Spelt Broccoli Cheddar Soup Bowls are edible spelt bread bowls baked until deep golden, then filled with a thick broccoli cheddar soup thickened with a spelt flour roux. The crust bakes at 200C/400F for 22 to 25 minutes and stays sturdy enough to hold a full bowl of soup without going soggy right away.
Spelt flour brings a nutty edge to both the bread and the roux, which balances the sharp cheddar without needing extra seasoning. The broccoli stays bright and just tender, not mushy, if you watch the clock during the last stretch of simmering.
Spelt dough tears if you overwork it, so knead it only until smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes. It feels stickier than wheat dough the whole time, and that’s normal.
You can mix the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the fridge, then bake fresh bowls while the soup simmers the next day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bread bowls double as the serving dish, less washing up
- Spelt flour gives the crust a nutty, chewy bite
- Soup thickens in under 10 minutes with a simple roux
- Dough can rise overnight for a slower morning bake
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour: Used in both the dough and the soup roux. It absorbs less liquid than wheat flour, so add water gradually when kneading.
- Sharp cheddar: Grate it off the block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese, it melts smoother and avoids a grainy soup.
- Broccoli: Chop florets small and even so they cook through in the same 8 to 10 minutes the soup needs to thicken.
- Instant yeast: Works faster than active dry yeast and skips a separate proofing step. Active dry yeast works too, just add 5 extra minutes to the first rise.
- Whole milk: Gives the soup body without being as heavy as cream. Low-fat milk works but the soup turns out thinner.
- Mustard powder: A small pinch sharpens the cheddar flavor without making the soup taste like mustard. Skip it if you don’t have any on hand.
Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Spelt Bread Bowls
Description
This recipe pairs a cheesy, spelt-flour-thickened broccoli soup with soft-crusted spelt bread bowls you shape and bake yourself, so the bowl becomes part of the meal.
Ingredients
Spelt Bread Bowls
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Instructions
Make the Spelt Bread Bowls
- Combine warm water, yeast, and honey in a bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, mix spelt flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil, stir into a shaggy dough.
- Knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Spelt dough feels stickier than wheat dough, resist adding extra flour.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 45 to 60 minutes until doubled.
- Punch down, divide into 4 pieces, shape into tight rounds, place on a baking sheet, cover, and rest 20 minutes.
- Bake at 200C/400F for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Cool 10 minutes, slice a lid off the top of each loaf, and scoop out the soft interior, leaving a 1.5 cm wall.
Make the Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, cook 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle spelt flour over the vegetables, stir constantly 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the stock, then the milk, until smooth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, add broccoli, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until broccoli is tender and the soup coats the back of a spoon.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in cheddar a handful at a time until melted. Season with mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into the hollowed bread bowls and serve right away.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 520kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 24g37%
- Saturated Fat 12g60%
- Cholesterol 55mg19%
- Sodium 780mg33%
- Potassium 450mg13%
- Total Carbohydrate 55g19%
- Dietary Fiber 6g24%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 20g40%
- Vitamin A 3500 IU
- Vitamin C 45 mg
- Calcium 300 mg
- Iron 3 mg
- Vitamin D 20 IU
- Vitamin E 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K 60 mcg
- Thiamin 0.25 mg
- Riboflavin 0.3 mg
- Niacin 3 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
- Folate 50 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.6 mcg
- Phosphorus 300 mg
- Magnesium 60 mg
- Zinc 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Reserve the scooped bread interior for croutons or breadcrumbs, don't toss it.
- Cook the roux 1 to 2 minutes so it loses its raw flour taste.
- Add cheese off direct heat so it melts smooth, not grainy.
- Rise the dough overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.
- Let bread bowls cool 10 minutes before cutting so the crumb sets.