Creamy Broccoli Soup

This Creamy Broccoli Soup takes less than 45 minutes to make and it is packed full of wonderful cheesy flavor and taste!

Just when you thought that all broccoli soup recipes had to taste the same, this cheesy bowl of goodness proves you wrong. In my opinion, the star of the show is the addition of the coconut milk. It gives the soup a subtly sweet flavor that will have you going back for more.

Another simple trick that I love doing is adding a bit of nutritional yeast to my soup recipes as well. This ingredient gives the soup that cheesy flavor that you just can't deny. It's so simple to get the taste of cheese without actually having to add in any cheese at all.

What you'll need

• Potatoes. I like using Yukon Gold potatoes here.
• Broccoli. Keep the stems! Just chop them up and add them to the soup.
• Carrot. For some color and sweetness.
• Veggie Broth. I love using Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base to make my broth.
• Coconut Milk. Full-fat coconut milk works best here. That said, you can use unsweetened extra creamy oat milk as a substitute.
• Nutritional Yeast. It adds a cheesy flavor.
• Spices. Garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt.
• For the topping. Potato peels, oil, salt, and pepper.

How to Make this Creamy Broccoli Soup

1. Place the potatoes, carrot, and the broccoli into a medium pot and add the veggie broth. Cover with the lid and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrot had softened.

2. If making the crunchy potato peels, now, is the great time to do it. Pour the oil into a large non-stick skillet and add the potato peels. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fry on medium heat until golden and crunchy, for about 6-7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place onto a paper towel lined plate.

3. Once cooked, remove some of the large broccoli florets and reserve for later.

4. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender puree the soup.

5. Add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything well and bring to a gentle simmer.

6. Break the reserved broccoli florets into small pieces and return to the soup. Simmer for a few minutes and turn off the heat. Serve with crispy potato skins on top.

Do you need to peel the potatoes for this broccoli soup?

Entirely up to you. However, if you're going to be making the crunchy potato strips as referenced above, you're going to need some potato peels to make that happen. You also need to realize that since we're going to be blending this soup, leaving the peels on might make it that much harder to do. I would suggest peeling the potatoes but again, it's going to be your call.

If you do decide to leave the skin on your potatoes, just make certain that you clean them really well and cube them up in a way that will be big enough for some texture but not overpowering to the soup.

How do you know when the potatoes are done cooking?

The easiest way to tell when a potato is cooked all the way is to do the fork test. Just take a fork, grab a piece of the potato that's in the soup and push the fork down into it.

If the fork tongs go in easy, the potato is done and ready. If you have to push and feel resistance, then the potatoes aren't done cooking and need a little bit more time.

Pro Tips For Making Creamy Broccoli Soup

• Blend the ingredients well. The main thing to keep in mind is that this soup is supposed to be creamy. This means that you're going to want to use an immersion blender, or regular blender, to get all the ingredients chopped up and smooth for eating.
• Don't forget the toppings. One of my favorite reasons for eating soup is because I just love adding on the toppings. The potato peels are an awesome addition and just add a whole other level of flavor and fun. You can also add on fresh cilantro, chives, and anything else that you're wanting to add. I've also added chopped up steamed broccoli on top to just add a little bit more texture as well.

As you can see, this Creamy Broccoli Soup recipe is so simple and easy to make. It's one of those hearty soups that warm your entire body, especially your taste buds and tummy. Once the weather turns cold then you know that it's time to have this simple soup recipe on your radar. One bowl is just enough to tempt you into refilling your soup bowl over and over again.

More tasty recipes to try:

• Simple Roasted Broccoli
• Easy Fajita Vegetables
• Broccoli and Mushroom Stir-Fry
• Roasted Cabbage Steaks
• Cabbage Curry