Pureed Broccoli Soup

Our Pureed Broccoli Soup is as easy as it is delicious, and the best part is, once you learn how to make this soup, you can sub out the broccoli for other vegetables and have a comforting pureed soup anytime. We start with a base of antioxidant-powered onions, celery and garlic sautéed in heart-healthy extra-virgin olive oil and flavorful butter. Fiber-packed broccoli is simmered until soft and the entire mixture is pureed until smooth. We added half-and-half for creaminess—because who doesn't love a creamy soup? Keep reading for our expert tips on preparation, smart ingredient substitutions and how to make this soup vegetarian.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• To save on prep time, you can buy broccoli florets. However, it may be more economical to cut them yourself.
• If you want to make the soup vegetarian, we highly recommend using "no-chicken" broth because of its hearty, rich flavor. It can be found with the soups in the natural foods section of most supermarkets.
• Including half-and-half is optional, but we like it because it adds nice creaminess.
  
• If you plan to use toppings, add them after the soup has cooled a little. Some options include freshly grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese or a scattering of plain or herbed croutons—this will increase the calorie count, though. 

Nutrition Notes

• Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that has powerful antioxidant compounds that can reduce the risk of developing cancer and help protect against inflammation that can cause or exacerbate heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Broccoli also has a good amount of fiber, which can help your microbiome and maintain gut health and regularity.
• You use a whole onion in this soup, and while they are often thought of as an accessory or flavoring ingredient, and not a main ingredient, they offer a ton of nutrients important for health. Onions are considered prebiotics, which means they have a specific type of fiber that feeds gut bacteria and improves the health of your microbiome. They are also rich in antioxidants that may be protective against certain types of cancers, such as breast and stomach cancer.

How to Make Broccoli Soup

Making broccoli soup is easy, and once you've got the formula down, you can turn virtually any veggie into a creamy soup. Here's how to get started:

Build the Flavor

We build the flavor by sautéing chopped onion, celery and garlic in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Together, these veggies add savory and sweet flavors that combine with the broccoli without overpowering it. Using butter adds richness, and by combining it with olive oil, we get the creamy, nutty flavor of butter with less saturated fat. Thyme or parsley is added next for some herby notes. Which one you choose depends on your taste. Parsley is the milder of the two and adds a fresh, grassy flavor, while thyme is more fragrant and woodsy. Both blend beautifully with broccoli, so you can't go wrong with either (or both)!

Add the Broccoli

Broccoli stems and florets are used in the easy broccoli soup. One medium to large broccoli crown will offer enough broccoli to make 8 cups chopped. Your pieces of florets and stems should all be cut to roughly the same size so they cook evenly. To save time, you can use precut broccoli florets. We don't recommend using frozen broccoli here as the flavor can get watered down. The broccoli cooks in a combination of broth and water. This combination is an easy way to cut down on sodium, which is typically high in soups.

Blend the Soup

Once the veggies are nice and soft, it's time to blend the soup. It's important not to overfill your blender. Blend the soup in batches if it fills more than two-thirds of the blender. Take out the center piece from the blender top and place a clean kitchen towel over the hole to allow the steam to vent (and prevent burns). Blending the soup well gives it a creamy texture without cream, but if you want a more rich soup, you can add a half cup of half-and-half after it's blended.