Creamy Broccoli Soup (2024)

A hearty Creamy Broccoli Soup and just over 300 calories for a big filling bowl - this is healthy comfort food and ready in under 20 minutes too. The creaminess will make it feel much more indulgent than it actually is. Soup is an easy way to increase your vegetable intake, it's cheap to make and it's warming for those cold autumn/winter days.

This is the creamiest of creamy soups and that is just thanks to the milk and a little bit of grated cheese - no cream needed. When all blended together it gives it such a creamy texture that this soup feels far more indulgent than it actually is and it's one of your five a day too.

You could mix things up a bit and do half broccoli and half cauliflower. It would change the colour and flavour, but it would make a nice change. We all know how well cauliflower and cheese go together too.

If you want to get more broccoli in your diet, this is an easy way to do it. Fancy trying some more broccoli recipes? Why not try our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Broccoli Pasta Bake or Broccoli Cheese.

Why you will love it

Ingredients needed

• Broccoli - The star of this dish. To make this the best it possible can be, then try to choose the perfect broccoli. Choose a broccoli head with tight, green florets and firm stalks. Your broccoli should feel heavy for its size. Avoid broccoli with dried out or browning stem ends or yellowing florets.
• Potato - This helps to really thicken the soup up. You could leave it out if you prefer a more brothy soup.
• Onion - You could swap this for shallots if you prefer, and this would give the soup a slightly sweeter taste.
• Milk - This is what helps to make the soup creamy. You can make it more indulgent by swapping the milk for cream.
• Vegetable stock - Try to use the best quality stock you can buy. If you are making this for young children, then use a low salt stock.
• Garlic - To save yourself some time, use some of that lazy ready chopped garlic in a jar.
• Mustard - We used wholegrain mustard, but Dijon would work well too.
• Cheese - We used a mature cheddar, as it has a nice strong flavour, which means you can get away with using less of it.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

How to make broccoli soup - Step by step

One: Heat some oil in a large pan and cook the onion, garlic and potato for 3 minutes.

Two: Then add the stock, mustard and salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.

Three: Add the milk and the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes.

Four: Blend until smooth then stir in the grated cheese.

Five: Pour into bowls and top with grated cheddar.

Health benefits of broccoli

This creamy soup is low in calories and fat and even people that don't love broccoli have said that they love this soup. If one of your goals is to get extra vegetables in to your diet, then this is a recipe for you to try. It really doesn't feel like you are eating vegetables.

Superfood is a bit of a buzz food that is thrown around, but there is no denying that broccoli is nutrient dense. It's a great source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and K, as well as iron, zinc and fibre, which can support digestive health.

Did you know that broccoli is also a good source of protein, although an incomplete one.

You could add even more veggies by throwing some spinach or kale in there too. It would give it even more of a vibrant green colour too, not to mention a vitamin boost.

What to serve it with

Warm crusty French bread is the best thing to dip in this creamy soup. However, if you want to keep it lighter, but still want a bit of texture to it, then why don't sprinkle some croutons on top.

We make our own easy croutons by chopping up some bread in to squares and drizzling over a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic granules and dried herbs. Put them in the oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up. Perfect for adding to soups and salads.

Why not try making our Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia or easy Slow Cooker Bread to dip in it?

When it comes to toppings, some raw broccoli and grated cheese (although stilton goes really well with broccoli soup) is our go-to combo. However, some crispy grilled bacon is an amazing addition. It adds some nice texture to it.

FAQs

More soup recipes

If you’ve tried this creamy broccoli soup, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe

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