You can make this cream of broccoli soup as healthy or as decadent as you like! The soup is thick and creamy without the need for cream; however, cauliflower can be used in place of or combined with potatoes for a lighter alternative. If desired, add cheese as a garnish, or keep it plain!
Cream of Broccoli Soup
I enjoy soup all year long. I almost always eat zucchini soup for lunch during the summer. I usually rely on this Cream of Broccoli Soup in the off-season. (Which is excellent as a freezer meal!)
Carrots are a great addition to this soup because they lend a hint of sweetness and zucchini is sweeter than broccoli. With or without cream, the flavor combination is perfect and delicious.
Although I prefer using potatoes to thicken the broth, cauliflower works just as well if you're looking for a low-carb alternative.
How to Make It
For five minutes, soften diced celery, onions, and carrots in butter and olive oil.
Salt, pepper, cayenne, minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Sauté for 1 minute.
Add the broccoli and cook for five minutes with a partial cover.
To the pot, add diced or peeled potatoes, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Boil, then turn down the heat to medium.
Until the vegetables are very tender to the fork, simmer partially covered. About 20 minutes.
Get rid of the heat. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender or by adding ingredients in batches to a blender.
Stir the cream into the soup after heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds. If desired, add cheese as a garnish before serving
Pro Tips
For a low-carb alternative to potatoes, cauliflower may be used; alternatively, a combination of both may be used.
- The cream is not required; the soup is still very flavorful without it.
- Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces to allow it to cook more quickly.
- Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces to hasten the cooking process. Use unsalted butter, broth with low sodium content, and/or only season to taste if you want a low-sodium soup.
- If you're adding cheese, shred it straight from the block for better flavor and melting. Cellulose in bagged shredded cheese keeps it from melting as well. (It serves to keep the cheese from forming clumps in the bag.)
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months when kept in an airtight container.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- ½ cup carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne, optional
- 5 cups broccoli florets, cut into chunks (about 2 large heads)
- 5 cups chicken broth, use low sodium if preferred
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, (or Worcestershire sauce)
- 2 Russet potatoes, equal to 1 pound
- ¾ cup Half and Half, or heavy cream
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, celery, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add minced garlic, ½ teaspoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 pinch cayenne. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes, partially covered.
- Peel/rinse the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes .
- Add diced potatoes, chicken broth, and soy sauce to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
- Let simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are very fork tender. About 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches to blend until smooth.
- Heat the cream in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir it into the soup.
- Garnish with cheese if desired and serve.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Cauliflower can be used instead of potatoes for a low-carb option, or a mixture of both can also be used.
- The addition of cream is optional, the soup is very flavorful without it.
- Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces to allow it to cook more quickly.
- For low sodium soup: Use unsalted butter, reduced sodium broth, and/or only add salt to taste if desired.
- If adding cheese, shred it from a block so that it tastes better and melts well. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose which prevents it from melting as well. (It's purpose is to prevent the cheese from clumping together in the bag.)
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