This savory recipe combines two of my favorite things, cheesy soup and puff pastry, so I was intrigued and excited about the collaboration when I first heard about it from Tiegan on Half Baked Harvest. Plus, the soup inside really warms you up and [almost] makes you forget the cold, dreary mess outside.

I made the mistake of going out to the bars without a coat last weekend (You gotta make sacrifices for the outfit, right?) and caught a cold. The cheesy, thick soup paired with the flaky bread was delicious, comforting, and soothed my throat. I usually go for dipping bread inside soup when I’m sick, but this infusion allows for the flavors and textures to meld together more so, not to mention it’s (slightly) less effort, and more portable. You can always dip the pastry inside soup if you’re looking to double your soup experience.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: Soup? Within bread? Won’t it leak or get soggy? I had some concerns before seeing the finished product, but the soup is very thick and has a lot of broccoli in it, so it actually sits nicely inside its little pocket. Not to mention all those flaky, buttery layers of puff pastry provide lots of protection. Think of it as a fully contained bread bowl, except cheesy. Plus, this infused pastry has an upper hand on the conventional bread bowl, because with every bite, you get the best of both worlds with both bread and soup.

As an added bonus, one of this indulgence’s main ingredients, broccoli, packs some serious health benefits. Broccoli is chock full of vitamins K, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, and is also a good source of fiber.  Even if you’re not the biggest fan of broccoli, it really adds to the flavor of the soup and cheddar. Take it from me: I tend to prefer other vegetables over broccoli, but I craved its taste in this concoction.

These pastries can be enjoyed fresh out of the oven, or can be refrigerated to eat as a snack later, whether you’re at home, work, or school.

Here’s how to create these little bites of heaven:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Roots and All coconut oil
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 14 oz can coconut milk
• 4 cups broccoli florets (Don’t waste the leaves, check out #7 on this list for how to prepare them!)
• 1-2 cups mushrooms diced
• 1-2 cups chicken broth + 2 cups water to thin
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used 2 cups for the soup mix and the last cup to top my pies)
• 1 package of Pillsbury biscuits
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• Kosher salt

How To Make It:

1. Heat coconut oil in a pot on medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Mix in flour, cook 3-4 minutes until golden, then whisk in milk until creamy.
4. Mix in 1 cup both, broccoli, mushrooms, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
5. After bringing to a simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered. Let cook 15-20 minutes, or until thickened.
6. Once broccoli is tender, take out half from the soup (for now).
7. Puree the remaining mixture in a blender until somewhat smooth, but with some chunks remaining.
8. Put mixture and previously removed broccoli back into the pot, and add cheese and whisk until melted.
9. Let soup simmer until it is very thick (about 10 minutes), then remove half of the soup, put it in a heat proof bowl, and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
10. Stir in 1 cup chicken broth into the remaining soup. This part of the soup will be the dipping component!
11. Preheat oven to 375° F.
12. Lay out puff pastry sheets, and use a cookie cutter to cut large circles (approximately 4 per pastry sheet). Remaining dough can be combined together and re-flattened to be “circle-ized”.
13. Brush egg wash onto half of the circle, and scoop 2-4 tablespoons of cooled soup into the center of each pastry circle. Fold dough over mixture, to make a semi circle.
14. Press edges with a fork, and poke a few air holes with the fork on top of each pastry.  Top with cheddar cheese.
15.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
16. Dip and enjoy!

My batch made about 8 pies and only gave me a bowl of soup for dipping so if you would like to have more for dipping, I would recommend doubling the soup proportions.

Don’t forget to how us your creation with the tag #tryrootsandall on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!