Broccoli Soup

Since we pledged to eat more veggies, soups have become staples in our kitchen.

And for a while now, we've been scratching our heads to figure out how to make a broccoli soup recipe that is ultra-creamy, tasty, and fulfilling without using all-purpose flour, sharp cheddar cheese, or heavy cream.

After a few trials, we think we have found the perfect recipe, and we are excited to share it with you.

The not-so-secret ingredients in our recipe are leeks and potatoes. When cooked and blended, those two turn into a creamy and cheesy combo that makes this soup hard to resist.

You can expect a full, rich flavor and a velvety, creamy texture from this broccoli soup. Plus, you are going to feel satiated and awesome after eating this.

Kids and picky adults will love the soup's texture and mild broccoli taste, so make a double batch if you have a big family to feed. Of course, you can always freeze it and eat it later.

To make this broccoli soup vegan, use dairy-free butter.

Broccoli

We recommend using fresh broccoli. You can use the whole head, including the broccoli florets, broccoli stems, and leaves.

Frozen broccoli works, too; however, in our tests, the soup turned out a little more watery with frozen broccoli.

Leek

Leek and broccoli are great together; if you try this soup, you'll understand why. You can substitute onion for leek, although we don't recommend doing so. There's no garlic, carrot, or celery in this soup. Leek is enough.

Butter

You can cook the leek in butter, dairy-free butter, or extra virgin olive oil. We like to use dairy-free butter or olive oil so everyone in our family can enjoy the broccoli soup.

Potatoes

Potatoes are incredibly versatile in the kitchen, are naturally gluten-free, and provide a wealth of health benefits. Despite their often bad reputation, potatoes are healthy, provided you don't deep dry them or smear them in ketchup and salt.

Here we use potatoes to make the soup creamy and rich. In essence, we use them as a cheese or heavy cream substitute. And they work wonderfully!

Potatoes release their starch into the soup, which, believe it or not, makes this broccoli soup super creamy.

Thyme

Fresh thyme would be best as it's milder than dried one. If you use dried thyme, start with just a pinch.

Vegetable broth

We cook the vegetables in vegetable broth. You can pick a reduced sodium one or a regular one, but in this case, add less salt to the soup.

We find that cooking with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth or other meat-based broths is an easy and painless way of reducing meat consumption.

Salt and pepper

Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the leek in half lengthwise, finely chop it and add it to a dutch oven or a pot with the butter. Fry gently on low heat for 5 minutes until the leek is soft.

Note: we prefer to use dairy-free butter in this recipe to keep saturated fat and cholesterol in check, however, you can definitely use regular butter, or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer.

In the meantime, peel the potato and cut it into ½ inch (1.3 cm) cubes. Next, chop the broccoli into equally sized pieces, including the stem and leaves.

Add chopped broccoli, diced potatoes, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and black pepper to the pot.

Cook the veggies on medium heat for two minutes. Stir often.

Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and the broccoli are fork tender. Stir occasionally.

Tip: to speed up cooking you can cover the pot with a lid, however, remember to stir occasionally.

Blend the veggies with an immersion blender until smooth; don't over-blend. We think some broccoli texture is desirable in this soup.

Add more vegetable broth if you like a thinner soup.

Note: you can also use a regular blender, but make sure not to over-blend the soup. We prefer using an immersion blender because it keeps the soup more wholesome and rustic, which we love.

If you want to make the smoothest soup, more like a cream of broccoli soup, use a vitamix or another high-speed blender.

Taste, adjust for salt, and serve in a bowl. You can sprinkle with red pepper flakes, homemade croutons, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Broccoli soup is a delicious starter, first course, or even main dish if you serve it with crunchy homemade croutons or a slice of crusty sourdough bread.

Our favorite way of topping or serving this recipe is with:

• oven-baked croutons
• air fryer croutons
• oven-roasted chickpeas
• crispy air fryer chickpeas
• crostini (on the side)
• tomato bruschetta (on the side)
• homemade rosemary focaccia (on the side)

For something with more protein, serve it with:

• easy mushroom tofu recipe
• quick lentil tabbouleh
• cauliflower salad with chickpea and tahini sauce
• chickpea salad with mustard dressing
• black bean salad with corn and sweet potatoes
• creamy-dreamy chickpea hummus
• air fryer tofu or fried tofu cubes
• marinated tofu cubes

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Then, warm up in the microwave or a pot with a dash of water.

You can also freeze broccoli soup for up to 3 months. Let it cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze.

Thaw in the refrigerator over a few hours or in the microwave.

More soup recipes

Looking for more delicious veggie-based soup recipes? Check out our:

• Roasted butternut squash soup
• Creamy cauliflower soup
• Roasted sweet potato soup
• Easy eggplant soup
• Simple and tasty tofu soup
• Earthy lentil soup
• Our favorite zucchini soup
• Tuscan soup with white beans

Here are some delicious and easy broccoli recipes for you.

• Creamy broccoli pasta
• Roasted broccoli and cauliflower
• Oven roasted broccoli with lemon and parmesan
• Lentil curry with broccoli