I get a little excited when soup season hits. But this year in particular, I’ve felt pretty overwhelmed with ideas. If you follow KT’s Facebook page, you might have seen (and participated in!) a recent soup poll where Cream of Broccoli Soup took it home with the most votes.
So, here it is :)
My obsession with cream of broccoli soup started at a young age—but not from homemade! Oh no. The soup I fell in love with fell out of a Campbell’s can in gelatinous clumps. The first time a vibrant green from-scratch version of broccoli soup was set down in front of me, I was extremely apprehensive. I’m pretty sure I offended someone with the judgmental look on my nine-year-old face. But! It only took one spoonful to convince me that homemade was, in fact, so sososo much better.
Cream of Broccoli Soup—made simple.
This soup is eeeeeasy. It’s quick on prep, simple to cook, and you get to feel a little bit fancypants when you whisk up the béchamel. The béchamel is what gives this soup it’s heft and creaminess. If you haven’t heard of béchamel before, it’s made from combining roux and milk. It’s one of the mother sauces of French cuisine and it’s a foundation for several rich and creamy dishes—like scalloped potatoes and mac and cheese! (I don’t believe in a mac and cheese made without béchamel and I’m not sorry.)
I’ll admit, I was pretty surprised that this soup won on my Facebook poll. I personally know more people that don’t enjoy creamy textured soups (like my husband). It’s nice to be reassured once in a while that my readership and I are on the same page.
I like to add texture to my soups by topping them with swirls of plain yogurt, fresh herbs, and crunchy bits like croutons. Nutritional yeast also makes a great topper for this soup with its cheesy flavor!
Here are some other soups to warm up with this winter season:
- Easy Homemade Ramen
- Easy One-Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Soothing Chicken and Kale Soup
- Healing Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 8 cups broccoli florets (about 2-3 large heads of broccoli)
- 3 cups vegetable broth you can use chicken broth if you aren't vegetarian
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP AP flour
- 2 cups milk
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and celery; cook until they are tender and aromatic—about 5 minutes. Stir it a few times here and there to prevent burning.
- Add the broccoli and broth, then cover the pot and simmer allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a high-power blender or food processor, but don’t fill it more than halfway full. (We don’t want spillage.) Start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the mixture moving, then purée until you have a smooth and silky texture. Purée the soup in batches, transferring your purée into a clean container. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in the soup pot or Dutch oven you were using for the soup. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour until a roux is formed. Then, whisk in the milk. Whisk until the mixture thickens into a white sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. (Congrats! You just made a béchamel sauce!)
- Bit by bit, transfer the broccoli soup into the béchamel, stirring the blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, and garnish the soup with whatever kind of toppings you like—or serve with a nice hunk of crusty bread!
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