I came up with this simple Cream Of Broccoli Soup one night when we were very limited for food options, and my boyfriend was blown away by it. He went back for seconds, and urged me to post the recipe on the blog, which is seriously, the best compliment ever. It only takes 5 ingredients, 20 minutes, and a few handy tricks to make this silky, creamy soup!
This soup is only five ingredients : broccoli, potatoes, onion, butter, and salt. Lots of cream of broccoli soup recipes call for a variety of ingredients, but I find that sometimes less is more! Aside from the water (a given) and heavy cream (optional), the ingredient list doesn’t really get much shorter than that for soup!
5 Ingredients Only
This cream of broccoli soup became something of an accident one night, because we only had a few things lying around in the kitchen and we wanted something that was warm and felt like “real food”. Whenever that happens, I usually opt for soup since you can quite literally put anything in a pot, cook it for long enough, and it magically turns into some kind of miracle meal.
My favorite thing about this cream of broccoli soup is a one and done type of recipe. You throw everything into a pot, boil it for a while, and then blend it up until it’s smooth and silky. It’s great for those nights when you want something wholesome and nutritious but don’t want to labor over dinner.
Since everything gets blended in the end, you don’t need to stand over the stove and monitor the pot for overcooking the potatoes, broccoli etc., and you can attend to other things while your soup is simmering!
Potatoes
For this recipe, russet potatoes are best. They have a starch-to-water ratio that is perfect for pureeing and they break down well during the cooking process, unlike firmer varieties like red potatoes.
They also have a fairly neutral taste compared to other varieties like Yukon Golds, so they make for a perfect smooth canvas to build your soup on! In a pinch any potato will do, but for that ultra creamy texture, I found russets to be the best!
Broccoli
Choose broccoli that is heavy for its size with its crowns tightly packed. Broccoli also breaks down very easily once cooked, so don’t worry about chopping it into small pieces! Just break off the head into florets and that will be enough.
You can also use frozen broccoli in this recipe! Just replace the heads with the same weight in frozen broccoli and cook as instructed.
Cream of broccoli soup is also amazing for broccoli that is starting to get a little dry in the fridge. For older broccoli, just trim off any bits that you feel aren’t palatable (make sure to remove any black areas). Be careful that you are not using broccoli with black spots on the stem or crown as this is a sign of molding.
Cream
The cream is entirely optional in this recipe, as the potatoes help make this soup thick and creamy by itself, but the extra fat content in the cream helps to make the soup extra silky. You can drizzle a bit on top or mix it into the soup straight. For a dairy free version of this soup replace the butter with olive oil and skip the cream!
Salt
Salt this soup generously. You know that old kitchen trick, where if you over-salt something, just add a potato to it and it fixes the recipe? The same logic applies for this soup but in reverse- because there’s a potato in it, taste test often and season to your preference.
Add-Ins
There are a lot of ways you can take this soup to the next level. Personally, I like to top it with these garlicky No-Bake French Bread Croutons. They are crunchy and add a punch to the mild flavor of the soup. You can also finish your cream of broccoli soup with any of these popular toppings:
- Grated cheddar
- Grated parmesan
- Crumbled bacon
- Chopped herbs
- Chopped red chili
- Grated lemon zest
Cream Of Broccoli Soup Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 large heads of broccoli, washed and trimmed
- ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cups water
- salt, to taste
- heavy cream, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a pot over medium high heat and the butter. Swirl around until the butter is foamy.
- Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the potato, broccoli, and water. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt.
- Remove the soup from heat and let it cool slightly. Then using an immersion blender or standard blender, blend the soup in batches until smooth and return to the original pot.
- Warm the soup through on low heat and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add in the cream or other toppings if using, and ladle into bowls. Serve immediately.
Cream Of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 large heads of broccoli, washed and trimmed
- ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cups water
- salt, to taste
- heavy cream, optional
Instructions
- Heat a pot over medium high heat and the butter. Swirl around until the butter is foamy.
- Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the potato, broccoli, and water. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt.
- Remove the soup from heat and let it cool slightly. Then using an immersion blender or standard blender, blend the soup in batches until smooth and return to the original pot.
- Warm the soup through on low heat and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add in the cream if using, otherwise ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
