Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Soup

I recently came in possession of a LOT of broccoli. So you know what they say: When life gives you broccoli, make soup! This is a pretty easy recipe that’s an amalgamation of a number of recipes I found online. I like broccoli soup a lot but I’ve never made it before, and it came out quite nicely if I must say so myself! It’s has a nice, creamy texture and a mild broccoli taste. Feel free to fiddle with the recipe if you like. For those so inclined I imagine using butter rather than olive oil might give it more of a bolder taste, but I like the sly subtlety of the broccoli flavor. But no matter how you do it, here’s how it’s done:

The Cast of Characters

Ingredients:
– 2 tsp olive oil
– One stalk celery, finely chopped
– 1 small onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
– 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
– 4 cups (or more) fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
– 2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
– 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

Let the soup cool first before blending!

The Process:
– Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.
– Gently saute onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened.
– Add potato and chopped broccoli.
– Add broth and milk.
– Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
– Allow soup to cool, then transfer to a blender in batches, blend until smooth.
– Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve.

Not only is this soup easy to make and really yummy, but it’s pretty darn nutritious, too! Broccoli is a rich source of a variety of biochemicals that are known to fight cancer. Not only that, broccoli is also high in fiber, Vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, folate, as well as a bunch of other important nutrients. Broccoli is known to aid in eye and bone health, bolster your immune system, regulate blood pressure and repair skin damage. With so much going for it, do what your Mother always told you and eat your broccoli!

And here’s what’s going on if you check underneath the hood:

Per Serving (1 cup):
– Calories: 88
– Calories from Fat: 16
– Total Fat: 1.8g (sat 0.3g)
– Cholesterol: 1 mg
– Sodium: 83mg
– Carbohydrate: 13g
– Fiber: 3g
– Protein: 5g