Cream of Broccoli Soup
This cream of broccoli soup recipe is lighter than most, so it won't weigh you down. It's bursting with nutritious broccoli!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 1, 2024
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This cream of broccoli soup is perfect for a rainy day. It’s creamy and satisfying, yet light and nutritious at the same time. This soup is a lovely side dish for your favorite sandwiches and hearty salads.
You might be intrigued by some of the elements in this cream of broccoli soup recipe. For starters, it’s lusciously creamy with minimal cream—we’ll primarily use butter and just finish the soup with a drizzle of optional cream.
Secondly, this recipe makes use of the broccoli stems and crowns, which is a fun way to maximize broccoli flavor and minimize waste. You’ve seen me use this trick in my Broccoli Cheese Soup. If you’ve enjoyed that soup, you’ll definitely appreciate this one.
This cream of broccoli soup is not a superstar meal on its own, but is a really, really nice component in a springtime meal. I hope you’ll try it!
Cream of Broccoli Soup Ingredients
- Broccoli: But of course! We’ll peel the stems, cut them into pieces, and simmer them until tender enough to blend. Before blending, we’ll add the chopped florets and cook until they’re bright green.
- Unsalted butter: Since butter is a semisolid form of cream, it’s right at home in this soup. We’ll actually rely on butter for the “cream” element here.
- Yellow onions and garlic: These alliums form the backbone of flavor in this soup. To reduce prep work, we’ll just roughly chop the onion and smash the garlic. We’ll blend them up later on.
- Water: Water is better than broth in this soup because it lets broccoli’s inherent flavor and fresh green color shine. I find that vegetable broth can contribute quite a lot of sodium with minimal, or sometimes even off-putting, flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Since we’re using water instead of salty broth, we’ll use a decent amount of salt to enhance the flavor of this soup. The nice part is that you’re in full control of the sodium content in this recipe, but follow my guidance for best flavor.
- Squeeze of lemon: Stir just a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice into the finished soup for some brightness and acidity.
- Optional garnishes: Add a drizzle of heavy cream before serving to emphasize the “cream of broccoli soup” title. It makes the soup extra creamy and flavorful. You could also add a sprinkle of finely snipped fresh chives.
Watch How to Make Cream of Broccoli Soup
Creamy Broccoli Soup Serving Suggestions
Treat this soup as a side dish. It would go particularly well with fresh sandwiches, hearty salads with chickpeas or roasted vegetables, and even with veggie pizza. Here are a few ideas:
- Broccolini Almond Pizza
- Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese
- Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich or 10-Minute Quesadillas
- Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Dill or French Carrot Salad
- Green Goddess Hummus Sandwich
- Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Pistachios
- Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado
Equipment Notes & Suggestions
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If you are serving two people or don’t want a lot of leftovers (note that this soup freezes well!), you could easily cut the ingredients in half. Here’s what you’ll need to make this soup:
- I’m convinced that soups always taste better when they’re cooked in a Dutch oven. I used my 5.5-quart Le Creuset for this recipe. A large, heavy-bottomed soup pot will also work well.
- You’ll need a lid for the pot. In a pinch, you could use a metal baking sheet.
- If you are making the full batch, you’ll need to blend it in batches in your stand blender. I could not blend the full batch at once in my Vitamix. Transfer the blended portion to a heat-proof pitcher or container as you blend the rest, then combine it all in the soup pot.
- Or, you could use an immersion blender. The trouble with immersion blenders is that even the best immersion blender never yields soup as creamy as you could accomplish in your stand blender. I wish it weren’t true!
Safety note: Never fill a stand blender past the maximum fill line, or you could end up with a giant mess (and a hot one, if you’re making soup). You need to know how your blender works. My lid’s design allows for steam to escape, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll want to remove the center piece so the contents don’t build pressure as they blend. Cover the hole with a tea towel, but don’t place your hand over it because the steam is hot.
More Creamy Soups to Enjoy
Try one of these:
- Lightened-Up Tomato Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Please let me know how your soup turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
This cream of broccoli soup recipe is lighter than most, so it won’t weigh you down. It’s bursting with nutritious broccoli! Recipe yields about 6 medium bowls of soup (6 side servings).
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds broccoli with stalks (3 large or 4 medium)
- 6 cups water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- Optional garnishes: Drizzle of heavy cream and/or sprinkled of finely snipped fresh chives
Instructions
- Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and about 10 twists of black pepper.
- Stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are just starting to turn golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice off and discard the rough bottom ends of broccoli stalks. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the tough outer skin on the stalks, then discard those bits. Slice the stalks off and cut them into pieces about 1 to 2-inches big. Set aside.
