Creamy Broccoli Soup (Printable)

Delight in a smooth blend of tender broccoli and creamy milk, enhanced with fragrant veggies.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli, chopped (florets and tender stems, approx. 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
12 - Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
14 - Grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery; cook for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped broccoli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until broccoli is tender.
05 - Remove from heat and blend soup until smooth using an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender.
06 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Warm gently over low heat without boiling. Season with salt, black pepper, and optional nutmeg.
07 - Taste and modify seasoning as desired.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives or parsley and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if preferred.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 45 minutes, which means you can have something restaurant-quality on the table on a weeknight without stress.
  • The texture is naturally creamy without needing cream of mushroom soup or heavy thickeners—just blended broccoli magic.
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it the rare soup that actually improves as it sits in your fridge.
  • You can serve it hot or chilled, and it works as a fancy first course or a casual lunch with bread.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of the base vegetables—it's the difference between a soup that's forgettable and one that tastes like someone who actually cares made it.
  • Once you add the cream, keep the heat gentle; boiling will make it separate and look like it curdled, which is sad and fixable but avoidable if you're patient.
  • Immersion blenders are worth their counter space for this soup alone—they're faster and safer than transferring hot soup in batches.
03 -
  • The quality of your vegetable broth matters more than you'd think—taste it on its own before you add it, because a mediocre broth will make a mediocre soup no matter how perfect everything else is.
  • If you have fresh thyme or bay leaves, toss one in while the soup simmers; it adds dimension that nobody can quite put their finger on but everyone notices.

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