Shredded Cheddar Broccoli Soup with Toasted Croutons

For the croutons
7 Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
8 Put the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the herbs over the bread. Toss to combine. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the cubes are crisp and golden. Store the croutons in a covered container at room temperature up to 5 days.
Cook the soup
0 Stir the olive oil, onions and garlic together in a 4-5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook until the onions are softened, 5-7 minutes.
2 Add the broccoli, 5 cups broth, 1½ teaspoons salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium. Cook 15-20 minutes, partially covered, until the broccoli is tender.
3 Puree with an immersion blender: Scoop out 1½ cups of the broccoli with a slotted spoon into a measuring cup or bowl and reserve. Puree the rest of the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Puree with a standing blender: Remove half the soup and transfer to a blender (be sure not to overfill to avoid it spilling over). Return to the pot.After pureeing, you can drizzle in more of the remaining 1 cup of the broth to reach a the consistency you like.
4 Over low heat, stir in the cream and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese to the soup. Stir until the cheese melts. Add in the reserved broccoli and stir it in.
5 Serve the soup in bowls, sprinkled with additional shredded cheddar and some of the croutons.