I love a versatile soup—and this healthy broccoli soup recipe can be tweaked so many ways, from silky smooth puree to a hearty chunky pottage, to cheesy and creamy decadence—but it all starts with some beautiful broccoli!
Start with the Best Broccoli
Broccoli is one of our family’s favorite garden veggies to grow. So much so that my boys will even go patrol for cabbage worms, the little green guys that can ravage this plant if left to their own munching.
I also love that when we eat broccoli, we’re eating the immature flower buds! I used to tell my boys they were eating broccoli bouquets, and I like to think that helped them grow in their love for this powerhouse veggie.
I’ve had good luck growing Bellstar, Emerald Crown, and Green Magic varieties of broccoli in our zone 4 gardens (all from Johnny’s Seeds).
Harvesting Tip** Soak your broccoli florets in salty water (1 Tbsp in a bowl of water) for a few minutes so any creepy crawlies float to the top!
Because it is a family favorite veggie, we grow a lot of broccoli and usually have some frozen to use during the winter months. And while we love many veggies from green beans to corn simply heated and eaten as side dishes straight from the freezer, I find broccoli needs a little extra love once frozen.
Soup is the perfect spin!
In addition to the blanched and frozen broccoli from the garden, I’m also saving broccoli stems all season to use in this broccoli soup. To make the best use of them, peel the ‘skin’ from the tender part of the stems closer to the buds. Toss the woody part (further down the stem) into the compost. These add great bulk and flavor to soups. And by peeling, you’ll get rid of the most gas-inducing part of the broccoli!
My secret ingredient in so many pureed soups is a little cream cheese. It adds such a depth of flavor and pairs well with broccoli.
You can keep it really simple, and even skip the pureeing, if you like it chunky. If leaving this kind of soup chunky, make sure to not overcook the vegetables. You can also add up to half cauliflower if preferred. See, super-flexible soups really are the best!
I’ve added the white beans and/or potatoes as a way to thicken this soup without adding gluten, and I like the flavor better too. Leave out the cream/cheese if you want to keep it dairy free or vegan.
Healthy Broccoli Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1-2 yellow/white carrots (optional)
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1-2 cups shredded zucchini (optional but great thickener)
- 2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
- 4-5 cups broccoli stems and florets (frozen is fine)
- 6 cups chicken (or veggie) stock
- ½ cup white beans (optional)
- 1 cup milk, or ½ cup of half and half, or ¼ cup of cream cheese
- Salt + pepper to taste
- Olive oil to sauté
Our family’s favorite garnishes for this healthy broccoli soup recipe are roasted chickpeas, pea shoots, green onion—and of course always served with toasted bread.
Directions:
- Chop veggies into desired sizes, considering if you’ll be pureeing.
- Sauté onions for a few minutes, then add garlic, thyme, and celery.
- A few minutes later add the shredded zucchini, potatoes, and stock. If you have lots of good broccoli stems, add those in now as well. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Then add in broccoli florets and cook for another 5-10. Or if pureeing, add florets at same time, cooking for 10-15 minutes total.
- You can puree some stock with the white beans to thicken, or add milk, half and half, or cream cheese while pureeing as well.
Have fun garnishing! We love to sprinkle microgreens on top of our soups. And make sure that bread is extra toasty!
Last Words on This Healthy Broccoli Soup Recipe
For more Very Veggie Soup Recipes, check out my RECIPE page. I’m also perfecting a “Broccoli Leaf Soup” recipe—check out this deeply flavorful and nutrient packed recipe!
This healthy broccoli soup recipe makes excellent leftovers and keeps in the fridge for a few days.
Dig In,
Michelle
