Homemade Italian Broccoli Soup (Printable Version)

Velvety soup blending fresh broccoli with aromatic vegetables and Parmesan for a comforting Italian-inspired bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli (about 1.1 lbs), cut into florets
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 medium carrot, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Dairy

09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme blend)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
13 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Add the diced potato and broccoli florets. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Pour in the broth and add the dried Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
04 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a blender in batches), puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The potato creates an incredibly velvety texture without any heavy cream
  • This soup comes together in under an hour with mostly pantry ingredients
  • It freezes beautifully so you can always have comfort soup ready
02 -
  • Blending hot soup requires caution, never fill a blender more than halfway and vent the steam
  • The potato is essential for that creamy texture without adding any actual cream
  • Parmesan adds saltiness so taste the soup before adding extra salt
03 -
  • Use a high quality Parmesan and grate it yourself for the best melting texture
  • Do not overblend or the potato can become gluey rather than creamy

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