Skip to main content

Creamy Broccoli Soup

4.0

(1)

Leftover Broccoli—maybe that you boiled or steamed as a simple side dish—is a super candidate for this soup. (You may even find yourself making more broccoli than you can eat, as I do, specifically so you can turn it into this soup the next day.) To use leftovers, rinse off any remnants of dressing with hot water, add it to the pan after you’ve cooked away the garlic’s raw taste, and proceed without any additional cooking.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets and peeled stems (about 1/2 average head), cut into chunks
3 cups chicken stock
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
1 cup milk, cream, or yogurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the broccoli and stock in a saucepan and simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. During the last minute or so of cooking, add the garlic (this cooks the garlic just enough to remove its raw taste). If you’re serving the soup cold, chill now (or refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month before proceeding).

    Step 2

    Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. Stir in the milk, cream, or yogurt and reheat gently (or chill again); do not boil (yogurt will curdle). Season to taste—cold soups generally require more seasoning than hot ones—and serve.

From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books. Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
Read More
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Biscuits and gravy, but make it spring.
This broiled hot honey salmon recipe results in sweet, spicy, glossy fish coated in a homemade hot honey glaze for an easy weeknight dinner or make-ahead lunch.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Use this simple vinaigrette to dress a plate of greens, some steamed potatoes, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.