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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Soup

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Updated: Sep 15, 2021 · Published: Jan 4, 2019 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 83 Comments

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Diet: Gluten Free / Low Fat / Vegetarian
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A bowl of creamy broccoli soup with a text title overlay.

A hearty Creamy Broccoli Soup and just over 300 calories for a big filling bowl - this is healthy comfort food and ready in under 20 minutes too. The creaminess will make it feel much more indulgent than it actually is. Soup is an easy way to increase your vegetable intake, it's cheap to make and it's warming for those cold autumn/winter days.

Two bowls of soup topped with grated cheese and a drizzle of oil.

This is the creamiest of creamy soups and that is just thanks to the milk and a little bit of grated cheese - no cream needed. When all blended together it gives it such a creamy texture that this soup feels far more indulgent than it actually is and it's one of your five a day too.

You could mix things up a bit and do half broccoli and half cauliflower. It would change the colour and flavour, but it would make a nice change. We all know how well cauliflower and cheese go together too.

If you want to get more broccoli in your diet, this is an easy way to do it. Fancy trying some more broccoli recipes? Why not try our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Broccoli Pasta Bake or Broccoli Cheese.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love It
  • Ingredients and Substitutions
  • How to Make Broccoli Soup - Step by Step
  • Health Benefits of Broccoli
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Extra Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Soup Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why You Will Love It

  • Easy way to eat more vegetables - We can all struggle to eat enough vegetables sometimes, and this is an easy recipe to give you a veggie boost. It is also one of your five a day.
  • Quick - This broccoli soup is ready in under 20 minutes
  • Super creamy and comforting - Total creamy comfort food, but no cream used
  • Low calories - This is a low calories meal option with just over 300 calories for a huge filling bowl.
  • Healthy - Broccoli is a great source of vitamins K and C, a good source of folate (folic acid) and also provides potassium, fibre.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.

A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Broccoli - The star of this dish. To make this the best it possible can be, then try to choose the perfect broccoli. Choose a broccoli head with tight, green florets and firm stalks. Your broccoli should feel heavy for its size. Avoid broccoli with dried out or browning stem ends or yellowing florets.
  • Potato - This helps to really thicken the soup up. You could leave it out if you prefer a more brothy soup.
  • Onion - You could swap this for shallots if you prefer, and this would give the soup a slightly sweeter taste.
  • Milk - This is what helps to make the soup creamy. You can make it more indulgent by swapping the milk for cream.
  • Vegetable stock - Try to use the best quality stock you can buy. If you are making this for young children, then use a low salt stock.
  • Garlic - To save yourself some time, use some of that lazy ready chopped garlic in a jar.
  • Mustard - We used wholegrain mustard, but Dijon would work well too.
  • Cheese - We used a mature cheddar, as it has a nice strong flavour, which means you can get away with using less of it.

You could add even more veggies by throwing some spinach or kale in there too. It would give it even more of a vibrant green colour too, not to mention a vitamin boost.

More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.

How to Make Broccoli Soup - Step by Step

One: Heat some oil in a large pan and cook the onion, garlic and potato for 3 minutes.

A large pan with chopped onion and chunks of potato cooking in it.

Two: Then add the stock, mustard and salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stock added to the pan.

Three: Add the milk and the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes.

Broccoli added to the pan.

Four: Blend until smooth then stir in the grated cheese.

Blended soup in the pan.

Five: Pour into bowls and top with grated cheddar.

The soup in a bowl with more cheese on top and a spoon in the bowl.

Health Benefits of Broccoli

This creamy soup is low in calories and fat and even people that don't love broccoli have said that they love this soup. If one of your goals is to get extra vegetables into your diet, then this is a recipe for you to try. It really doesn't feel like you are eating vegetables.

Superfood is a bit of a buzz food that is thrown around, but there is no denying that broccoli is nutrient dense. It's a great source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and K, as well as iron, zinc and fibre, which can support digestive health.

Did you know that broccoli is also a good source of protein, although an incomplete one?

Grated cheese and a drizzle of oil on top of a bowl of soup.

Serving Suggestions

Warm crusty French bread is the best thing to dip in this creamy soup. However, if you want to keep it lighter, but still want a bit of texture to it, then why don't sprinkle some croutons on top.

We make our own easy croutons by chopping up some bread into squares and drizzling over a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic granules and dried herbs. Put them in the oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up. Perfect for adding to soups and salads.

Why not try making our Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia or easy Slow Cooker Bread to dip in it?

When it comes to toppings, some raw broccoli and grated cheese (although stilton goes really well with broccoli soup) is our go-to combo. However, some crispy grilled bacon is an amazing addition. It adds some nice texture to it.

Extra Tips

  • You could add some cauliflower too to use a mixture of vegetables.
  • Prefer a stronger flavour? Use Stilton instead of mature cheddar.
  • If you are making this for young kids, mix some little bits of pasta into it, to make more of a pasta soup stew.
  • You could make this vegan by using almond/soya milk and vegan cheese.
  • Try using shallots instead of onions for a sweeter flavour.
  • Top with some toasted seeds to add some crunch.
  • Give this a green spinach boost by adding some spinach to it. It will make it a really vibrant green colour too.
  • Use a stick blender to blend this soup. If you are going to use a jug blender, make sure it cools down first, as putting hot soup in can cause it to break.
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil for presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make broccoli soup kid friendly?

You wouldn't think that creamy broccoli soup was kid friendly, but it really is. In our house anyway! Add a ladle to a bowl and then top with cooked pasta to make it more filling. It's more of a pasta soup stew combo, which makes it easier for little kids to feed themselves.

Can you make creamy broccoli soup vegan?

