This soup is perfect after a long workday when you want to rustle up something quick, wholesome and healthy! It’s also great for using up broccoli that’s been in the refrigerator for a bit and is starting to lose it’s dark green colour 😀 (using fresh broccoli, of course, is wonderful)
Recipe: Broccoli Soup
Equipment
- A mortar and pestle / pepper grinder
- A food processor / blender
Ingredients
- 1 slice Bread (optional)
- 3 tbs Olive Oil
- 8 – 12 small cloves Garlic (adjust the amount of garlic based on your preference)
- 1 large Onion
- 1 tps Dried Rosemary
- 7 Cashew Nuts (optional)
- 1 medium sized head of Broccoli
- 2 cups of Water (recently boiled)
- 1 tsp freshly crushed Pepper
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Fresh Cream (to garnish, optional and skip for the vegan version!)
- 1 sprig of Mint / Parsley Leaves (to garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Wash and chop the broccoli into evenly sized florets. Roughly chop 1 large onion and peel 8 -10 small cloves of garlic. (Adjust the number of garlic cloves based on their size and your flavor preference)1
- This next step is completely optional, but only takes an added minute or two, so why not! Cut a slice of bread into small cubes; heat 1 tbs of olive in a deep bottomed pan, and place the cubes of bread into the oil, making sure they spaced well enough apart. Allow the bread to roast for about 30 seconds until the bottom side takes on a golden-brown2 color and then flip each little cube over using two tea spoons. Once golden on both sides transfer onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. You now have croutons!
- Add 2 tbs of olive oil to the same pan, and roast the garlic on a medium to low flame. Add 1 chopped onion to the pan once the garlic is crisp around the edges. Add a tsp of salt and allow the the onions to sweat until they are shiny and translucent. Next, add a tsp of dried rosemary and stir fry for about a minute.
- Once the rosemary is fragrant, add 6 – 7 cashews3 followed by chopped broccoli and stir fry on a high heat for about a minute. Turn the heat down to low, pop on a lid and allow to simmer for a total of 10 minutes, checking and stirring every couple of minutes, to avoid burning. Its alright to let the broccoli brow and char a little bit, if you prefer a roasted flavor in your soup.
- When the broccoli is tender, add 2 cups of recently boiled4 water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for an additional 3 – 4 minutes. Turn the heat off, strain the liquid into a separate bowl and allow the solid broccoli to cool for a bit. Once cool, grind the broccoli to a paste in a blender/ food processor. Use a couple of spoons of the liquid while grinding the vegetables in case the mixture is too dense5.
- Return the ground broccoli and the strained liquid to the pan. Taste check and season with salt! Also add a tsp of freshly ground pepper and a tsp of smoked paprika6. Once again, cover with a lid and allow to simmer for a final 3 – 5 mins.
- Serve in large bowls, topped with croutons, a fresh herb of your choice (mint/parsley) and a few drops of fresh cream7.
Recipe notes:
1I had really tiny cloves of garlic, and so had to use a lot more. Feel free to increase or tone down the number of cloves based on how much you enjoy a garlicy flavor.
2This is how much you want the croutons to brown, any more could taste burnt.
3Using cashews is optional; I find that broccoli can have a slightly grassy taste at times and adding just a few cashews to the soup tones down the grassy flavor, while also imparting a creamier texture to the dish.
4Use recently boiled/ warm water to save time. Adding cold water to the pot reduces the cooking temperature and you’ll have to wait much longer for the broccoli to come to a boil.
5Here’s a before and after picture of the broccoli being ground into a paste. You don’t need to grind it to a very fine paste; a slightly coarse texture works just fine!
6Do not use packed / fine pepper powder; freshly ground pepper makes a whole lot of difference!
7Decorating with herbs and fresh cream can always be avoided, and doesn’t add to the flavor of this soup in any way. The croutons are a whole other story! and I highly recommend them 😊
