soup.

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Salads, including kale salad or winter fruit salad

Kale Salad

Kale salads are a great way to add some colour and nutrition to your meal. The key to a delicious kale salad is to massage the kale leaves with olive oil and lemon juice to soften them and make them more palatable. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Kale (any type, such as curly kale or Tuscan kale)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh lemon juice
• Roasted chickpeas (for protein and crunch)
• Carrots and beets (grated or roasted)
• Watermelon radish (thinly sliced)
• Avocado (for creaminess)
• Dried cranberries (for sweet-tart flavour)
• Toasted pepitas and sesame seeds (for nutty crunch)
• Salt and pepper

For an extra special touch, you can make a carrot ginger dressing by blending roasted carrots, ginger, and rice vinegar. This dressing adds a wonderful creamy texture and a bright, refreshing flavour to the salad.

Winter Fruit Salad

A winter fruit salad is a colourful and refreshing side dish that can brighten up your meal during the colder months. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Mandarin oranges
• Pineapple
• Kiwi
• Pomegranates (fresh seeds or ready-made)
• Lemon juice, honey, and poppy seeds for the dressing

You can also get creative and adapt the recipe to your liking, such as using Granny Smith apples for a pleasant crunch or adding cinnamon for a unique twist.

In addition to these salads, you can also serve a variety of other sides with your broccoli cheese soup, such as fries, gluten-free sourdough, sandwiches (with meat, avocado, or tempeh), rice, pasta, or various types of bread. Enjoy experimenting with different combinations to find your favourite!

Sandwiches, including a vegan option

Sandwiches are a great side to serve with broccoli cheese soup. A simple cheese sandwich can complement the soup well. You can also add meat to the sandwich, such as ham or chicken, to make it a more substantial meal.

If you're looking for a vegan option, you can make a vegan cheese sandwich. The Cook & Him has a recipe for toasted vegan cheese sandwiches that uses a combination of vegan cheddar and mozzarella. You can also add avocado to the sandwich, which complements the cheese in the soup.

Here's a recipe for a vegan sandwich with broccoli cheese soup:

Ingredients:

• Bread
• Vegan butter or margarine
• Vegan cheddar
• Vegan mozzarella

Instructions:

• Spread butter or margarine on four slices of bread.
• Place two of the slices buttered-side down in a frying pan.
• Top each slice of bread with grated vegan cheddar and mozzarella.
• Place the other two slices of bread on top, buttered-side up.
• Turn on the heat and cook for around 5 minutes, until the underside is golden.
• Carefully flip each sandwich over and cook the other side for another 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately with the hot soup.

You can also experiment with different types of bread, such as herbed beer bread, rye bread, or gluten-free bread.

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