This soup is all about the creaminess, but that doesn't mean that you couldn't easily make a vegan broccoli soup. Simply swap the semi-skimmed milk for almond/soya milk, or use extra stock and add a dollop of oat creme fraiche once it is blended. Swap the cheese for a good melty vegan cheese too.

How to store broccoli soup?

This soup is always best eaten fresh, however if you do have leftovers then you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool down and then store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Can you freeze creamy broccoli soup?

Yes, broccoli soup freezes really well. Allow it to completely cool first and then portion it out into air tight containers or freezer bags (these are great for space saving as you can lay them flat) and then it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Let it defrost and then you can reheat it in the microwave or heat it through on the hob.

How to cut broccoli

It depends on the size of the head of your broccoli. Ours was fairly large, so we cut florets off and then quartered each of them. If you were using a smaller head of broccoli, then you might just need to halve them.

Is broccoli soup gluten free?

Yes, this can be gluten free if you use a gluten free stock and mustard. Make sure you grate the cheese yourself rather than using a bag of pre-grated cheese as that is sometimes coated in flour to stop it from sticking together.

How to thicken broccoli soup

To thicken the soup, you will need to make a cornflour slurry. Simply mix together equal parts cornflour flour and water and then whisk that mixture into the soup. Usually 2 tablespoons of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water mixed together does the job. You can use this tip for thin stews too.

Can you make broccoli soup in advance?

Yes, you can make this in advance and then leave it to cool in the pan, cover and refrigerate the whole pan. Then, when you want to serve it you can put the whole pan (uncovered) on the hob and heat it through.

More Soup Recipes

  • A bowl of creamy courgette soup next to two slices of bread.
    Creamy Courgette Soup
  • A bowl of asparagus soup topped with cream, croutons and Parmesan
    Asparagus Soup
  • Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup in a bowl topped with croutons, herbs and a dollop of cream.
    Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup
  • Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup

If you’ve tried this creamy broccoli soup, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

A bowl of creamy broccoli soup topped with grated cheese and a drizzle of oil.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

By: Dannii Martin
The creaminess of this Creamy Broccoli Soup will make it feel much more indulgent than it actually is.
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
the words low fat in a white circle.
Low Fat
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
4.81 from 96 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: British
Prep: 2 minutes mins
Cook: 18 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 366kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy
An illustration of a mustard bottle.
Mustard

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 800 ml (3.33 cups) Vegetable stock
  • 200 ml (0.75 cups) Semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 Potato - peeled and chopped
  • 1 Onion - chopped
  • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 1 head Broccoli - chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
  • 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 60 g (0.5 cups) Mature cheddar - grated

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and cook 1 Onion, 2 Garlic clove and 1 Potato for 3 minutes.
  • Add 800 ml Vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Add 200 ml Semi-skimmed milk and 1 head Broccoli and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Blend until smooth, then stir in 60 g Mature cheddar.
  • Pour into bowls and top with more grated cheddar (optional).

Recipe Tips

  • You could add some cauliflower too to use a mixture of vegetables.
  • Prefer a stronger flavour? Use Stilton instead of mature cheddar.
  • If you are making this for young kids, mix some little bits of pasta into it, to make more of a pasta soup stew.
  • You could make this vegan by using almond/soya milk and vegan cheese.
  • Try using shallots instead of onions for a sweeter flavour.
  • Top with some toasted seeds to add some crunch.
  • Give this a green spinach boost by adding some spinach to it. It will make it a really vibrant green colour too.
  • Use a stick blender to blend this soup. If you are going to use a jug blender, make sure it cools down first, as putting hot soup in can cause it to break.
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil for presentation.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 1082mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1900IU | Vitamin C: 382mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 2.3mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. martina says

    August 15, 2021 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    I found this recipe a while ago and since then this become the kids favourite and our regular Saturday soup:) few ingredients, full of flavour and very well presented step by step guidance sop nothing can ever go wrong:)

    Since then we have experimented with the vegies amount of cheese.

    And it always turn out great:)

    Reply
    • Dannii says

      August 16, 2021 at 2:55 pm

      So glad you all enjoy it. It is a family favourite here too :)

      Reply
  2. Pam says

    March 09, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    5 stars
    I love broccoli soup, but can you believe I've never made it at home? Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
  3. Michelle says

    March 03, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    I can't believe how few ingredients are in this, and it's still so yummy. I love the extra little tangy flavor from the mustard.

    Reply
  4. sarah says

    March 01, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe looks really delicious! I can't wait to try it.

    Reply
  5. Emily Flint says

    March 01, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    5 stars
    I've been looking for a good broccoli soup recipe and this one hit the spot! So Good!

    Reply
  6. Angela says

    March 01, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    5 stars
    This soup was so fast and easy! A delicious soup!

    Reply
  7. Michelle says

    March 01, 2021 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is so easy to make and the whole family loved it! Definitely a keeper!

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    May 21, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is so easy to make and is super delicious. I add celery (3 sticks) along with the potato(use 2)and onion. I also add the milk at the end just before I blend then add the cheese. It’s much creamier this way.

    Reply
    • Dannii says

      May 22, 2020 at 7:15 am

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  9. Emma says

    April 19, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    This soup was so easy to make and really tasty. I cooked it in my instant pot for 3 minutes to see if it would work. When I took the lid off I was worried I’d spoiledit as it didn’t look good. However, it blended up nicely and tastes great. Looking forward to trying more recipes and seeing if the boy will eat it???

    Reply
    • Emma says

      May 03, 2020 at 11:00 am

      The boy ate it! I made it again with feta as I didn’t have any cheddar, also really good. So happy I discovered this website.

      Reply
      • Dannii says

        May 03, 2020 at 1:44 pm

        Feta sounds like an amazing addition.

        Reply
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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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