Cream of broccoli soup may not sound appealing as summer approaches. However, if you need comfort food, this soup will hit the spot. Broccoli soup contains so many health benefits, and it pairs well with other dishes like salad or pasta.
Cream of broccoli soup has a rich, pureed texture, similar to that of tomato basil soup.
This soup can make a meal by itself or be served alongside family favorites like casseroles, lasagna, or chicken dishes. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, so you can even whip it up on a worknight. No matter how you choose to serve this cream of broccoli soup, we hope you enjoy it!
Here’s how to make this healthy cream of broccoli soup:
What you’ll need:
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Baking sheet
- Tongs
- Hand blender (immersion blender)
Ingredients:
- 2 medium broccoli heads
- 2 medium-sized carrots
- 1 medium potato
- 1 small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- 5 cups hot vegetable stock
- Two bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- French baguette (or whatever bread you like)
- Softened butter
- Fresh parsley
Directions for making cream of broccoli soup:
- Chop the carrots, onion, and potato into cubes, then cut the ends off the broccoli. Finely mince the two garlic cloves.
- Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of the large pot. Turn the heat on low and add the onions, simmering until slightly brown. Add the garlic next, cooking for a few minutes.
- Then, add the potato and carrots, cooking until slightly soft.
- Finally, add the broccoli, mixing it around the pot to coat it thoroughly with the oil.
- Now, pour in the vegetable stock. Make sure you warm it up beforehand, so it’s hot.
- Next, add in your bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil.
- Then, add the cup of frozen peas. Mix them in with a spoon and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
- Now, grab your French baguette or bread of your choice and cut it into slices. Place on your baking sheet.
- Mix a stick of softened butter and fresh parsley in a small bowl. Add minced garlic, and use a small spoon to blend into the butter.
- Spread some on your bread slices, and bake at 390 degrees F for 15 minutes (until the crust is crispy).
- Now, back to the cream of broccoli soup. Use tongs to remove the bay leaves and remove the soup from the heat.
- Use your hand blender to thoroughly blend the soup until you have a creamy, thick texture.
- Serve and garnish with cream and parsley. Bon appétit!
If you’re not a cream of broccoli soup lover, we’ll include a broccoli cheese soup recipe as a bonus.
How to make broccoli cheese soup
Ingredients:
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small to medium sweet yellow onion, diced finely
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cups half-and-half (You can use whole or 2% milk, however, this will reduce creaminess).
- 2-3 cups broccoli florets, diced small + 1 cup stems (optional)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced very thinly
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika (optional and to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional and to taste)
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional and to taste)
- 8 ounces grated organic, grass-fed extra-sharp cheddar cheese (save a little for garnishing)
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter and the diced onion. Sauté over medium heat for about 4 minutes, until the onion turns brown. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously to prevent it from burning. Take off the heat and set aside.
- In a large, deep pot, add the remaining butter and flour, cooking over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk this mixture constantly until flour becomes thick. The roux needs to be thick to give the soup the right consistency.
- Gradually add in the vegetable or chicken stock, stirring frequently.
- Slowly add in the half-and-half or milk, also stirring continuously.
- Simmer the roux on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until it reduces and thickens more. Whisk occasionally to keep skin from forming on top.
- While the roux simmers, chop up the broccoli and carrots. After it simmers for 15 to 20 minutes, add the broccoli and carrots. Also, mix in the onion and garlic from the other pot.
- Add the salt and pepper to taste and the optional paprika, dry mustard powder, and cayenne. These seasonings aren’t necessary, but they do add to the flavor of the soup. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Simmer on low heat for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until it reduces and thickens once more. Whisk occasionally to mix in any skin that forms on top.
- While soup simmers, start grating the cheese. We recommend buying a high-quality cheese because this will give the soup maximum flavor. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese because it doesn’t melt well and will affect the consistency of the soup.
- Simmer for another 20-25 minutes, adding in most of the cheese. Set aside a small portion for garnishing. Stir in the cheese until it melts and blends completely into the soup, or about 1 minute.
Great news…
Both soups can keep in the fridge airtight for 5-7 days. To reheat, microwave on medium heat, stirring occasionally, or heat on medium-high on the stove. Both the broccoli cheese and cream of broccoli soups are easy to make and require an hour or less of cooking.
Final Thoughts: this cream of broccoli soup is a healthy, easy recipe for the workweek
No matter what season it is, sometimes you get a craving for a warm bowl of soup. Broccoli cheese or cream of broccoli soup is excellent comfort food to have year-round. Best of all, you don’t need to be a five-star chef to make them. Let us know how you like this recipe in the comments!
