Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe
This cream of broccoli soup is hearty and wholesome. Made with broccoli, parmesan cheese, and a secret ingredient that makes it rich, creamy, and delicious in less than 30 minutes.
Broccoli soup is a perfect way to harness the goodness of this green vegetable, transforming it into a creamy, soothing dish that’s ideal for any time of the year. Whether served as a light starter or a hearty main course, broccoli soup is both nourishing and satisfying. The process of making the soup typically involves simmering broccoli with aromatics like onions and garlic, and then blending it to a smooth consistency. This method not only enhances the flavor but also retains the nutritional value.
Broccoli soup is also incredibly adaptable – you can add cheese for richness, potatoes for extra body, or spices for a kick. Easy to prepare and brimming with health benefits, broccoli soup is a deliciously wholesome choice for any meal.
Why make this soup?
- You won’t get a more heart-healthy broccoli soup than this. While there is a little Parmesan cheese in the soup for flavor, it is not loaded with cheese or butter, which makes this perfect more than once a week.
- The secret ingredient is potato – The potato’s job is to make the soup creamier. How? If you use only broccoli, the soup has a grainy texture, but the fiber in the potato blends it smoothly. Cool eh?
- Milk instead of cream – The job of cornstarch is to prevent milk from splitting and thickening the soup, so we don’t need to load it with cream.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Broccoli – I’ve used one head of broccoli, about a pound, which works great for our family of four, but you can certainly double the recipe.
- Potato – I prefer potato instead of flour as my thickening agent in this soup. I noticed that the potato helps the sweet peas blend to a smoother consistency, giving the sweet potato skin some fiber to blend well.
- Thyme – I like using thyme. A little goes a long way and does not affect the color of the soup either.
- Milk – Cauliflower is high in fiber, so you don’t really need any heavy cream in this soup. I like using full-fat milk.
- Cornstarch – The purpose of the cornstarch here is to prevent the milk from splitting. Of course, it also works as a thickener, which is why the cream is really not necessary in this soup.
- Parmesan – Adds a slightly nutty flavor to the soup. The first time I used it was by mistake and everybody complimented the soup I had to do it again. Now, it’s a must-have ingredient.
Step-by-step: Cream of broccoli soup
- In a soup pot, add oil and saute the onions for a minute until translucent. Then add the garlic and bay leaves – saute for another 30 seconds.
Pro tip – Chop the broccoli, potatoes, and onions small so they cook fast.
- Next, add the chopped broccoli and potatoes – saute for 2 minutes, then add the thyme and stock.
Pro tip – The potato helps keep the soup nice and creamy, so we don’t need any cream. - Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes until the veggies are tender.
Pro tip – If you use store-bought chicken stock, check to see if salt has been added. - Remove the bay leaves, add the parsley, and blend the veggies into a smooth puree.
- Combine the milk and cornstarch, then add it to the soup, followed by the Parmesan cheese – combine well.
Pro tip – The cornstarch in the milk will prevent the milk from splitting. - Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency – add water if the soup is too thick.
Pro tip – The soup will continue to thicken as it cools. If necessary, you can add more water and warm the soup again. - Serve with toasted bread or croutons. I like a little more Parmesan and parsley for garnish.
Frequently asked questions
The delicious cream of broccoli soup will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Always thaw in the fridge overnight for the best results.
Yes, you can. The potato, however, combines with the grainy texture of the broccoli and helps make the soup creamier
For our family, a side salad or sauteed veggies with some homemade fresh bread on the side makes a complete meal. Try
garlic sesame asparagus, parmesan asparagus, or sesame green beans. Some cheesy baked eggplant slices, lemon rosemary potatoes, or roasted dill potatoes
Walnut Raisin WW Bread
No-Knead Beer Bread
No-knead Bread
Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bread Rolls
Garlic Dinner Rolls
See all bread recipes
Cream of Broccoli Soup
This cream of broccoli soup is hearty and wholesome. Made with broccoli, parmesan cheese, and a secret ingredient that makes it rich, creamy, and delicious in less than 30 minutes.
