Cream of Broccoli Soup
A few simple tricks make this easy cream of broccoli soup rich, smooth, and creamy—without heavy cream. Quick, flavorful, and delish!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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
- 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.
- Add the garlic and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- 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.
- Add the broth and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- 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.
- 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!).
- 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
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 19mgPotassium: 750mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1210IUVitamin C: 141mgCalcium: 211mgIron: 2mg
