Creamy Broccoli Soup
Winter has arrived. Gone are the cool, crisp evenings of fall which have been replaced with frigid, toe numbing winter nights that have me snuggling beneath my comforter for warmth. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but the weather is not. I can overlook this minor flaw, when I am distracted with adorned Christmas trees and twinkling holiday lights. In December, the weather is "festive", as we drink warm cups of hot chocolate speared with a candy cane, and tug on our mittens to go sledding. The snow is pristine white and the words to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas", play incessantly over the radio.
In January and February however, winter is now an unwanted step-child that we can't wait to get rid of. The lilly white snow has become dirty, making you track muddy footprints through the house, the weather turns your nose an unbecoming shade of red, and instead of feeling like a Christmas elf, you now resemble Grumpy the dwarf. Well, that's what winter is like for me anyway:) So, I enjoy the season while it lasts and when cold weather hits, I invariably make a pot of warm, comforting soup. This broccoli soup is a recipe I've posted before, but it sounded good for lunch today and I thought it yummy enough to revisit.
Creamy Broccoli Soup
6 cups chopped fresh broccoli
7 cups cold water
1-2 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 red onion, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
3/4 cup half & half (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
Save a handful of the broccoli, then in a large saucepan place the chopped broccoli, potatoes, onions, and garlic. Add 7 cups of cold water, then season with 1-2 teaspoons of salt. I ended up using the full 2 teaspoons. Bring to a boil and if necessary skim the surface of the potato starch. Lower the heat slightly, and simmer uncovered for about 35 minutes. Add the reserved handful of broccoli and simmer for another 10 minutes. The broccoli should be easy to squash on the side of the pan.
*Recipe Tip: Store leftovers tightly sealed in the refrigerator. This soup tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have had time to settle in overnight. This recipe makes a large batch of soup, so leftovers can be frozen.
* Slow Cooker: You can easily make this in your slow-cooker. Just add all the ingredients into your slow-cooker pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. When ready to eat, use a stick blender to puree the soup until smooth. Add more water to reach your desired consistency if desired. and salt/pepper to taste.
Source: (adapted from Apples For Jam by Tessa Keiros)
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21 comments:
I love it when the snow is still white and fluffy. This is perfect for those too-cold-for-toes days. I love your bowls!
gorgeous soup!
Beautiful! This reminds me of the broccoli soup my Mum used to made...and it reminds me I haven't had it for YEARS. It's just a pity it's too warm here for soup now.
That soup is a beautiful color! I've never had creamy broccoli soup but I'd love to try yours!
I can't win with the weather.. I moved to Texas and now I miss the snowy winters :( but I don't think I'd want them till February! ha
Besides the beautiful shade of green and healthy broccoli soup, I very much enjoyed your writing on the arrival of Winter and what it looks and feels like in Jan/Feb from where you live. Very vivid and nicely written.
I'm sure this is a comforting bowl of soup and have saved it to file with the intention of making it soon!
I love broccoli and I am always looking for recipes to try to use up my giant bag of broccoli from Costco. This soups looks like just the thing.
I haven't had broccoli soup in SO LONG! This sounds fantastic!
Today is definitely a soup day here in Chicago land. The current temp is minus 1 below! I love soup, so I'll be making this soup soon.
I totally agree with your explanation of snow in Dec vs. snow in the rest of winter.
I love thick soups that can be sipped from a mug or eat with a spoon. This one looks great, thanks.
I've been looking for a good broccoli soup recipe and you've done my work for me! Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous. It is going to be around 80 degrees here in Arizona today, but this soup looks lovely no matter what the temperature is so I will look forward to giving it a try. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Gorgeous soup!!! And lovely bowls, might I ask where you got them? :)
Your broccoli soup is very similar to mine except I add a pinch of nutmeg.
What a wonderful looking and sounding soup, this is going to be a delight to serve, thanks so much.
Jennie - Thanks:) I got these bowls at TJ Maxx, my favorite store:)
It takes a talented photographer to make this soup look so glorious! Your photographs were beautiful enough to frame! I love the holidays, but I'm not a fan of the cold. Texas winters are agreeing with me thus far! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I hope you are having a beauty-filled afternoon!
I love broccoli cheddar soup and I'm eager to try this variety! It's SO cold now that I would love this soup to warm me up!
I absolutely love the simplicity of your ingredients... hearty and healthy all at the same time! Your bowls are beautiful too by the way- this soup photographed so nicely!
I just discovered your blog and love it! I'm going to feature it tomorrow on my Friday Food Finds feature. :}
If only our snow was white and fluffy. instead, it's been hard and icy! This soup sounds absolutely perfect for this type of weather though!
You have a really gorgeous blog!
A favorite soup of mine...warm and cozy :)
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