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Bright green Italian broccoli soup in a white bowl with olive oil, grated Pecorino, red pepper flakes and browned florets

Italian Broccoli Soup

A thick, bright green Italian broccoli soup with garlic, olive oil and a Parmesan rind, blended creamy without any cream and topped with browned florets.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 2 large heads broccoli about 2 lb / 900 g, florets and peeled stems
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes up to 1 tsp
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 Parmesan rind optional
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper to taste
To serve
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for the reserved florets
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

Method
 

  1. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets and set aside 1 cup of the smallest. Trim and peel the stems, then dice the pale core.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for about 6 minutes, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute.
  3. Add the broccoli florets and stems, the broth and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until a fork slides through the stems but the florets are still bright green.
  4. Meanwhile, brown the reserved florets in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the Parmesan rind and blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender, half full, lid vented).
  6. Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with the browned florets, grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days; thin with broth or water when reheating. Freezes well for up to 3 months (no dairy in the soup); add the toppings after reheating.
Make ahead: blend the soup up to 2 days ahead and brown the florets just before serving.
Substitutions: 2 lb frozen florets (simmer 8-10 minutes, use 3 1/2 cups broth); Parmesan instead of Pecorino; skip the rind and cheese and add 1 tbsp white miso for a vegan version.
No blender: mash the cooked broccoli well with a potato masher for a rustic, chunky soup.
Nutrition (about 250 calories and 10 g protein per serving) is an estimate based on standard ingredient values, not a lab analysis.