- Working with the broccoli tops now, cut as closely to the base of the florets as you can. Slice any remaining stalks into chunks to match to the rest. Reserve the broccoli florets—we’ll use them in a bit.
- Add the chunks of broccoli stalk to the pot and stir. Pour in 6 cups water and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then promptly reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Simmer until the broccoli stalks are tender throughout and easily split apart when pierced with a fork, about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the reserved florets into small pieces (I chop them all in one direction, then turn the cutting board and chop again).
- Once the stalks are tender, add all of the florets to pot, stir, cover, and cook until they’re bright green and easily pierced through by a fork, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and add the remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Working in a couple of batches (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line or it could explode!), carefully transfer several cups of the mixture—both the liquid and solids—to your stand blender. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer the mixture to a heat-proof vessel temporarily as you blend the rest. Alternatively, use an immersion blender (it just won’t be as lusciously creamy). Return the purée to the pot.
- Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Carefully taste (it’s hot) and adjust to taste—add more salt for more overall flavor (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon), another teaspoon lemon juice for more brightness, and/or more black pepper for kick.
- Divide the soup into bowls and garnish with a light drizzle of cream and/or sprinkle of chives, if desired. Serve. Leftover soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (you may want to wake up the leftovers with another squeeze of lemon). This soup will freeze well for several months.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Broccoli Cheese Soup.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Use vegan butter or replace the butter with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. No need to add more before blending. Omit the cream. You might enjoy a dollop of vegan sour cream as a garnish, or just add a sprinkle of chives.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Can you use frozen broccoli?
Hey Shawna! Good question. I haven’t tried. It might work well—not sure how to adjust it given that the recipe is designed to use both the stalks and florets (added in two different stages).
Looks great but do you have an instant pot version? Thanks!
Hi Michelle! I’m sorry, I don’t—I find that soups often have better flavor on the stovetop. This one would be tricky since we add the broccoli in two stages.
If using an instant pot put the stems in the bottom with the water garlic and onions add a steamer on top were you put your florets. I also add one potato. If you give it a go please let me know
Very okay. It delivers broccoli. Sorry Kate. Your other recipes are great though.
Hi Julia, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one! Thank you for your review.
I would like to start making my own soup but I do not want to add onions because onions mme ill.Should I just make the soup minis the onions or should I be replacings with something??
Thanks
JohnE.
Hi John, The onions really add to the overall flavor. Do you have a go-to when you are substituting onions? I would recommend your favorite. Celery or carrots could be an options, although they will change the flavor and color but give you some more depth than just the broccoli. Without trying it, I can’t say for sure. If you do, be sure to report back!
Try subbing asparagus for the broccoli. It also freezes well.
Hi Kate, absolutely loved this soup. It was so simple and easy to make so I was t sure but it was delicious. I don’t love soups but this one was amazing.
I added sriracha and some toasted black sesame seeds. Made it look beautiful too.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I love those additions. I bet it was quite pretty!
Health dish easy to prepare will definitely try it
I hope you love it!
Thank you! I will hold off and use the frozen broccoli for something else :-)
I hope to make this soup tomorrow and will let you know how it works. I am also interested in trying the oatmeal pancakes. But one ar a time, my pace is rather slow
Thanks, Betty! Looking forward to your feedback. Trying one new recipe every day is really an accomplishment in my book!
I was a little apprehensive at first due to the lack of herbs & spices, but I love the addition of lemon (I did add extra, but didn’t feel the cream was needed), it gave it a really nice zing to this guilt-free soup! I did go back for seconds. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
Thanks so much, Cheryl!
Delicious! I made the half batch and it’s perfect, creamy, a little tangy from the lemon and just packed with flavour. Oh that lemon! This soup is devine. I added a slice of grilled homemade sourdough on the side for our lunch and my family devoured the lot. It looks like it will become a staple food for us.
I have made Kate’s Broccoli Cheese Soup several times and it is incredible EVERY time. I thought this recipe would not have as much flavor. I was wrong….this is so flavorful and smooth…! The garlic and onion add so much zing you don’t don’t need to add anything else. I added some grated cheddar as a topping….GUILTY….but it didn’t need it. This is a healthy and delicious soup and I HIGHLY recommend it!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Dave! I know, this soup doesn’t look as exciting as the other but I’m really happy to hear you’re a fan. You’re right—it’s really good with some cheddar on top!
The soup turned out to be great, but I accidentally added too much black pepper, is there a way to fix that?
