…. Doing Delicious in Every Healthy Cupful!
This soup packs a punch of cruciferous veggies into a delicious, and oh-so-easy, recipe. And no “earthy” flavor that many people associate with broccoli. It’s tempered by the natural sweetness of the cauliflower. I love how the cauliflower creates a creamy texture without any of the carbs associated with potatoes typically used as a thickening agent or to give body or creaminess to soups.
While chicken broth will provide protein, you can certainly create this soup in a vegan and/or vegetarian version simply by replacing the chicken broth with a vegetable broth.
Cruciferous Broccoli Cauliflower Soup is thick, creamy, satisfying, and very filling, yet achieves these goals with very few, yet nutrient-dense, calories. Being naturally free of gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and eggs, while being waist-line conscious allows me to indulge in cup after cup of this soup without having to concern myself with any negative outcome. I like dishes like this!
The steps are straightforward and beginning prep to delicious soup in your bowl requires only 30 minutes of your valuable time. I whipped this up for lunch last week and my work-from-home hubby still had time for a 20-minute walk in his 1-hour lunch break. Dinner? Combine it with some Prosciutto Asparagus Quiche Cups or Mini Quiche Tarts (though these would make the vegan dinner null and void), and you’ll have yourself a successful meal to fill even the bottomless pits of your always hungry family members. Don’t tell anyone, but I eat it for breakfast too!
Let’s get to making that soup!
Creamy Cruciferous Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large stalks broccoli, including stems, cut into large pieces (stems sliced into 1/2” pieces)
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into large pieces
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 medium sweet onion, peeled cut into large chunks
- 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth – low sodium, fat-free
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over soup when serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Hot sauce, optional for garnish
Directions
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, celery, and onion to soup pot. Add 4 cups broth to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to high simmer/slow boil. Add basil onion powder and garlic powder. Cook about 10 minutes. Test veggies. They should be very tender, allowing a fork to pierce large pieces easily. Remove from heat.
- Transfer some soup to a blender (high-speed if possible) and puree until smooth. Put this pureed soup into another smaller pot, just to hold until pureeing process is complete. Repeat pureeing step with remaining soup, until all soup is moth and “creamed”. Return all soup to original pot. Add additional broth as needed to reach desired consistency. Bring back to a simmer and add olive oil. Stir well. Taste. Add salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir well. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish each serving with a drizzle of oil and few drops of hot sauce, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight, resealable container (I love my mason jars for this; it makes pouring the soup easy). Use within a week.
Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™
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nice soup recipe, thanks for sharing
Hi Virginia! Soup seems to warm the soul and feels so good going down. I especially love how healthful most soup recipes can be made. And Broccoli is one of my favorite veggies. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts! xConnie