Cream of Broccoli Soup
This Cream of Broccoli Soup thick, smooth, and creamy, with rich flavors and a touch of Parmesan. It’s quick to prepare and unlike bland store-bought cartons, my homemade version is jam-packed with taste!
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This broccoli soup is anything but boring.
Because let’s face it, some cream of broccoli soups are boring. Ho-hum. Decidedly meh. Cartons of broccoli-colored liquid that barely earn the title of soup.
To transcend the pureed-broccoli-and-broth experience, we start this creamy broccoli soup with butter for richness. I add SIX cloves of garlic, lemon juice to perk things up, and grated Parm which melts into the soup to add lots of depth.
By adding a starchy russet potato to this recipe, we get a rich, creamy soup despite using milk instead of heavy cream.
Like my Broccoli Cauliflower Soup and Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup, this cream of broccoli soup is also a soup that will leave you pleasantly satisfied—and not raiding the pantry for a snack an hour after dinner.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Unsalted Butter. Cooking the aromatics in butter rather than oil is a way to add a rich dairy flavor without heavy cream.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic. Flavor builders! As mentioned above, I add a hefty 6 cloves of garlic here. If your cloves are smaller than usual, throw in a few extra; if they’re ginormous garlic cloves, you can add less.
- Russet Potato. I leave the skin on since we’re going to puree the soup anyway. A little extra fiber in the diet never hurts.
- Broccoli. The star of the show! I use heads of broccoli, but you can also use 2 pounds of broccoli with heads and stems; peel the thick skin from the stems then dice them.
- Milk. I use 1% milk, but whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed, please. It has a more vibrant flavor. Adding acid like citrus juice or vinegar is an easy way to enhance the taste of soups and sauces.
- Grated Parmesan. Freshly grated Parmesan is absolutely essential. The shelf-stable grated Parm sold in the pasta aisle will not melt smoothly into your cream of broccoli soup, which will leave it with an unpleasant texture.
How to Make Cream of Broccoli Soup
Sweat the Onion. Sweating is the short way of saying: cook the onion until it’s soft and translucent but not brown. You’ll cook it with the butter and oil, along with salt and pepper.
Add the Garlic and Potato. Make sure the potato is cut into evenly-sized chunks so they all finish cooking at the same time. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Broccoli and Liquid. Broccoli first—stir it in as best you can (the pot will be very full) and cook for 5 minutes, or until it’s a vibrant, happy green. Pour in the broth and milk and let the mixture come to a simmer.
Keep Simmering. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat a bit for a nice, gentle simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, or until both the broccoli and potatoes are tender.
Puree. Your easiest option is to use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot. For a smoother cream of broccoli soup but a little more work, transfer the soup in batches to a countertop blender. If you do this, I recommend letting the soup cool a bit first, venting the blender lid to keep steam from building, and then draping a kitchen towel over the lid to keep soup from splattering out of the vent.
Finish. Stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan, and cayenne. Season to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish how you like, and ENJOY!
What to Serve with Cream of Broccoli Soup
This cream of broccoli soup is perfect for a light lunch or dinner on its own. But if you want a more filling meal, pair it off with one of these options.
- Sandwiches. You can’t go wrong with soup and a grilled cheese sandwich—or this Air Fryer Grilled Cheese. (What would be even more fabulous is making the grilled cheese with gouda or havarti, cutting it into cubes, and floating them in the broccoli soup.)
- Salads. This Pear Salad is my current favorite, but most green salads would work well with this recipe.
- Bread. Soak up your cream of broccoli soup with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or Roasted Garlic Potato Rolls.
- Crackers or Croutons. For some crunch, try the sage croutons from my Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. Oyster crackers and saltines are a nostalgic favorite, too.
More Recipes for Broccoli Lovers
- Broccoli Beef Recipe
- Sautéed Broccoli
- Broccoli Rice Casserole
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Cream of Broccoli Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 medium-large russet potato scrubbed and ½-inch diced (about ¾ pound), I leave the peels on
- 2 heads broccoli about 2 pounds, cut into florets
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup milk I used 1%
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice plus additional to taste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese not the kind in the can!
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional
- Drizzle of heavy cream optional
- Finely chopped chives or parsley optional
Instructions
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In a Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy soup pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent, adjusting the heat as needed so it softens but does not brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
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Add the garlic and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
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Add the broccoli and saute 5 minutes more, stirring carefully and often. Chances are your pot will be very full. Do your best to expose the broccoli evenly to the heat. The broccoli will turn bright green.
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Add the broth and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
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Partially cover the pot. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring periodically, until the broccoli and potatoes are completely tender, about 15 minutes.
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With an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy (or transfer it to a blender and puree in batches—be careful as hot soup splatters!).
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Stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan, and cayenne (if using). Carefully taste and add more salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve hot with a drizzle of optional heavy cream and sprinkle of chives or parsley.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate cream of broccoli soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, or pop it in the microwave. (I prefer the stovetop because there are inevitably cold spots in the soup when I use the microwave.)
- TO FREEZE: Transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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Original source: https://www.wellplated.com/cream-of-broccoli-soup/