Video
Ingredients
- 6 cups (500 g) Broccoli chopped in small florets
- 1 cup (200 g) Potato chopped into small pieces
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- ½ cup Onions chopped into small pieces
- ½ tsp Garlic sliced
- 2 Bay leaves
- ½ tsp Thyme fresh
- 1 spring Parsley (1/4 cup)
- 1 cup (250 ml) Stock chicken or vegetable
- 1 cup (250 ml) Milk Whole
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated (optional)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
Method
- In a soup pot, add oil and saute the onions for a minute until translucent. Then add the garlic and bay leaves – saute another 30 seconds.1 tbsp Olive oil, ½ tsp Garlic, 2 Bay leaves, ½ cup Onions
- Next, add the chopped broccoli and potatoes – saute for 2 minutes, then add the thyme and stock.6 cups Broccoli, 1 cup Potato, 1 cup Stock, ½ tsp Thyme
- Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes until the veggies are tender.½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Pepper
- Remove the bay leaves, add the parsley, and blend the veggies into a smooth puree.1 spring Parsley
- Combine the milk and cornstarch, then add it to the soup, followed by the Parmesan cheese – combine well.1 cup Milk, 1 tbsp Cornstarch, 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency – add water if the soup is too thick.
- Serve with toasted bread or croutons. I like a little more Parmesan and parsley for garnish.
Notes
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- Choose the right vegetables and pair them appropriately. This is important when combining two or more veggies together.
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- Know the cooking time of these vegetables. Add the longer cooking vegetables to the pot first, or some will be mush while the others will be grainy.
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- When possible, opt for roasting the vegetables. Roasting veggies caramelizes the sugars and brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetables.
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- If possible, make your own homemade stock. This makes a huge difference to homemade soups.
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- If you use ready-to-use store-bought stock, make sure to under-season your vegetables, as commercial stocks have tons of salt added to them.
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- You don’t always need butter or cream for every soup. Vegetables with high fiber, like potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, and butternut squash, become very creamy when cooked and pulsed. This means you can eat them more often if you make them healthier. Right?
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- Often a tab of butter or cream on the top adds that touch of flavor you need in a soup. So add just that 1/2 tsp of butter or 1 tbsp of cream on the top as garnish.
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- Yogurt and milk are great alternatives to full-fat cream. That said, both milk and yogurt can split when added to soups. So add them warm and at the last minute. Then, turn the heat off. OR
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- A teaspoon of cornstarch in every cup of milk will prevent the milk from splitting.
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- While yogurt is a great low-fat addition to soups, it can add a bit of tang, which may or may not work with all vegetables.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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I used your recipe but didn’t have potatoes, so instead of blending the broccoli I chopped the 3 lbs of it that I needed to cook. Added all the other ingredients, including the warm whole milk at the end, I did shred a half sweet onion to sautée at the beginning because 1 of my grands doesn’t like finding onions. Also added a tiny bit of celery seed, not celery salt!, and a dash of dill, because I find they complement broccoli really well!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I had to use almost 7 lbs of broccoli from our Food Bank, and just steaming them wasn’t going to be efficient. A soup was going to go down better, I thought, and boy, was I right!! My 3 grands, ages 15y, 6y and 5y at the time, asked for 2nds that first night (I even added a bit of cheddar at the bottom of their bowls!), and, and Dad only got one adult serving. I was too tired to eat which was fine because the pot was almost licked clean by then. My son toasted some French bread slices and used a spatula to scrape the “dry” stuff off the sides, which were actually creamy, to spread on them. He looked like he was enjoying them.
In the end, we had another pot the next day, but I increased the amount by a quart because I was asked for leftovers. There weren’t any, anyway. And both nights I used the peeled trunks of the broccoli, so nothing was wasted. If I’d had a good processor I’d have processed it until it was in pieces still. I think it kept the broccoli sweet, and tender still, with the taste of broccoli. No need to use cornstarch, it turns out because I forgot the 2nd night. It was still creamy, and delicious, just not as thick, and it didn’t stick to the pot.
Awesome recipe!
Thank you
I have made broccoli soup, I also whole broccoli (used the broccoli stems, flouriest) small potato ( cubed and microwave in 3/4 amount of water) cooked in vitamix soup settings and once it’s creamy added 1 tsp live oil, 1 tsp butter, 1/4 black pepper, 1/4 garlic powder3/4 tsp salt and half cup milk and blend again. Topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. Next time I will include thyme as seasoning
I make similar soup and we love it. It’s easy and quick to make and tastes delicious!
Thanks, Julia
This is the perfect soup to make after holidays. It’s light creamy and so healthy. I can’t wait to give it a try.
Thanks, Natalie. yes, it is creamy and delicious
I’ve nevr heard of Brocolli soup until I saw this recipe, but I must admit it looks incredibly yummy! Can’t wait to try it out at home xx
Thanks, Bry. Yes, broccoli is very easy in soups. Kids love it too.
This came out amazing. So perfect for cold days!
Thank you so much, Danielle. So happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Veena this soup looks delicious!! It is funny as broccoli is not everyone’s favourite vegetable but you have made it look so good!!
Thanks, Adrianne. You must try this – my kids love it.