Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into uniform small pieces so they cook evenly. Mince the garlic finely. Chop the broccoli into small florets—this helps them cook quickly and blend smoothly later. Most importantly, blend the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor until completely smooth; this prevents lumps in your finished soup and creates the creamy base that makes this soup special.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it becomes aromatic but not browned—this creates the flavor foundation for the entire soup.

Sprinkle the flour and smoked paprika over the cooked vegetables and stir constantly for about 1 minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste and allows the flour to absorb the fat, creating a roux that will thicken your soup. You'll notice the mixture becomes paste-like and toasted-smelling—this is exactly what you want.

Pour in the vegetable broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Add the chopped broccoli florets and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble gently for 8-9 minutes until the broccoli is very soft and easily pierced with a fork. I like my broccoli tender rather than crisp in this soup because we'll be blending part of it, which creates a naturally thick and creamy texture.

Reduce heat to low and pour in the milk, stirring gently. Once the milk is warmed through (don't let it boil), add the blended cottage cheese and shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until both cheeses melt completely and the soup becomes creamy and smooth. The cottage cheese dissolves completely while adding protein and body to the soup without making it heavy.

Using an immersion blender, blend about 1 cup of the soup directly in the pot, or carefully ladle 1 cup of soup into a blender, puree it, and return it to the pot. This creates a partially blended soup with lovely texture—some whole broccoli pieces remain while the puree adds creaminess. Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper as needed. I find that starting with a pinch of salt and adding more gradually helps you achieve the right balance without oversalting.