Hey Kay, glad to hear your soup turned out well! Other than scooping out the pepper before stirring it into the soup, I don’t know what to do. I do think the peppery flavor will mellow after a few hours, so I hope you enjoy the leftovers!
My family just enjoyed the broccoli soup for dinner along with your roasted beet & arugula salad. The soup was rich and creamy on its own without adding dairy. (I cooked everything in a Le Creuset and used a Vitamix like you recommended.) Very flavorful though I tend to add more cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
on top of each bowl. Thanks for a great Spring menu!
What a great combo! Thank you, Bea!
So simple and delicious. This appealed to me because I’m watching my calories and this soup doesn’t have cheese. It does have butter, but one Tbsp per big bowl is reasonable to me. I had bought the huge Costco bag of broccoli florets, so didn’t have stalks for the puree, so I added 6 stalks celery instead. I also made it in the instant pot (4 min high pressure, add florets and saute – I have a glass lid to avoid splatter) and Vitamix. The whole pot was gone in one day! My 3yr old daughter loves it, and my husband who requested cheese in it didn’t bother adding any. Thanks for helping my family eat healthier, Kate! Definitely making a second batch with the other half of the broccoli bag in a few days, and doubling the recipe next time. Five stars ⭐️
Hooray! I’m happy you made it and loved it, Lindsey. I appreciate you taking the time to review.
I found another broccoli recipe online that roasted the broccoli florets before adding to the pot. (Like you do with your other soup recipes.)
I used your measurements and method but added this additional step. Just tossed them in 1 – 2 tablespoons of oil and seasoned them well with a fare few twists of salt and pepper. Roasted for about 20 minutes until slightly caramelized.
This was amazing and by far one of my favourite soups. :)
Thanks
This needs more broccoli. I believe that’s why some people’s soup is thin. I used 2 whole heads of broccoli and it was perfect.
Great base recipe, I added cream and old cheddar at the end. I used a hand held blender and left some texture to it . Delicious!
Thank you for sharing, Ashley!
Hi Kate,
This soup looks wonderful, but it’s now May 8th and it’s the first recipe I see when I click on your site. I subscribed to your email so I can see the newer recipes. I know you’ve told others to clear their caches and I haven’t done that, yet. It seems odd that your new recipes don’t show up anymore when they always used to, and I’m not having this problem with other sites. I’m wondering if this might be a problem on your end. I miss seeing your new recipes and I’m wondering if other people are still missing them, too!
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for letting me know. I’m so bummed this is still happening for you! I have cleared all the caches I can possibly clear on my end, and my web host couldn’t find anything wrong to fix. I’m glad you’re getting the new posts by email. This happened to me on my phone, and I simply clicked the refresh button at the top of my browser—that started showing me the latest home page. Otherwise, you might need to clear your browser cache to get past the tortilla soup recipe. I wish I could do it on my end for you, and I’m sorry about the inconvenience!
This soup has terrible flavor and will definitely be making again. I was a little secptical using just water but found that it was very tasty.
This was soo good! I haven’t made cream of broccoli soup in a long time and wanted to make one that didn’t actually involve cream at all if possible (I love cream, but I have several vegan friends who won’t touch anything made with dairy products- fortunately you provided for that option, too. But THIS batch wasn’t intended for anyone but me!) so this was nearly perfect! I actually had never thought to use the stalk part for making soup before, and it definitely made a difference, not just in volume but obviously in taste! I followed the recipe this time as written except for one thing: I used a combo of water and a low salt boxed vegetable stock – 4 C.water and 2 C.stock – and it was still great I’d had just a little stock remaining in container from last week, and wanted to use it up quickly. And also, I had gotten interrupted while just finished/ before I blended it and when I came back, it was too late at night to use the blender- I live in a multi-family home- so I packed up the soup in an airtight container and , somewhat anxiously, refrigerated until later the next day (evening): It was just fine! Loved it. Forget the cheese, this creamy broccoli soup stood on it’s own feet!! So delish. Will make this more often during “soup season” – fall and winter-at my house. Thanks, Kathryne!
With respect to the quantity of broccoli, you state “2 pounds with stalks (3 large or 4 medium)”
What is the 3 and 4 enumerating?
Thanks.
Hi, It’s referring to heads of broccoli. I hope that helps.
Amazing. Love this Soup. And I will definitely try this recipe . I am also a food blogger. If you don’t mind you can also check mine.
Love, love, love! I made it and love it, but want to thin it out for when I eat the leftovers tomorrow. Do I just add a little water? Or should I reblend it too?
