On cold winter days, cream of broccoli soup is the perfect food for comfort. Ready in under thirty minutes and made almost entirely in one pot, this classic soup recipe is easy enough for a quick dinner and delicious for your next family meal.
Why this recipe works
Smooth, mouth-watering and creamy this quick and easy cream of broccoli soup (adapted from my cream of mushroom soup) is made in one pot and takes less than thirty minutes.
Filled with fresh broccoli and a few other pantry staples, this soup is one of my favorite weekday meals because it’s easy to prepare and clean. Plus, this veggie soup is a sneaky way I can get my family to eat green vegetables.
Surprisingly, broccoli isn’t a very popular vegetable in my house, so I like to find creative ways to dress it up in soups like this, or in a veggie mix with curry or pasta – I’ll go all of it. try!
I chose not to use any cream in this broccoli soup “cream”. Instead, I mashed the broccoli and milk together, which creates a creamy, smooth texture.
You can also top the soup with cream before serving to add an extra layer of richness and flavor.
I like to serve my creamy broccoli soup with a baguette or a buttered toast to soak up every bite.
How to Make Cream of Broccoli Soup
Boil water
1. First, with 3 to 3½ cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt, fill a saucepan.
2. Then heat the water over medium to medium-high heat until it begins to boil.
Add the broccoli
3. When the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add the chopped broccoli florets. Stir everything so that the broccoli florets are submerged in the water.
TIP: For this soup recipe, I like to cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. You can use fresh or frozen broccoli, but I always say fresh ingredients taste better.
Blanched Broccoli
4. Then blanch the mixture for 15-20 seconds.
Drain the water
5. Then drain all the water.
TIP: I like to set aside a few blanched florets to garnish the soup before serving.
Melt butter
6. Now is the time to start the creamy mixture for your soup. First, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in the same saucepan or pot in which you blanched your broccoli.
Add onions
7. Once the butter has melted, add ¼ cup of chopped onions and ¼ or ½ teaspoon of chopped garlic.
Sauté the onions
8. Now brown the onions over low to medium-low heat, stirring often until they soften.
Add flour
9. Next, add 1 to 1½ tablespoons of whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour to the sautéed onion mixture.
10. Then continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
TIP: It is important to cook the flour so that its rawness is not felt in the soup.
Combine with broccoli
11. Now is the time to add the blanched broccoli to the soup mixture.
12. Then mix everything well.
Add liquids
13. Now add 1½ cups of water or vegetable broth and stir to combine.
Cook the broccoli
14. Now is the time to cook the broccoli. Cover with a lid and simmer over low to medium-low heat until the broccoli is tender (about 6 to 7 minutes).
15. Remember to check back from time to time. You want to remove the pot from the heat when the broccoli has become tender, and then let it warm or cool.
Heat the milk
16. While the broccoli mixture is cooling, in a saucepan, heat 1½ cups of whole milk. It is important not to overheat the milk – it is enough to heat it slightly and not to boil it.
Mashed Broccoli Soup Mix
17. When the soup mixture is still slightly hot or lukewarm, use a hand blender to mix the soup until the texture is smooth.
Make broccoli soup
18. Then add hot milk to the mashed soup.
19. Now mix the soup well. Keep your saucepan on the stove and simmer over low heat.
Add herbs
20. Next, add ¼ teaspoon of oregano or your choice of dried or fresh herbs. You can add fresh herbs about 1 to 2 teaspoons.
21. Gently heat the soup (do not boil). Stir occasionally.
Add salt and pepper
22. Finally, add salt and freshly crushed black pepper, if necessary, as well as a pinch of grated nutmeg. Mix again!
Garnish and serve
23. Finally, pour the soup into individual serving bowls and garnish it with broccoli florets. You can also garnish with croutons of bread, cream, cheese or fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro.
Storage and leftovers
I always keep my leftovers or my pre-made broccoli soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If stored properly, your soup will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator or up to 1-2 months in the freezer.
