Creamy Vegetable and Orecchiette Soup is made with lots of vegetables in a creamy white cheddar cheese broth and served over hearty and filling durum wheat semolina orecchiette pasta.
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven at medium heat.Add the olive oil and diced onion, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, bay leaf, and thyme. Sauté the vegetables for 7 minutes.
Add the flour, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken stock a little at a time, while continuing to stir. It will thicken very rapidly. Keep adding the stock little by little to make a sort of roux.Once all of the chicken stock has been added, bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the frozen peas and return to a simmer. Add the milk and cheese, stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper.
Separately cook the orecchiette until al dente.
Serve the soup in bowls over a small amount of the orecchiette. If you have extra shredded white cheddar cheese you can sprinkle that on top.