Easy Healthy Cream of Broccoli Soup

Top view of two bowls of broccoli soup with grated orange cheddar on top.

Easy Healthy Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of broccoli soup is a classic. With only 5 humble ingredients (not including water, salt and pepper), it's the perfect recipe for for lazy lunches and light, simple suppers. Finished with sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese, this soup is warm, healthy and ultra satisfying.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: vegetarian

Keyword: broccoli, cheddar, cheese, cream, easy, pureed, soup, vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 294kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 large heads broccoli roughly chopped into even sized pieces (stems and all)
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups water plus more to thin out if necessary
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup heavy cream optional
sharp cheddar cheese grated, for serving

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a medium-large sauce pan and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt for about 4 minutes or until just starting to soften. Add in the garlic and cook one minute more, then add in all the broccoli.
Sprinkle flour over top then toss to coat all the vegetables. Pour the water over, stir, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the broccoli is tender.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's completely smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully puree in batches using a standard blender.
Thin out the soup with more water if necessary, season with more salt and pepper, and add in the heavy cream if using.
Serve hot with plenty of grated cheddar cheese and more freshly cracked black pepper.

Video

Notes

DO NOT use a bullet style blender to blend soup unless it has cooled down completely. Blending a hot liquid in a bullet style blender can cause it to explode upon opening because it doesn't allow for any steam to escape, which can cause burns and a huge mess.
If using a standard blender (rather than an immersion blender), you’ll need to work in batches– very carefully! Make sure to open the top of the blender often to avoid the steam creating too much pressure in the blender.
If you want a dairy-free or vegan version of this soup, just skip the heavy cream or use a plant based cashew cream and garnish with dairy-free shredded cheese.
If your broccoli stems have hard, woody spots, use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to cut them off. The rest of the stems will soften and blend into the soup.

Nutrition