Warm up a cold winter’s day with this satisfying and easy broccoli soup recipe! The fresh flavors, creamy texture, and simple prep (as well as easy clean up!) make this the perfect dish to enjoy when you’re short on time but craving a rich and comforting meal. You just need a handful of simple ingredients!
This recipe for easy cream of broccoli soup is great for easy meal prep. Make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week – serve up a bowl for a light lunch with crackers or enjoy paired with sides for a filling dinner. For more comforting soup recipes, try my pumpkin soup recipe, cauliflower soup, and potato leek soup.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Butter – use unsalted butter for a perfectly balanced soup flavor. Alternatively, you can replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil.
- Sweet Onion – adds a delicious slight sweetness that compliments the other earthy and creamy flavors in the soup. You can also use red, white, or yellow onion in this recipe, but I prefer the less sharp flavor of sweet onions.
- Broccoli Florets – use fresh broccoli, cut into small or medium-sized florets, for the best flavor and texture. You can use frozen in a pinch; just increase the cooking time to 8-10 minutes.
- All-Purpose Flour – don’t skip this key ingredient that helps thicken the soup! All-purpose flour is best, but you can swap it for whole wheat flour if needed.
- Half-and-Half – gives the homemade cream of broccoli soup its creamy texture and rich flavor. Alternatively, you can substitute 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream.
How to Make Cream of Broccoli Soup
1. In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until they are softened, for about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the chicken broth, broccoli florets, salt, and black pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Then cook covered, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is a vibrant green color and tender, for about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the broccoli and cooking liquid to a blender in two separate batches so you don’t overcrowd the blender. Cover the blender with the lid and remove the centerpiece of the lid to allow steam to escape. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Repeat the process with the remaining broccoli mixture. Return the blended broccoli mixture to the pot, and rewarm it over low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. While the broccoli mixture warms, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Whisk the flour into the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns a pale golden brown and smells nutty, for about 1 minute.
5. Gradually whisk the half-and-half into the saucepan with the flour mixture until smooth. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture bubbles and is thickened, or for about 5 minutes.
6. Stir the half-and-half mixture into the broccoli mixture into the large pot. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use an immersion blender. If you want to make this recipe in one pot, use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot instead of mixing it in the blender. This makes for easier cleanup and a creamy, smooth texture!
- Optional variations. Use vegetable broth or vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for a vegetarian option. Or make it a broccoli cheese soup recipe by mixing in shredded parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese. You can also make it dairy-free by swapping the half-and-half 1:1 with coconut milk and the olive oil 1:1 with the butter.
- Optional: make it hearty. Add some additional texture to the soup by including potato. Peel and dice a russet potato and steam it until a fork easily penetrates through a piece, for about 15 minutes. Add the steamed potatoes to the soup before pureeing it to keep the overall soup texture smooth, or add the potatoes to the soup after it’s pureed for a chunkier finish.
- Garnish. Add a drizzle of heavy cream, olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper before serving for extra delicious flavor. You can also reserve ½ cup of broccoli florets and chop them up as a garnish. Additionally, try diced avocado, croutons, fresh parsley, cilantro, chives, flaky sea salt, sour cream, or a squeeze of citrus like lemon or lime juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the soup reaches room temperature, transfer leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. This soup also freezes well! Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. If freezing, leave about ½ inch of space at the top of the container to allow the soup room to expand when it freezes. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stovetop. Use a blender or hand immersion blender to remix the soup before serving.
Serve creamy broccoli soup with extra crusty bread like French bread or sourdough bread for a light lunch or dinner. Or pair it with a leafy green salad and truffle mac and cheese or gourmet grilled cheese for a well-rounded meal. If you want an extra comforting meal, serve the soup in a filling bread bowl!
This creamy broccoli soup has a good thickness on its own. However, if you want an even thicker consistency, add a little extra flour when cooking it with the butter in the recipe. Avoid adding the flour directly to the soup as it can clump up. If you need to add more flour after cooking the soup, repeat the flour and butter cooking step. Then gradually mix it into the soup pot over medium-low heat until well combined.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (70g)
- 1 small sweet onion chopped (about 1 cup/172g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 cups chicken broth (720mL)
- 8 cups broccoli florets (1.25 lbs/575g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half (480mL)
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, broccoli, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is vibrant green and tender; about 5 minutes.
- Working in two batches, transfer the broccoli and cooking liquid to a blender. Cover with the lid and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Repeat the process with the remaining broccoli mixture. Return the blended broccoli mixture to the pot, and rewarm over low, stirring occasionally.
- While the broccoli mixture warms, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns a pale golden brown and smells nutty, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half-and-half until smooth. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture bubbles and is thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the half-and-half mixture into the broccoli mixture in the pot. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use an immersion blender. If you want to make this recipe in one pot, use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot instead of mixing it in the blender. This makes for easier cleanup and a creamy, smooth texture!
- Optional variations. Use vegetable broth or vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for a vegetarian option. Or make it a broccoli cheese soup recipe by mixing in shredded parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese. You can also make it dairy-free by swapping the half-and-half 1:1 with coconut milk and the olive oil 1:1 with the butter.
- Optional: make it hearty. Add some additional texture to the soup by including potato. Peel and dice a russet potato and steam it until a fork easily penetrates through a piece, for about 15 minutes. Add the steamed potatoes to the soup before pureeing it to keep the overall soup texture smooth, or add the potatoes to the soup after it’s pureed for a chunkier finish.
- Garnish. Add a drizzle of heavy cream, olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper before serving for extra delicious flavor. You can also reserve ½ cup of broccoli florets and chop them up as a garnish. Additionally, try diced avocado, croutons, fresh parsley, cilantro, chives, flaky sea salt, sour cream, or a squeeze of citrus like lemon or lime juice.
