Broccoli Cheddar Gnocchi Soup with Crispy Spicy Chickpeas

episode #88 of 30-minute budget meals

Happy holidays! I hope everyone is finding some relaxation in their life right now. I know the holidays can be hectic, but there is also something special about the time between Christmas and the New Year. I find that my mind rests a lot when I’m not as pressured to get so much work done.

That being said, I did develop this recipe yesterday that I am now obsessed with! Do you ever have dishes you don’t attempt because you falsely believe they’re too involved? That was Broccoli Cheddar Soup for me. It sounds silly, now, but in my head, it was a complicated dish. Imagine my surprise when I learned it can be made in just 30 minutes!

There are a million broccoli cheddar soup recipes floating around out there, so I wanted to make sure I did something a little different. First, I added gnocchi to make it a little heartier. Second, I added crispy, spicy chickpeas on top, both for protein and a little crunch. And finally, I did use some heavy cream in this dish, but I reduced the amount, and I was shocked at how creamy it still came out. Most recipes call for a ration of 1:1 heavy cream or half and half to broth. I found that using mostly broth still yielded a very creamy and thick soup, and I liked that it was just a wee bit healthier.

And my sister-in-law couldn’t stop saying “mmm,” while she was eating it, so I’m very pleased with how mine came out ;)

RECIPE!

Broccoli Cheddar Gnocchi Soup with Crispy Spicy Chickpeas

Ingredients (serves 4)