Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe Roundup

Everything you need to know about making this classic soup, plus our best healthy cream of broccoli soup recipes.
Published September 19, 2022

While there’s no denying the appeal of homemade cream of broccoli soup in terms of its nutty flavour and rich texture, broccoli soup also happens to be made from an incredibly nutrient-rich vegetable. Broccoli is an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamins C and K (with a single cup of broccoli containing over 100% of the recommended daily intake of both of these nutrients.) For a vegetable, broccoli is even a relatively good source of protein, with one cup containing just over 2 grams. We’ve compiled a collection of tips and tricks for making the tastiest cream of broccoli soup possible in addition to a roundup of our most popular recipes.

When preparing broccoli, keep these helpful tips in mind:

  • Don’t overcook the broccoli! Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables) develop an increasingly pungent aroma the longer it cooks. Add cooked broccoli to the soup towards the end of the recipe whenever possible.
  • Feel free to use frozen broccoli florets in place of fresh. Not only will it save you prep time, frozen vegetables are flash-frozen after being harvested, a process which ensures optimal nutritional quality.
  • For a nuttier broccoli flavour, try roasting the broccoli before adding it to the soup. To roast broccoli, simply toss the florets with a scant tablespoon of grapeseed oil (or any other neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or avocado oil) and roast at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice for even browning.
  • Don’t forget to include the broccoli stalk! The stalk is the sweetest part of the broccoli plant, just peel away the woody exterior and cut the pale green interior into cubes or slices.

If you’re interested in making your cream of broccoli soup as healthy and delicious as possible without going overboard with additional calories, give these nutritious add-ins a try:

  • Stir in a can of fat free evaporated milk, which will add a rich flavour and creamy texture without any extra fat. Be sure to stir in the evaporated milk while the soup is off the heat to prevent it from curdling.
  • Supplement the broccoli called for in the recipe with other leafy green vegetables. Spinach, kale, broccoli rabe, Swiss chard, and beet greens will increase the nutritional and flavour profile of the soup.
  • Add a can of drained white cannellini beans to the soup at the end of the cooking time. Not only will this dramatically increase the fibre content, you’ll also be increasing the amount of protein, iron, magnesium, and folate in the finished soup. Depending on whether you prefer a chunky soup or a smooth soup, the beans can be blended into the rest of the soup or left whole.
  • Shredded chicken breasts, chopped shrimp, and silken tofu can be stirred into cream of broccoli soup at the last minute for added protein.

Cream of broccoli soup lends itself to a variety of toppings and garnishes, which add flavour as well as texture. Use any of the following ingredients to top your bowl of soup:

  • non-fat plain yogurt
  • gremolata
  • toasted panko crumbs
  • finely chopped preserved lemons
  • croutons
  • crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese
  • splash of soy or tamari sauce
  • crumbled turkey bacon
  • chopped hard boiled egg
  • fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, chives, tarragon, sage, and parsley