I’m really just striving to be in my Italian grandmother era where I make dishes with few ingredients, no frills, but have everyone at the table begging for seconds. This is what I imagine an Italian grandma would throw together super casually for lunch. Like “Oh, I have this head of broccoli? Let me just whip something up real quick with this.” Boom. A masterpiece soup.

Speaking of soup, I have some deep feelings about the topic. I just can’t get on board with the blended soups that don’t have anything fun going on – toppings, texture, nothing interesting going on in the broth. I need EXCITING SOUPS guys. Soups that are gonna make you go “woah, I was not expecting that and this is actually a full meal and amazing bowl of soup that is captivating my taste buds” not leaving you still hungry and feeling like you just ate 20 spoonfuls of the exact same bite all in a row. Told you these feelings were deep.

Soup feelings aside, let’s make this awesome one. It’s the first soup recipe of a series I will continue. So more to come – keep your eyes out.

Prep for the Italian Broccoli Parmesan Soup:

We have THREE ingredients to prep. Very, very easy. Broccoli, a yellow onion, and three cloves of garlic. Let’s dig into the broccoli prep a little more:

Broccoli: After washing the broccoli, I like to separate the stem from the florets. 

The thick part of broccoli, sometimes referred to as the stem, is more accurately called the “stalk.” It is the main, central part of the broccoli plant that connects the florets (the flowery, bushy part) to the roots. The stalk is edible and can be cooked and consumed along with the florets. While it’s often overlooked or discarded, it can be quite tasty and nutritious when prepared properly.

I like to place the broccoli head on a cutting board (floret-side down) and then carefully using your knife, cut around the florets to remove the stem. From there you can break apart the florets with ease, and then chop up the stem into small pieces.

How to make Italian Broccoli Parmesan Soup:

This Italian Broccoli Parmesan Soup is very simple to make. Let’s break down how to make the recipe step-by-step, and I’ve also included a video tutorial here as well:

Equipment Used:

• Knives
• Walnut Cutting Board
• Wooden Spoon
• Potato Masher
• Vegetable Peeler

Step One:

Separate the broccoli florets from the stem. Cut the florets into small pieces and then chop the stem into small pieces as well. The reason we are separating them here is because the stems are going to be sautéed first for a little bit longer (since it’s the thicker part of the broccoli and the florets will cook up faster). 

Step Two:

Chop up one medium-sized yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic.

Step Three:

 In a large pot over medium heat add some olive oil and butter. You want to cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and throw in a knob of butter. Once this has melted, add in the chopped onion and stir for two minutes.

Step Four:

Add in the chopped broccoli stems and continue to stir for another two minutes. Add in the broccoli florets and the chopped garlic. Stir.

Step Five:

 Add in the seasonings: a tbsp of garlic powder, a big pinch of salt, and a tsp of red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick. If you prefer to not have any spice at all you can omit the red pepper flakes. But a small amount balances this out quite nicely.

Step Six:

If you’d like, add in another knob or two of butter here. The broccoli will have absorbed a lot of the olive oil and butter you added at the beginning. You don’t want this mixture to start burning in the pan so feel free to add a little more butter here to help it out. Stir for 2-3 more minutes.

Step Seven:

Add in a box/carton of stock (vegetable, chicken, beef, whatever you like) and two cups of water. Bring this up to a gentle bubble, add in a sprig of fresh thyme, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes (or until broccoli is tender and you can mash it slightly). Note that the broccoli will cook down even more since we’re adding pasta later.

Step Eight:

Use either a potato masher or an immersion blender to lightly blend the soup together. It’s nice to have some texture here and not have it super smooth. 

Step Nine:

Add in small pasta of your choice (I’m using anelli siciliani), increase the heat to medium and continue to cook according to pasta package directions.

Step Ten:

Finish with fresh lemon juice, lots of shaved parmesan, some herbs if you like (I used Italian parsley) and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Oh and some cracked black pepper.

If you like this recipe you may also like:

Garlic Soup

Tuscan Tortellini Soup

French Onion Soup

Beer Pairing:

I paired this dish with Pablo Bunyan – a Mexican Style Lager from Bear King Brewing Co. It’s 5.5% and is super crisp and easy to drink.

If you end up trying this recipe out, please tag me @britacooks on social media so I can see your lovely creations!