Broccoli soup is easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. Creamy smooth and deliciously flavoured with the fresh taste of green broccoli, this delicately coloured soup can be made with either fresh or frozen broccoli.
Easy Broccoli soup recipe
This broccoli soup is so easy to make, uses very few ingredients, is creamy (even without the optional cream) and makes the perfect weekday lunch! You can make this with either fresh or frozen broccoli.
See also
- Roasted cauliflower and chickpea soup is mildly spiced and warming, filling and creamy
- Simple but oh so flavour packed – cream of celery soup
- Watercress soup is lighter but packs a peppery punch
- Love soup? Here all all my soup recipes in one place
The broccoli soup recipe uses the whole vegetable – both florets and stem so it is no waste.
It’s also great for batch cooking and freezing, so great for economy and convenience.
I nearly always cook for two – but when making soup I usually make 6 portions, so we can eat three times. Two portions for lunch the day I make it, two for the fridge for the next day, and two for the freezer to enjoy another day.
Making soup doesn’t demand exactness. You can easily change the recipe depending on what you have available, after all vegetables do not come in standard sizes!
I’ll tell how you how to get the perfect textured soup every time even when you adjust the quantities!
Why make broccoli soup
- It’s delicious, richly flavoured with the fresh green taste of broccoli.
- It’s a quick and easy recipe, with only seven ingredients
- The soup has a velvety smooth and creamy texture, even without any cream.
- This soup is perfect for batch cooking. It makes enough for six: a couple can eat two, keep two servings in the fridge for a couple of days, and freeze the rest.
- It’s a great way to eat more vegetables, especially in winter.
- Home-made vegetable soups are both very cost effective, and nutritious.
Broccoli soup ingredients
- Broccoli – for body, colour and flavour as well as nutrition. A portion of broccoli more than covers your daily dose of vitamins C and K, and there’s plenty of other good stuff in there too, including vitamin A and folates.
- Potato – for a thicker soup. You can vary the proportions in this broccoli soup without too much trouble but don’t go too heavy on the potato, as this may spoil the texture.
- Celery – this is my (not so) secret ingredient for nearly all savoury dishes and soups – a stick of celery adds another layer of flavour making the overall taste more savoury and complex. You can’t detect the taste of celery, but you certainly can taste the overall improvement in flavour.
- Onion & Garlic – one medium to large onion and a couple of gloves of garlic – this can be any type of onion – even a couple of shallots
- Stock – vegetable or chicken stock
- Olive oil – I always use an extra virgin olive oil that is unrefined. You can also add a knob of butter or use one or the other if you prefer, or even ghee.
- Cream or milk (optional – not pictured) – a little extra richness, though you can leave it out and add a little more stock
How to make broccoli potato soup – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this broccoli soup recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare the vegetables so everything is ready before you start. You don’t need to be too fussy about how you cut, as you will be blending the soup.
- Onion and garlic – peel and chop
- Broccoli – Chop thicker stems, and leaf stalks, cutting off any bits that are tough or discoloured, and separate the florets, breaking into bite sized pieces.
- Celery – cut in half lengthwise and then into 2cm / 1″ pieces
- Potato – Chop into 2 cm pieces. There is no need to peel if the skin is thin and in good condition, but remove any thicker, rougher skin.
Step Two – Add the olive oil to a medium sized pan which has a well fitting lid.
Add the onion and sauté over a medium heat for about 5 minutes so that it is soft and golden. Add the garlic and celery and cook for another minute or so.
Helen’s Pro Tip
Garlic nearly always takes less time to fry / sauté than onion. Burnt garlic does not taste good, so add it once you have started to cook the onion
Step Three – Add the broccoli and potato to the pan.
Add water so the vegetables are almost covered and add the stock cube.
Helen’s Pro Tip
When making soup ALWAYS add less liquid than you think that you will need. It is better to have a soup that is too thick rather than too thin. You can always add more liquid later if needed.
Put the lid on and bring to a gentle simmer.
Step Four – Cook for 12-15 minutes until the potato has cooked and is soft.
Step Five – Blend the soup to a creamy consistency with a stick blender. If needed add a little more water to thin.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
A cheap stick/immersion blender is the simplest and best way to blend soup. I have had mine for years.
If you must use a jug blender with hot soup, never use the central bung. As you blend, it will generate steam which can blow the lid off and send scalding soup everywhere. Instead, cover with a folded piece of kitchen paper, then a tea towel over the top. Lift from time to time between each blend to allow the steam to escape.
Step Six – Taste and check the seasoning, I like to add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, some stock is quite salty so you might not need any extra salt.
Add the milk or cream (if using) and swirl it through – I try not to completely mix it in so it looks more attractive.
Serving suggestion
Serve your broccoli soup with some delicious homemade bread or toast.
I really like to garnish my soup for style and extra flavours and textures. Why not try some crunchy croutons or toasted seeds with a little extra grating of cheese, or a swirl of cream or creme fraiche and some chopped herbs.
Variations
- You can use fresh or frozen broccoli, even Tenderstem for this recipe – if using frozen increase the cooking time by a few minutes and add a little less liquid.
- Add a carrot for a different flavour, or swap the potato for a sweet potato.
