Dice the onion. Then add the garlic, celery stick, and butternut squash to a small food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are combined and pretty liquified. Small pieces are ok since we will use an emulsion blender later.
In your Le Creuset dutch oven or soup pot, begin cooking the onion. When the onion is translucent, add in the full quart of chicken stock, the liquified veggies from the food processor, and the nutmeg. Add all the cauliflower rice to the broth as well. Keep your stove on medium heat.
Chop your broccoli into chunks for easy and even cooking. Then add into the soup mixture. After approximately 15 minutes of cooking in the broth mixture, your broccoli should soften, but not mushy. You will be able to tell by the color.
Then remove your soup pot from the heat. Use your emulsion blender to breakdown all the vegetables in the soup and transform it into a ‘creamy’ consistency. I like to have a little texture in my broccoli cheese soup, so I used my emulsion blender in short spurts.
Next, bring your soup back to the stove on low to medium heat. Add in the full tablespoon of Cayenne pepper. Then slowly add the cheese: add a handful and stir it into your soup using a silicon spatula. You will do this a few times until all the cheese is added and melted.
Serve your veggie-filled broccoli cheese soup in a bowl and garnish with a little extra cheese. Enjoy this delicious dinner that is perfect for a cold winter night, and celebrate the fact that you used so much produce! Bonus: the leftovers are great for lunch or dinner!
