Broccoli Potato Soup

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 7-8 minutes until softened.
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
3 celery stalks
Stir in the garlic, thyme and red chili flakes and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Sprinkle the plain flour over the vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully absorbed.
4 tablespoons plain flour
Slowly pour in the whole milk, stirring constantly to keep the mixture smooth and lump-free.
2 cups whole milk
Add the chicken broth and cubed potatoes and stir well, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are almost fork-tender.
4 cups chicken broth
1 ½ lbs. red potatoes
Stir in the broccoli florets and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
4 cups broccoli florets
Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup with a few short pulses, leaving plenty of potato and broccoli chunks for texture.
Stir in the grated cheddar until completely melted, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot, topped with crispy bacon bits if you like.
1 cup cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooked bacon