Storage
This recipe will serve six with some hearty bread, so if you are making it for one or two, you will have a second serving for tomorrow or to freeze for later.
Fridge – Once cool, cover and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three days. Reheat very gently in a pan on the stove or in a Pyrex jug in the microwave on half power.
Freezer – Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and freeze your broccoli soup for up to three months.
Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or alternatively on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat your broccoli soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. Try not to boil it. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug for ease of lifting in and out one handed.
Read more on how to freeze soup here.
Hints and tips
- There is no salt in the recipe for good reason. If you are using bought stock or stock cubes, it’s probably already salty enough. Wait until the end and then check.
- You can always add more stock but you can’t take it away without overcooking the vegetables, so don’t get carried away. I prefer a thicker soup. It freezes better too. My guide is always leave the vegetables uncovered by stock.
- If you are cooking for the freezer, you can reduce the quantity of liquid, giving you a more concentrated, less space-hungry soup for the freezer that you can then dilute a little when you reheat it.
- Always make the most of a good soup with a good garnish. I like fresh herbs and swirl of cream.
FAQs
It’s diet that is healthy or unhealthy, rather than one particular dish, but this is a great addition to your diet with nutritious vegetables and nothing nasty as long as you choose a good stock.
Cruciferous vegetables (that’s a subset of brassicas, so includes broccoli) are extremely nutritious but there has also been a lot of talk about them as ‘superfoods’ with the potential to protect against cancers and Type II diabetes.
The scientists are still working out the exact relationship between a diet rich in these foods and a possible reduced incidence of certain diseases but there is no doubt that these vegetables are well worth including in your diet. And they taste good too.
The potato used in this recipe thickens it. For perfect soup every time always add less liquid than you think you will need and avoid having to thicken it.
More soup recipes
- Broccoli and cauliflower soup – a twist on this recipe.
- Broccoli and Stilton soup is a classic for a reason!
- Cauliflower cheese soup easy to make cauliflower cheese in a bowl.
- Curried cauliflower soup creamy cauliflower pairs perfectly with curry.
Easy Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small head broccoli (1)
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium potato (2)
- 1 stock cube / pot
- 1 stick celery
Optional
- 2 tbsp double / heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables so everything is ready before you start. You don't need to be too fussy about how you cut, as you will be blending the soup. Onion and garlic – peel and chopCelery – cut in half lengthwise and then into 2cm / 1 inch pieces Broccoli – Chop thicker stems, and leaf stalks, cutting off any bits that are tough or discoloured, and separate the florets, breaking into bite sized pieces.Potato – Chop into 2 cm pieces. There is no need to peel if the skin is thin and in good condition, but remove any thicker, rougher skin.1 small head broccoli, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium potato, 1 stick celery
- Add the olive oil to a medium sized pan which has a well fitting lid. Add the onion and sauté over a medium heat for about 5 minutes so that it is soft and golden. Add the garlic and celery and cook for another minute or so.2 tbsp olive oil
- Add the broccoli and potato to the pan. Add water so the vegetables are almost covered (about 2cm above the liquid) and add the stock cube.1 stock cube / pot
- Put the lid on and ring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the potato has cooked and is soft.
- Blend the soup to a creamy consistency with a stick blender. If needed add a little more water to thin.
- Taste and check the seasoning, I like to add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, some stock is quite salty so you might not need any extra salt. Add the milk or cream (if using) and swirl it through – I try not to completely mix it in so it looks more attractive.2 tbsp double / heavy cream
Notes
- Broccoli – about 300g / or one small head
- Potato – about 200g
- You can use fresh or frozen broccoli, even Tenderstem for this recipe – if using frozen increase the cooking time by a few minutes and add a little less liquid.
- A cheap stick/immersion blender is the simplest and best way to blend soup. I have had mine for years.
- If you must use a jug blender with hot soup, never use the central bung. As you blend, it will generate steam which can blow the lid off and send scalding soup everywhere. Instead, cover with a folded piece of kitchen paper, then a tea towel over the top. Lift from time to time between each blend to allow the steam to escape.
Storage
- This recipe will serve six with when eaten with a hunk of bread, so if you are making it for one or two, you will have a leftovers for tomorrow or to freeze for later.
- Fridge – Once cool, cover and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three days. Reheat very gently in a pan on the stove or in a Pyrex jug in the microwave on half power.
- Freezer – Transfer the cooled soup to airtight containers and freeze your broccoli soup for up to three months.
- Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or alternatively on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat your broccoli soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave. Try not to boil it. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug for ease of handling.
- Read more on how to freeze soup here.
Hints and tips
- There is no salt in the recipe for good reason. If you are using bought stock or a stock cube, it’s probably already in there, and the cheese can be salty too. Wait until the end and then check.
- You can always add more stock but you can’t take it away without overcooking the vegetables, so don’t get carried away. I prefer a thicker soup. It freezes better too. My guide is always leave the vegetables uncovered by stock.
- If you are cooking for the freezer, you can reduce the quantity of liquid, giving you a more concentrated, less space-hungry soup for the freezer that you can then dilute a little when you reheat it.
- Always make the most of a good soup with a good garnish. I like fresh herbs and swirl of cream.
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