Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cozy up to a bowl of this comforting Cream of Broccoli Soup any time of the year! A nutritious soup recipe that gives you a luxurious, indulgent feel at the same time!

Serve this soup with our homemade Garlic Bread for dipping! This broccoli soup is so easy to make, perfect for meal prepping and even freezing for later meals.

cream of broccoli soup in a bowl with croutons

A Comforting Broccoli Soup Recipe

A nutritious soup recipe that feels like an indulgent comfort food meal? That’s the best way to describe this Cream of Broccoli Soup!

The base of this soup recipe is primarily broccoli, along with diced onions and garlic. Simmered down with chicken broth and a few seasonings, finished with just a touch of cream. And I am here to tell you, it’s perfectly delicious all on its own, even without the cream!

How Do You Make Cream Of Broccoli Soup?

Making cream of broccoli soup couldn’t be easier! This soup recipe is also a great way to use up those heads of broccoli that you had high hopes of roasting alongside dinner this week.

We’ll take you through how to make this Cream of Broccoli soup recipe step by step!

onions cooking in a pot with butter

Cook Down The Onions: Start this soup recipe by cooking a large cup of diced onions in butter until softened. Onions give a delicious base flavor to this soup, and to most soup recipes, so you don’t want to skip this step.

Give the onions at least five minutes, cooking over medium heat until the onions release their sweet flavor and start to just caramelize.

Chopped broccoli in a pot for making soup

Trim The Broccoli: You don’t need to worry about making perfect, little broccoli florets for this soup. Since it’s all going to be cooked down and eventually blended, the size isn’t super important.

While you don’t want very large pieces that will take longer to become tender, the best tip is to make sure that the broccoli is all approximately the same size so that it cooks at the same time.

seasoning on chopped broccoli for making cream of broccoli soup

Season The Soup: Season this broccoli soup with crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt and fresh black pepper. That’s it! We like to let the natural flavor of the broccoli shine through.

Taste the soup for seasonings and adjust if needed before adding the cream at the end.

cream swirled into broccoli soup

Add Heavy Cream: Because it’s not a creamy soup without the cream, am I right? We love the addition of cream swirled into this broccoli soup!

But I do have to say if you’re looking to save on some calories, even though we only added a 1/2 cup of cream to the whole pot, taste the soup right before adding the cream. It’s pretty darn delicious all by itself, too!

How Do You Thicken Cream Of Broccoli Soup?

For this broccoli soup recipe, we’re using the natural ingredients to thicken the soup. Just using the right proportions of vegetables to broth, cooked down and blended makes the perfect, thick consistency.

cream of broccoli soup with croutons in a bowl

Can You Make This Recipe With Frozen Broccoli?

Yes, you can! While we prefer using fresh broccoli to make this soup, frozen broccoli can be used in a pinch! Defrost the broccoli first and use paper towels to pat the excess water away before adding to the pot.

Don’t have time for defrosting the broccoli? No worries, just add the frozen broccoli right to the pot. The soup might have a slightly thinner consistency, but it will still be delicious.

cream of broccoli soup in a crock with croutons

Can Soup With Cream Be Frozen?

Yes and no. Sometimes soups with cream can break apart while defrosting, but you’re good to go with this broccoli soup.

There isn’t that much cream to begin with in this recipe, so even if it breaks down a little, it’ll come together perfectly when you go to reheat it. Another tip for making this soup ahead and freezing it is to leave the cream out before you freeze!

Then just add a touch of cream to the soup after you have defrosted and reheated it. Perfect, creamy soup!

cream of broccoli soup with a spoon and croutons

Looking For More Soup Recipes?

Italian Broccoli Soup
Artichoke and Parsnip Soup
Lentil Soup with Ham
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

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cream of broccoli soup with a spoon and croutons

Cream of Broccoli Soup

  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Servings 1x

This Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe is so cozy and comforting, while being nutritious at the same time! Perfect for meal prepping, this soup also freezes beautifully!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup diced onions
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 large heads of broccoli (about 2 pounds total) trimmed and cut into florets
  • 4 cups chicken broth (can substitute vegetable broth)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Fresh black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Add the butter to a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, while stirring. Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  2. Add the broccoli florets to the pot and stir together with the onions and garlic. Season with the red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth, cover and bring to a simmer. Keep the pot covered and simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes until the broccoli is soft enough to blend. Check the consistency with a fork to see how tender the broccoli is, if it needs a few more minutes, cover and continue to simmer until tender.
  3. Uncover the pot, turn the heat off and let cool slightly before blending. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and then taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. Stir in the cream and serve.

Recipe Notes

If making this soup ahead of time and freezing, you can leave the cream out and add it to the soup after it’s been reheated.

This broccoli soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup on the stove top or in the microwave for a quick meal!

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

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