Hi, I really like it as is. I wouldn’t suggest water as it will water down the taste. You could try to blend it.
Listen it was edible but I won’t make it again. Just not tasty enough. Healthy though and made a nutritious lunch.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, Rachel. I appreciate your review.
A friend gave me food from her freezer and the broccoli sparked the idea of cream of broccoli soup. Thanks for the recipe. It turned out great.
Thank you for your review, Dale! I’m glad you liked it.
I love your recipes! This looks great. I am wondering if there is a way to make it vegan. Thanks
I like it I added less water and a can of unsweetened coconut milk
I made this again today to take to my mom, who has the flu. Luckily, she cannot possibly eat a dutch oven full of soup, so we keep half! I use more salt and lemon than Kate calls for, but that’s just personal taste. So healthy, and SO delicious!
I’m sorry she wasn’t feeling well, but I’m glad she was able to enjoy this. Thank you for sharing, Austin!
Super yum! I had it with a tablespoon of yoghurt mixed into my bowl which made it a deliciously tangy.
Frying the onion and garlic in butter makes the house smell so good and gives the soup an even more delicious taste.
Great to hear. Blossom! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This is just what I need right now to warm me up as the weather is much colder now. Just wondering if this would freeze well or will the taste go funny?
Thank you so much for the yummy recipes.
I really like the taste of this soup but am not a fan of cream soups. What could I add to it to give it a little crunch? I was thinking of not blending all the broccoli? Maybe adding some slivered almonds? What would you suggest?
Hi! I would suggest my Broccoli Cheese Soup.
Cookie and Kate are my go to recipes. Thanks for being there. This soup is getting made for dinner tomorrow.: )
Once again, C&K does not disappoint!! I made this broccoli soup, substituting with ghee because I can’t eat butter right now, and it is spectacular! Yet another C&K recipe to add to my growing arsenal of tried and true fantastic favorites. (and my KitchenAid immersion blender made it very creamy and smooth)
When do I re add the onion/garlic mix? Thank you.
Hi Alex, see step 1. I hope that helps!
any reason not to use an immersion blender?
I did that cause I’m nervous about moving around all that boiling hot soup and so that I wouldn’t have to wash my blender, and soup came out ok, wasn’t amazing.
Hi Lev! I find it doesn’t get creamy enough. You can try it with your immersion blender.
I have tried four of your recipes thus far. Three of them have been outstanding! This recipe called for celery, and extra dashes of many different herbs and spices to make it just as delicious as the other dishes I’ve tried.
Your Roasted Carrot soup, Best Lentil soup, and Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice, (Yummy)MG!
Is there any way to make your carrot muffins recipe in a loaf pan instead? I prefer thin slices of breads like homemade cranberry etc.
You are quickly turning me and my gal pals into Vegan’s/Vegetarian’s.
Three stars because I had to tweak it too much to equal your other recipes.
This is the second time I’ve made this soup. It’s light and tastes really fresh. This time around, I added a few non-marinated artichoke hearts to it right before the blender. They added a really nice complexity and depth to the soup. Will definitely make again. Kate, Thank you for always providing such inspiring recipes. I love your site!
That’s great to hear, Jocelyn! Thank you for your review.
Delicious!!!! Satisfying, tasty soup. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Lovely fresh tasting soup – and very easy to make
I’m happy you loved it, Nicky! I appreciate your review.
looks good. Can I freeze the soup?
This soup freezes well!
I just made this soup, and all I can say is wow! It’s perfect. The butter makes it so rich and yummy, and the garlic flavour is amazing. We went back for seconds even though we were full.
The only change I made was to hold back a cup of the water until the end, just in case (I wasn’t sure if I had as much broccoli as the recipe called for). That was a good move, because it wasn’t needed.
Yumm. So good. I put one small gold potatoe in blended brocolli mixture and 1 put a forth of cup if half and half. Delicious!
This was surprisingly delicious – I couldn’t stop tasting it afterwards even though I was saving it for dinner. I can understand it’s not as rich or creamy as some broccoli soups but I love how light it is. Very addictive and easy! Will definitely make it again
That’s great to hear, Esther!
Made this today. Remembered not loving it the first time though I am a big fan of Kate. I used veggie broth (low sodium) for the water and a cup of milk. Also added flour to final cooking of the liquid, 1 TBS to each cup of liquid.
Thank you, Vickie!
I loved this! Thank you. I had about a pound of broccoli that was starting to get old and didn’t want to sauté it or throw it in the compost so I asked Siri to find me a recipe and yours came up! Glad I did! It’s simple and delicious. Added some cayenne for spiciness! ❤️