Homemade Italian Broccoli Soup (Printable)

Velvety Italian-style soup with fresh broccoli, aromatics, and Parmesan. Ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli (approximately 1.1 lbs), cut into florets
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 medium carrot, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Dairy

09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme blend)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
13 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Add diced potato and broccoli florets to the pot. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Pour in broth and add dried Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a standard blender in batches, puree soup until smooth and creamy.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of soup that makes people pause after their first spoonful and ask what you put in it
  • The humble broccoli transforms into something velvety and luxurious without any heavy cream
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • Do not skip the potato because it is what gives this soup its naturally creamy texture without any heavy cream
  • Blending hot soup requires caution and patience so work in batches if using a countertop blender
  • The soup continues to thicken as it sits so you may need to add a splash more broth when reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Reserve a few small florets before simmering and blanch them separately for a pretty garnish that adds texture
  • Use a microplane to grate your Parmesan so it melts instantly into the hot soup without any grainy bits

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