When I was younger, one of my favorite comfort meals was broccoli cheddar soup from Panera in a big bread bowl. Yummmm! It always hit the spot on a cold winter’s day.
Not to knock Panera, but when I got older and started to pay attention to the ingredients in my favorite foods, I realized the broccoli cheddar bread bowl probably wasn’t the best option–even when in need of comfort food. Hence why I was so excited to make a version of broccoli soup that satisfied my cravings AND passes the healthy inspection.
live to roast, roast to live
The thing that really seals the deal on this soup is roasting the broccoli before immersing it with the rest of the ingredients. When I discovered roasting veggies, my life was changed completely. With just a little oil and seasoning, any ordinary vegetable can transform into a crunchy delicacy in the oven.
The first step of this recipe is to roast broccoli for about 15 minutes while you begin to prepare your soup. Next, you’ll need a leek, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes to start your base.
Adding potatoes and white beans, like Great Northern or Navy beans, gives the soup added substance and will leave you feeling satisfied.
Adding some freshly grated Parmesan to the hot soup gives it some cheesiness without overdoing it. Finally, lemon zest and juice along with a bit of chili oil at the end rounds out the flavor profile and gives the soup an extra kick.
If you want to pour your soup into a sourdough bread bowl, be my guest! Or keep things light with a couple slices of crusty baguette.
⟶ the recipe
roasted broccoli soup
ingredients
5 cups broccoli florets
1 large leek, white and pale green parts thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into small cubes
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 can Great Northern beans
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili oil
Pinch of salt
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
1 hour
4 servings
instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange broccoli florets on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast broccoli until crisp and slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Once broccoli is roasted, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the leeks, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the potatoes, and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Add broth and a pinch of salt. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Allow soup to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and you can easily pierce them with a fork.
Add about three quarters of the roasted broccoli (reserving a few florets for serving) and the beans to the soup. Remove the pot from the heat, and carefully blend soup using an immersion blender. Once soup is blended, return it to low heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, zest, and black pepper. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with reserved broccoli florets and garnish with chili oil and additional Parmesan if desired.
⟶ recipe notes
I love using my immersion blender when making soups, because it’s clean, easy, and you don’t have to worry about transferring the hot soup. However, you can alternately use a large blender for the soup. Just spoon it into the blender in batches and use a separate large bowl or pot to reserve the blended soup until the blending is finished
⟶ modifications
Make it vegan by skipping the Parmesan
The beans provide a good amount of protein, but amp it up with some chopped ham or bacon bits
⟶ make it ahead
Roast broccoli ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use
Refrigerate soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Let the soup thaw in the fridge before reheating
