Broccoli Cheddar Soup

-1 First and foremost, prep your vegetables and get your ingredients in order. Do all the chopping before you get started on the cooking, and have everything out so you don't have to leave the stovetop.
-1 In a large Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat.
-1 Add the onions to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir constantly so the onions don't begin to brown.
-1 Add the garlic and thyme, then cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
-1 Add the flour, stirring until the mixture is well blended. Cook for 2-3 minutes so that the flour can get a little color to it, as well.
-1 Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven as you do this to pull up any browned bits left behind from the onion.
-1 Bring to the soup to boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
-1 Add the chopped broccoli and cover the pot. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes, while opening the lid to stir occasionally.
-1 Remove the pot from the heat. Puree with a hand-held immersion blender or a blender, then return to the pot.
-1 Add the milk and cheese. Stir until incorporated and melted. This might take a few minutes, depending on how hot your mixture still is.
-1 Serve warm, and enjoy!