Soups

Italian Broccoli Parmesan Soup

This soup has been on the blog for over three years now, and it’s still one of my most popular recipes! I originally made it while trying to channel my inner Italian grandmother, and honestly, that’s still the best way I can describe it. It’s the kind of soup I imagine an Italian grandma casually throwing together for lunch with a head of broccoli, a few pantry staples, and absolutely no recipe in sight. Somehow, it ends up being the best thing you’ve eaten all week.

I’ve always had some pretty strong feelings about soup, and I think the best ones have a little bit of everything going on—I need something interesting going on beyond just eating 20 spoonfuls of the exact same thing. I love a good creamy soup, but I also love playing around with different textures, toppings, and ingredients to make something that’s satisfying enough to be a full meal. That’s really the whole idea behind my Soups That Don’t Suck series, and this broccoli soup was actually the recipe that started it all!

Three years and plenty of soup recipes later, this one is still a favorite for good reason. It’s simple, made with just a handful of ingredients, and proof that you really don’t need to do much to make a great bowl of soup.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp butter, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
1 head of broccoli, florets and stalks finely chopped & separated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder, optional for stronger garlic flavour
1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups stock (chicken, beef, or veggie)
2 cups water
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini, anelli siciliani, or orzo)
Shaved Parmesan cheese (at least ½ cup)
Garnish: fresh lemon juice, freshly cracked black pepper, fresh chopped Italian parsley, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Prep Steps

There are only three ingredients to prep for this soup, so it’s very easy! Dice one yellow onion, mince three cloves of garlic, and chop up one head of broccoli. A little more on how I like to prep the broccoli:

After washing the broccoli, I like to separate the florets from the thick center stalk. Don’t throw the stalk away! It’s completely edible, and we’re using the whole head of broccoli for this soup.
The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to place the broccoli head floret-side down on a cutting board, then carefully cut around the stalk to separate the florets. From there, break the florets into smaller pieces and chop the stalk into small, evenly sized pieces. If the outside of the stalk is particularly thick or tough, you can peel that layer off first.

How to make It

Step One:

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step Two:

Add the chopped broccoli stalks and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic.

Step Three:

Add the garlic powder, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, adding another tablespoon of butter if needed.

Step Four:

Pour in the stock and water, then add the fresh thyme. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender enough to mash easily.

Step Five:

Remove the thyme sprig, then use a potato masher or immersion blender to partially blend the soup. I like to leave some small pieces of broccoli for texture rather than blending it completely smooth.

Step Six:

Stir in the pasta (I’m using anelli siciliani) and broccoli florets, then increase the heat to medium. Simmer according to the pasta package directions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli florets are tender. Add additional stock or water as needed if the soup thickens too much.

Step Seven:

Ladle into bowls, then top with freshly squeezed lemon juice, shaved Parmesan, chopped Italian parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

More Soups That Don’t Suck:

Three years later, and this broccoli soup is still one of the coziest I’ve ever made! I hope I made all of the Italian grandmothers proud 🙂

If you make this soup, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!

@britacooks

Soups