The days are getting shorter and the sweaters are finally coming out of the closet. Every year, as fall approaches, people crave comfort food. One of the easiest and most satisfying ways to satisfy those cravings is with a big, hearty bowl of soup. Rather than reaching for a can, why not make a pot of cream of broccoli soup? The whole process takes only about 45 minutes, and the leftovers taste even better the second day.
Although the final product is a rich, creamy soup, this recipe aims to give you the most bang for your caloric buck. The hefty dose of fresh broccoli provides calcium, vitamin C, iron and fiber, and making the soup from scratch allows you to better control the amount of sodium and fat included. By pureeing the vegetables, you're able to invoke the texture of a traditional cream-based soup without using quite as much full-fat dairy. If you're watching your fat intake, feel free to use skim milk. Fat-free half and half can also be found in many grocery stores and will work well in place of the heavy cream.
Comforting Cream of Broccoli Soup
Serves 4
- 1 ¼ lbs Broccoli (About 2 Heads)
- 1 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 Tbs Unsalted Butter
- ½ Onion, Chopped
- 1 Celery Stalk, Chopped
- 1 Carrot, Peeled and Chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled and Minced
- ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 3 Cups Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
- ½ Cup Milk
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half
- Salt
- Pepper
Optional:
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Directions:
- Roughly chop broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Peel stems and dice into bite-sized pieces as well. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once butter has melted, add onion, celery and carrots. Saute for several minutes, until vegetables are soft.
- Add minced garlic to saucepan and sauté 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add chopped broccoli, crushed red pepper, nutmeg and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Broccoli should be tender but not mushy.
- Ladle mixture into food processor (run in batches if necessary). Blend until mixture is smooth, usually around 3 minutes.
- Return pureed mixture to saucepan. Add milk, heavy cream (or half and half) and warm over medium-low heat. Be careful not to boil the mixture or the cream will curdle. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
